New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-06

~~'S~oscS VI inueDte0neSS, exceeding In
amount Soooo.oo. to meet temporary deficiencies of
revenue
Inc subsequent history Of these measures IL we'll
known For the latter the Senate passed a sub
sutute providing for the free and unlimited coinage
OF silver. and action upon the former was pre-
vented by combination OF Democrats and Popu-
hsts. oh FEBRUARY IL and again February Is.
1876. the Senate refused TO consider the BILL and
on poth days the sound money Democrats. free
silver Democrats and Populists contributed enough
votes to defeat consideration. although It Is true
that they received the unnecessary help OF four
free-silver Republicans February 10, and five on
February g.
THE CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATIVE ACT.
Finding itself baked In It's efforts the
revenues by affirmative legislation, the House OF
Representatives then attempted minimize the Joss
of customs revenue through undervaluatons OF i'm
ported merchandise and TO that end passed almost
unanimously, bill which had been carefully framed
by the Ways and Means Committee after thorough
investigation and mature consideration. This meas
approved by the Administration through the
Assistant Secretary OF the Treasury. who has gen.
eral oversight OF the administration OF the customs
laws well by the most intelligent, expert
enced and efficient officials OF the customs service
and by leading importers. II was a measure which.
II enacted and enforced. would probably have IN
creased the revenues OF the Government ss0co0oO
sOcOO0co year by bringing into the National Treas
ury that of money 10 which II Is entitled I'M
der existing law but which IL does not receive. That
important bill pigeonholed by the Senate Com
Uittee on Finance.
Only two other acts affecting or likely TO affect
the revenue became laws In the L1Vth Congress.
One was the repealed Section 81 o, the Revenue
Act of 1894, which provided the remission Of the tax
on alcohol used in manufactures and the arts Inc
unconditional repeal Of this section was earnestly
recommended by the Secretary OF the Treasury.
who coniendei that il mpractcable TO make
nd nla fi1afi
visions might be executed. He did not say. how
ever hat any attempt had even been made 10
frame and execute such regulations as the law re-
quired. OF course the repeal OF the section does
not directly affect the receipts OF the Government
on account Of the alcohol tax. All il does Is TO stop
the fling OF claims for rebate Of the tax PAID on
alcohol used in manufactures ana the arts which
claims II is estimated amount TO about slOeoeS
a year.
Coupled with the repeal bill provision for
an investigation of the subject and a report 70
Congress at the beginning OF the next regular ses-
sion. At that session report was MADE by the
Joint select COMMITTEES which the subject was
referred, asking for more time. and no maj as
nosjtion OF the matter made by the LlNth
Congress The other imposed tax on the
manufacture and sale Of filed cheese
FRAMING NEW TARIFF BILL.
The result of the Presidential election OF 1896 was
regarded by the members OF the Committee on
Ways and Means due and suffcient notice lot
them 10 begin the task Of laying the foundations
Of a measure of tariff revision which. when mace
law would afford adequate protection 10 American
industries and also bring enough addluohal Gus
toms revenue into the National treasury 10 o''use
tho gan between current receipts ana eXpehol-
- Tuo weeks were devoted by the committee
n public hearings by which means large amount
Of information relating TO the matter IN manu- "a'
obtained To this stock OF information eH'e"sN
and valuable additions were made IN the i'ii' "a
carefully prepared written statements i'o'' many
sources. 10, ,,n
.s soon as the public hearings had ended the
a,o,,,,, ~ the committee began 10 study ana con-
slider ali the data in their possession ana ai'e
received relating the various scheuuieS Va ~
tariff most Of which had been padly mahs'e ~
tho so-called revision OF 1894. The WORK mas oe
rushed with unremitting diligence ana inuus,. 80!
80 M douh. now exists TO the practicaoh''S
q, LAYING before the House Of Represen'A'iNr'
u,i,hin a week after the LVth congress - Oo''
vened in special session Dill ior genera
,sion q, the tariff which will be responsive 70 'ie
demand of the people and the needs Oh ooie'0
industries as we'll as Of the National treasury
APPROPRIATION BILLS THAT FAILED
The failure of four Of the general appropria'ioi
| ~, =, ,,a sa,ond session Of the LIVE Congress
unset everybody's calculations. The to'ai aio NJ,
! carried by all the bills including nose WHICH a. an
20 become laws. amounted in round hgures ~ W.
ooo np1 10 which should be added N2h""''' oii a.
| aunt NJ
! an aggregate Of s17,0o"O As passed DS inc nus
| =, Representatives the bills carrying annuai ap-
| propriations amounted 10 spl'vV""' 10 "4 ~
! senate added 10000 Conference committees suS'
ceAaed in reducing the total annual appropriations
| Including those carried by the four oilIs "nich
failed 20 become laws-the Agricultural ihdiah'
crnarr Civil and General Deficiency blls-to w.
600 900 This included $4,000 ON account OF DEN
c,encies which had been agreed 10 Dy Senate anu
| House conferrees ,,,,
The first three bills above mentioned were killed
! bv .pocket vetoes." and the unofcial reason as
sgned for the failure to approve return them 10
| Congress with the formal disapprova4 OF the EA-
! ecutive was that they reached him so late III inc
session that the President had no time 10 fes'e"
,her provisions aad act intelligently In regard 10
them.
The reason was an insufficient one. at least In the
case OF the Agricultural bill. which was sent to the
President seven days before the expiration OF Con-
gress II was not big or an intricate Diii anu al
| tie main provisions had been passed by both
branches Of Congress several weeks before the con-
ference reports agreed 10 and the Dill was
| 80. % ,ba White House. Tho Naval BILL which
carrted about eleven times much money as the
| Agricultural bill, and which contained several I'M
! nortant provisions which had Deen SUBJECTS Vi
heated debate and fierce contention in ooth houses
reached President Cleveland less than forty-eight
,o,rs before the Anal adjournment. and II was APP
proved by him
THE sUNDRY CIVIL BILL.
The sundry Civil bill carried a large amount OF
money but that 1t contained single improper
! item or one that was not authorized and required
| nv existing law there Is no warrant TOT saying
! Congress did not contain more lntehseh'' aeil
o,ahI. md conservative legislator than the Veter-
! on chairman of the House Committee on Appro-
nr,a,ions and he declares that the Sundry ClVl!
| bill of 1897 which President Cleveland allowed 10
perish IN a pigeon-hole was "a clean Din ~ Is
| true however that the bill reached him 100 la'e 10
allow him an opportunity to investigate an us plo
visions. which many In NUMBER as wen a. I'M
nortant In magnitude and scope. Moreover one Vi
| ~ - fed his procla ma