New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-21
A RECORD TO BE PROUD OF.
THE LAST APPROPRIATION BILL PASSED
BY THE HOUSE.
AND LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS SINCE THE COM
MITTEEs WERE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF
THE DEMOCRATIC TARIFF LAW ONCE

MORE Ill hhbt SHoNN.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE1
Washington April 20-The Committee on APP
propriations and other committees of the House
OF Representatives whic' have Jurisdiction Of
appropriation bills were appointed less than four
months ago, and to-day the General Deficiency
bill. the last Of the general appropriation bills.
passed the House substantially 1t came from
the Appropriations Committee. This is a record
OF achievement for which the leaders and men,
bers OF the popular branch OF Congress. ire
spective Of party, deserve high praise and OF
which they might well be proud even II they
had accomplished nothing else.
The Item In the bill appropriatng ss5o,ooo on
account OF deficiency In the permanent ap-
preparation for expenses OF collecting the revenue
from customs provoked brisk and somewhat
acrimonious debate. might have been ex-
pected, In view Of the facts. TIE Secretary or
the Treasury had asked for s1,loOo 200 on this ac-
count and the Appropriations Committee had
unanimously voted TO reduce the amount 10
$3.50 900 and recommend Its adoption. Mr.. HOP
kins OF Illinois. demanded an explanation OF
the necessity OF the Item. and then went on to
show that the expense OF collecting the revenue
from customs for the current fiscal year under
the Wilson German law by Democratic Ad-
minlstra ton would be several hundred thousand
law OF 1890 by a RepIblcan Administration.
when the amount OF revenue collected was many
millions In excess of the collections for the cur
rent year.
LIVELY POLITICAL DEBATE.
This increase as we'll as the increase in the
number Of persons employed, severely criti-
csed by Mr. Hopkins. and his speech precipi-
tated a partisan discussion. which lasted more
than two hours and In which some OF the lead
ers on both sides took part The excited enorts
Of Mr. Dockery. OF Missouri. who wears with
grace and dignity TIE robe formerly worn Dy
Holman. to break the force OF the Republicans
cruel criticsma were as amusing as they were
ineffective. The facts we're all against him. and
were brought out with startling distinctness by
Messrs Hopkins. Dingey. Hepburn, Grout ana
others on tn, RepuAican side. When all the
time allotted for 'ebate on the paragraph eX-
cept five minutes had been consumed. Chairman
Cannon closed the discussion with the single
remark that III Republican Secretary OF the
Treasury had done what has been done by the
Secretary or Assistant Secretary Of the Treas
ury In this matter Democratic Congress
would have made political capital enough out OF
Il 10 last the party through Presidential cam
paign" The item was passed as recommended
by the committee.
Mr.. Docke-y taunted the Republican majority
OF the LIyth Congress with having done nothing
10 bridge the chasm between the receipts ana
expenditures OF the Government. lie character
lied Il az a do-nothing Congress. and said the
Republicans afraid to bring in general
tarif bin because It would create divisions IN
their ra.s..s.
TREASURY RELIEF DEFEATED BY DEMO
Gratis.
Mr. Dlngley CHARGED q large share OF the In
crease in collecting th= customs revenues to tn,
change from specifc to ad vdlorem duties brought
atout bv the Wilson German Tariff act He de-
Tended the course OF the majority of the House.
which had passed bills 10 increase the reVeh ie
ard to reduce the rate Of interest On ponds.
Both OF these measures OF relief had ceen met
by the solid opposition OF the Democrats. ana III
the Senate by a combination OF Democrats ana
Popusts.
Mr. McMillIn. of Tennessee. said that the
chairman o. the Republican National Commit
tee Mr.. Carter was one OF the five Republican
Senator. who defeated the Dingley bill. MT
Wolcott was another, Mr.. Teller anothe-' anu
Mr. Dubois another Would he classify them as
Populistsr The Republicans might heeu theh
vctec I'm the coming election -
Mr.. Dinghy replied that their votes did NOT
affect the result in the Senate one way or the
Mr.. Hopkins eulogized the reciprocity feature.
OF the law OF 1890 the repeal OF Wnich ny '"e W
sctment Of the law of 1894 had closed the ports
OF Cuba. Brazil. Germany ana france 10 many
American products The Democratic party ne
ead was held responsible for the commerciaI
wrecks that were strewn from the Atlantc 10
the Pacific by the Wllson-Gorman bill
Mr. Hepburn OF Iowa. criticised the increase
by the Secretary OF the Treasury ir the number
OF Custom, House employees at New-York by los
which increase was. he thought. under the CIR
cumstances and especially in view OF the de-
crease In the customs duties collected there. abso-
lutely indefensbe.