The Portland daily press., 1897-02-15

A Lively session Oh the national
House.
Washington, February 13.-The House
went into committee If the whole to fur.
ther consider the sundry civil appropri-
ton bill. MIR. Cannon was the first
speaker, explaining in some detail the
features of the bill.
Mr.. SHyers. Democrat of Texas, was
not surprised at the vast sum carried
i'll the Till, over fifty millions. The river
and habor bill passed last year carried
alrect appropriations amounting to
about s15,e0o,000 end authorized con-
tracts for sixty millions more. Every
man who voteil for that bill. he said,
whether Democrat or Republican, was
responsible in measure for the great
appropriation made necessary in this
hill.
Mr. Milliken, Republican of Maine,
asked if the last Democratic Congress
had not appropriated as much mere
money than its Republican predeces-
sor?
Mr.. Sayers-"No sir, no sir. The ap-
preparations by tine Fifty third Congress
were thirty-six millions more than those
of the Fifty-frst Congress.
Mr.. McMillin, Democrat of Tennessee,
responding to statement by MIR. Hop
kins, Republican of Illinois, that under
the Republican administration OF the
Mckinley law,i produced revenue suf1ic-
lent to meet the expenditures of the gov
ernment with a surplus. beside, criticised
the decision Of the Supreme court which
which made the income tax feature Of
the Wilson bill ineffective. "But, he
said, the whole court ought not to suffer
from the action of one man. Everybody
knows that the man who tore down the
Constitution uprooted the decision 100
years and destroyed the power of the
government to tax the wealth Of the
county was named Shiras and his
connection with that reprehensible and
ever-to-t tie criticised decision.
To this Mr.. Grosvenor, Republican Of
+. Ohio, replied He said he should leave
the criticism of the Supreme Court and
Of Justice Shiras, who could not respond.
to the gentleman from Tennessee. He
desired. however, to let the gentleman
have the full benefit of the proposition
that the Mckinley law was inadequate
ms a revenue raiser and that the W ilson
law was splendid production. That
would strike the country rs something
remarkable. The Mckinley law" MI.
Grovenor asserted, produced not only
revenue for the expenditures of the gov
eminent, but surplus as well, until
made known, menaced the future OF the
country by permitting the election of
Grover Cleveland and Demo cratic Con-
gress.'
Mr.. De Almond, Democrat of Missouri,
referring to Mr.. Grosvenor's reply to
MI. McMillln's "just criticism" of the
Supreme Court, said: 81 belong to that
class of people and represent constiru-
ency who do not believe that any insti-
tution of the country or any person or
body engaged in administering the
affairs of the nation is SO sacred it is
not subj ect to just criticism. One OF the
greatest menaces to the prosperity and
progress of tie republic lies in the usur-
patton by the judiciary, lies in the use of
that subtle, never-ceasing power which
overtuxns the decis ons ola hundred
years, affects the elections of Presidents
and makes strange law by strange
methods"
Speaking of tho reported action of JUS
tic Shiras Mr.. Dc Almond said: she
changeahis mind in such away as to lift
from wealth tax of forty to sixty millions
toll. Men may change their minds, bat
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 OH It.? His name
will be kept alive, not in honor, but be-
cause the American people have been
outraged by him." DE Almond closed
with fervid. imprisoned appeal for in
ter vention in behalf of the Cuban reyo-
llutionists.
Mr.. Cannon closed the general debate.
He referred saroastically to Mr.. De
Almonds speech, saying that with the
t1nIOIIuaUlOu al uduus uo uAN hoo AOoA JUS
titled in either recognizing Cuban indie
pendenoe or granting the revolutionists
belligerent rights. To enter upon that
policy would require large appropria-
ton and in that view the discussion Of
the Cuban question was pertinent to an
appropriation bill. But talk WAS cheap,
and the world was a large place, $4,000
miles in circumference, and many I'M
desirable things were constantly be-
ing done, but the United States could
hardly be expected to regulate the affairs
of the whole world.
Mr.. Hyde, Republican of Washington
-"Does the gentleman think that the
action of the House on the Cuban mat
ter is entirely meritorious9"
Mr.. Cannon-"Ob, would say shat
the people of Cuba are not desiraole
I,ooa1o fo, froa ooverDment. L am not