The Portland daily press., 1891-02-25
A BILL TWENTY YEARS OLD PASSED.
The Northern States May Receive a
Dividend from Washington.
Bay State DiscrImInates Against
Certain Classes Of Citizens. .Rl
The General Banks Pension Bill APP
proved hv the President gs e.
Especial to the Press.l

Enc Especial to the Press.l I'll Ia.
WASHINGTON, February 24.-Today the
House passed the famous direct tax bill
which has been nearly 20 years In Congress.
In 1861, the United States Government. In
stress on account of the gathering rebellion,
assessed direct tax on the states and terri
tories. The loyal states paid their assess
ments. In all. about ST., 900. 900 were paid
by the loyal states. The New England
States paid as follows: Maine, 1851, ,7O2; /;
New Hampshire. S1S5,645; Vermont. S179,-
407; Massachusetts, $7O0.S94; Rhode Island,
S99,419; Connecticut. $261 1881. As the dis
loyal states have refused to pay their assess
ments, 1t has been acknowledged that, in
equity, now that the government is safe and
prosperous, the money should be refunded to
the loyal states. In the last Congress, both
House and Senate passed the bill, but
Cleveland vetoed 1t. The Senate passed 1t
over his veto. ana the House tried to. but
that Congress was under the old Democratic
rules, and after a factious minority had fill
bustered six days, the attempt to pass IL In
the House was given up.
This morning, Speaker Reed and Messrs.
Mckinley and Cannon decided to bring the
bill up by resolution from the committee on
rules, and late this afternoon 1t was passed
by vote Of 173 to 101. 1t now goes back to
the Senate for concurrence In necessary
amendment put on by the House to provide
that no state shall be entitled to its share of
the money until 1t shall have passed an act
accepting the conditions laid down In the
bill passed today. The money Is to be paid
to the governors of the several states, and in
case in any state the tax was collected by
the United States, directly from the citizens,
the governor In that state must hold the
money in trust to be refunded to those citi-
zens or their representatives. Maine is not
one of those states, however. as she assumed
the tax and paid to the United States with
out having the latter authority levy upon her
citizens. So the 1851. 900 which Maine will
get can be turned directly into her treasury
where 1t will tighten by so much the burdens
of the tax payers. The whole of this money
will go into the treasury as the bill forbids
any part of 1t to be paid to claim agents.
Today the Republicans mustered 172 men,
bers or five more than quorum. This dis
play of Republican strength has rather
alarmed the Democratic ilibusters and to-
day they were ready to treat with the Re-
publicans about allowing peaceful consid-
Grafton Of the shipping bill The Speaker,
Mr.. Dingley. Mr.. Mckinley and MIR. Cam
eron have consulted with Mr.. Blount Of
Georgia, in regard to allowing Thursday and
Friday for the bill, taking a vote Friday
night. Very likely some such arrangement
will be made. But whether 1t Is made or
not the bill Is sure to coma up before the end
OF this week because the Republicans have
the men here to bring 1t up. for those West
ern Republicans who are most likely to vote
against the bill will nevertheless probably
vote to give 1t consideration.