Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-04-14
wHIIEo sEpULcHEa.
Congressman Brsekinriesss LasI legislative
Wors-Ais Moraii.y Bills.

NEFH aIg. cooper Oh ifI4tfl4 sUtFD1UcSd
his bill for the taxation Of greenbacks at
the game rate as other money, It was greet
ell with good natured smile ard looked
upon "a merely mild piece Of Populistic
legislation. 1t therefore attracted atten-
tlOn when the committee reported by 10
] In favor Of the bill and excited some in
quiry AZ 10 their reasons, as it had gcner-
ally been taken for granted that taxation
Of the federal government 8 obligations In
any form was unconstitutional The com
naittSe has decided. heAvcr, that this Is
not strictly true, and t.-sst the privilege Of
nontaxation may be waived By the nccred-
itcd agents u the government. To this
conclusion the members we're led by the
argument in Judge Cooley work on taxa
ton, which Is the standard authority In
the house on such matters.
Tho Question of Taxation.
The author argues the case clearly.
shows that the exemption from taxation
IS only dc,luccd from the general power Of
the government to sustain and strengthen
itB credit and then states in express words
that congress has the power 10 declare gov,
eminent legal tenders subject to taxation
under certain Giro instances as It may
that the reason Is absolutely conclusive,
and that congress can therefore make
grccnbacks or my other government obi,
CATION used "a money taxable They differ
on the question 0f cxpeiicncy On that
point the two thirds majority have some
really stunning figures tending to show
that more than half Of all the paper money
In the country escapes taxation under GOV.
or of the Rrccutacks.
Ia one case reported single individual
had had on hand Sl25, 900 In greenbacks
when the assessor called and did not pay
cent Of tax on money. The history shows
that In tho struggle 30 maintain its credit
IN war times the government made every
thing nOntAXablc which was even indi
rcctly "a government support, even the ma
tional bank shares. But 50 much opposi-
ton was excited that In time the latter
were made taxable The COMMITTEES IL con.
fldent Of passing the Cooper bill through
both houses and thus putting all forms
Of currency on the same level Of taxation
The Ford Thcater Disaster.
When the full details of the disaster ut
the old Ford thcatcr on June last yea
were first given 10 the country, there was
universal feeling that the sufferers should
receive exemplary damages in some form
Individual bills We're brought into con
Rrcss for paying tho various claimants
the largest being that introduced by Sen.
ntor voorhees, for paying $40, 900 to Cap
tain John Is. Dowd. He is the man whose
case excited so much attention, as he lay
for hours under an immense hemp Of bricks
and iron girtlers, and when taken out was
supposed to be crushed out Of all scmblancc
to humanity. In fact, his presence under
the heap was only discovered by accident
after the search had b'en abandoned.
Such was the skilrof the surgeons, how
ever, or the remarkable force of his consti
tuition that he recovered without tho loss
of bone or limb and is once more able to
work at his desk in the record and pension
Office of the war department As he was
. soldier of splendid record and twice
wounded In the civil war, II was thought
his case should be made special. but as
representatives of the % who were killed
md all the ~ who were injured put In
their claims the whole matter rested until
short time ago the senate appointed
special committee OF five, Of which sen.
8tor Harris is chairman. to report on all
the cascs They have just appointed q
b''flh VI liliNf NilEEttfflE. anu now II u
promised that every sufferer will he paid
according 60 his injuries. But there arr
too many indications thet the delay win
lc rs with many other claims against the
government
Janus FACED Brcckinridgc.
Tho colleagues Of the unfortunate Brock
inridge continue To bring up facts of a
moro or less painful nature in the retro
spoct, one of them being that the last leg
islativC work he did before taking his place
in court "a defendant was to introduce two
bills for the promotion of general morali-
~ They did not bear that title, of course
One Is n bill requiring people who live in
boats ON navigable rivers TO take out Ii
CChsc for SO doing. which would subject
them to the same regulations as steam
beat men and others on the river have To
observe. The bill is evidently aimed at
the managers of trading boats. which Of
ten do u very thriving business on the Ohio
when steamboats, are delayed by bars or
otherwise. Tho laws about Sunday liquor
selling and tho like arc often ignored on
such boats, The other Brcckinridgo bill
Is one to prevent secular labor on Sunday
In this District and other places subject TO
congressional legislation, except in cases
OF extreme necessity,
The Tariff Eili.
Tho speech Of senator Hin on the tariff,
a. might have been expected has been
the subject OF general conversation, and
there Is mo- attempt OF the advocates of the
hill To deny that IL has had depressing
effect nor to conceal their apprehension
that the hill may I've defeated in the sen
ate. The general feeling was evincel by
the immense crowd which struggled for
an entrance to the galleries. while the
floor was well filed by members of the
house, there heing mere squad in the lat
ter chamlGr to discuss District of Column
hla matters, it was known in advance
that with the income tax measure retained
the hill would luSc three Democratic votes
and possibly Eve, while without
that clause it would lose all the Populist
votes, la either event the margin would
I've SO narrow, even il the opponents con
tented themselves by not voting instead of
toting against it. that the chances were
rather against the passage of the hill The
Is ~ course greatly increased
not only by senator Inns attack on the
income tax feature. but still more by his
severe criticism of the administration. 1t
is generally conctsiei that the chances are
at present rather against the bill.
Coxel's Cana al Grantsviiie. Nd.