The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-14
PRELIMINARY TO TARIFF REFORM.

Financial Condition OF the Government to
BE Inquired Into by tho House.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S.-The House opened
to-day with q sharp contest between the
ways and means and appropriations CON-
mittees, but it was brief and decisive. and
resulted in a victory for the former COM
mittee. For some time there has been a
little rivalry between these two great COM
mittees of the House, and when the mat
ter of ascertainIng the financial condition
of the treasury under the opera
tion of the Mckinley law became
q pertinent question. Immediately after
the election, this rivalry was accentuated
by the dispute as to which committee
should conduct the investigation. ME-.
Dockery, of the appropriations committee,
introduced q resolution assigning tbisd duty
to the committee of which he is o member.
and q few days later Mr.. Wilson presented
O resolution giving the work to the ways
and means committee. Both resolutions
went to the committee on rules. and that
committee to-day reported Mr. Wilson's
proposition. thus comforting jurisdiction
on the ways and means Imme-
diately after the reading of the report,
Mr.. Breckenridge. of Arkansas. a menu
DcI u tuo ways ouQ mChuo GULL
mittee of the last Congress. but
now of the appropriations commit
tee, sprang to his feet. and sought
to present q substitute resolution
dividing the work between the two COM
mittees. comforting upon the ways and
means committee the inquiry into the eff
feet of the Mckinley law. and upon the ap-
preparations committee of the financial
condition of the treasury. To the pro-
posed substitute. Mr.. Catchings. of the
COMMITTEES on rules, promptly objected.
stating that Mr.. B~reckinridge's resolution
should DO introduced and referred in the
usual way. and declining. on behalf of the
committee on rules. to accept any su bsti-
fute OF amendment whatever TO the pend
ing resolution. Alter some further discus
sion. Mr. Breckinridge withdrew his sub-
%stitutc, and the resolution recommended
by the committee on rules was unanimous
~ adopted. The resolution Is as follows:
Resolved, That the committee on ways and
means be authorized and instructed TO inquire
and report as 10 the present condition of the
der existing laws: and TO that end the committee
is particularly instructed TO ascertain the
amounts. as near as may ne. tnat VIII be re-
CURED for the payment of pensions prior TO June
| so, 1897; the amount OF uDexpended appropria-
tons and the amount required to complete
| works now authorized by the law; the items OF
the sums TO the credit of disbursing officers: the
items OF probable revenues between this date
and June 80, 1884,, and the date at which the
same Will be collected by the treasury. together
with all other facts which may be useful to show
tie present ana future condltlon OF the treasury.
The members of the ways and means
COMMITTEES were ut once informally mortified
that a meeting OF the committee would be
held this week TO begin the investigation.
The investigation will be made by the
full c0mmItte in open session." said MIR.
Springer. and not delegated TO q sub-com-
mittee. Ii is important that this inycstiRa-
ti0n should show the condition of tho
treasury at some particular moment of time
As this is so near the end of the half fiscal
year. the proper time at which
the condition of the treasury should
turn is the 3lst day OF December,
the end OF the first half of the
fiscal year. If we knew the obligations of
the government on that day. the receipts
from all sources at that time and liabilities
of the government for the future we will
know exactly how the government stands
financially and be enabled 10 devise o plan
/ Tor meeting a possible deiicIt"
/ The greater part of to-day's session of
| the House was consumed in the discussion
OF fhe bills referring the ancient Veil and
La Abra Mexicap awards to the Court of
Claims TO pass on the allegations OF fraud
made in each case. These were passed. and