The San Francisco call., 1897-02-14
Sundry Civil Appropriation
Bill Is Further Con-
Sidered.
McMillin Assails the Supreme
Court and the Mckinley
Tariff Law.
Grosvenor's Sharp Repy-DeAr m ond
Denouncss Justice Shiras in
Vigorous Words.

| w Ash lNGION, ID. u, Feb. 13-The
House to-day went into committee of the
whole to further consider the sundry
civil appropriation bill, upon which it
had just entered when it adjourned yes
terday.
Cannon (R.) of Illinois, chairman of the
Committee on Appropriations, asked
unanimous consent that the bill might be
considered as read. Answering an in
curry, Cannon gave the status of the sew
eral remaining appropriation bills, and
intimated that if t. bill was considered
III the usual wey the better part of a week
would be required to dispose of it.
Hepburn objected to the unanimous
consent asked by Cannon, but after the
| reading of the bill had proceeded short
time Dockery renewed the request that
the first readin of the bill be dispensed
wlth and this time it was granted.
General debate was then begun on the
measure under an arrangement which
contem plated the use of the afternoon
therefor. Cannon was the first speaker
explaining in some detail the features of
the bill. In the course of his statement
Cannon explained why the mmittee had
recommended an appropriation for GER
tain works authorized by the river and
harbor bill. These were: Oakland, Cal,
S400. 900; Kentucky r ver S400, 200; dams
ana s. Ohio River, S4O0, 600; Yakima
Bay, Cal, 100000.
1t appeared, he said, from inquiry at the
War Departme ent that these, with one ex-
ception, could not be completed within
the amour is named in the river and har-
Dor bill, to which the expenditure was
frsn ,knA
could not be made for their construction
or any money expended. The exception
was Yakima Bay, Cal, for which the
engineers had reported no project what
ever.
Hepburn antagonized the policy of in.
Guiding purely local river and harbor i'm
provements in the bill, charging that it
was a source of ruthless and reckless ex-
travagance of appropriations.
McMillin (D.) of Tennessee, responding
to statement by Hopkins (R.) of Il
linois that under q Republican admins
tration OF the Mckinley law il produced
revenues sufficient to meet the expendi-
lures of the Government. with a surplus
besides, criticized the decision of the
Supreme Court which made the income
tax feature of the Wilson law Ineffective
But" he added, "the whole court
ought not to suffer for the action of one
man. Everybody knows that the man
who tore down the constitution, uprooted
the decision of 100 years and destroyed
the power of the Government to tax the
wealth of the Government was Sniras,
and his name should always be remem-
Dered in connection wi b that repre- hem
sible and ver-to-be-criticized decision
To this GrosveDor replied. He said he
should leave the criticism of the Supreme
Court and of Mr.. Shiras, who could not
respond, 20 the gentleman from Tennes-
see. He desired however, to let the gen.
tleman have the full benefit of the propo-
sition that the Mckinley law was made
quate as a revenue-raiser, and the Wilson
law was a splendid production. That
would strike tie country as something re-
markable.
The Mckinley law, Grosvenor said, pro-
duced not only sufficient revenue for the
expenditures of the Government, but
surplus as well. until God, for some reason
which he has not made known, menaced
the future of the country bv permitting
the election of Grover Cleveland and
Democratic Congress.
DeArmond D.) of Missouri referred to
Grosvenor's reply 10 McMillin's '.just
criticism" of the Supreme Court in the
matter OF the income decision, and said
he yielded to the decisions of the Suprem
Court that general respect which every
lawyer was taught was due to the hig est
tribunal of the Nation. But" he con-
tinued, II belong 10 that class of people
and represent constituency who do not
believe that any institution of the country
or any person or body enga ed in admin
istering the affairs of the Nation is so
sacred that it is not subject to Just criti-
cism. One OF the greatest menaces to the
prosperity and progress OF the Republic
lies in the usurDutions by the Judiciary of
that subtle, never-ceasing power which
overturns the decisions of hundred
years, affects the election of Presidents
and makes strange laws by strange meth
DDS"
Speaking of the reported action of JUS
tice Shiras DeArmond said: HE changed
his mind in such a way as to lit from
wealth a tax of from forty to sixty mil
lions year and transfer 1T to poverty and
toll. Men may change their minds. but
when forty TO sixty millions annually are
in the scale and trained Judge, without
further argument and additional light,
changes his mind, why should there not
be comment on it2 His name will be
kept alive, not in honor, but because the
American people have been outraged by
him."
DeArmond closed with fervid, impas.
stoned appeal for Intervention in behalf
of the Cuban revolutionists.
Cannon closed the general debate and
expressed the opinion that it would be
wise 10 pass the bill under suspension of
the rules Monday, and be would test the
sense of the House on that point.
the committee arose and at rs o'clock
on motion by Cannon, the House al
journed until Monday.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.