Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-20
PRACTICE OF DEPARTMENTS
Alleged Violation Of the Spirit Of the
Law.
ING APPROPRIATIONS
Alleged Weak Point in the Existing
Statute Remedied in the Pend
ing Measure.

before continuing consideration of the
urgent deficiency BILL which Is the order of
the day in the House. a bill was passed
providing for the holding of federal court
at Grand Island, Neb. Also to authorize
the Jasper and Eastern Railway Company
TO bridge Sabine river in Texas and
Louisiana.
When the appropriation bill was taken UP
at 12:15 an agreement was reached to close
the general debate in two hours
Mr., Humphreys Miss took the floor to
discuss a measure he has pending to make
the government records of federal LIQUOR
taxpayers and license holders available as
evidence
"Blind Tigers Aided.
In prohibition and local option sections
OF the country, he said, the present prac-
lice of withholding this information really
placed the federal government in the po-
sition of aiding the violators of local laws.
Persons operating blind tigers" said Mr.
Humphreys. always obtain federal licenses
and thus avoid pursuit by government
agents. but the government records were
withheld by the rules of the internal reye-
nue. bureau from being available by state
officials In making prosecutions.
1T was suggested by Mr. Clayton ala
that it would be still better to prohibit fed
communities.
Mr.. Humphreys took the position that he
was not seeking federal aid for the en-
forcement of state laws, but he wanted to
prevent the federal authorities from hinder
ing the states from enforcing their own
laws The rule of the internal revenue
bureau, he said. contravened the well estab-
lished rules of evidence of our jurispru-
dence.
Mr.. Gaines Tenn) protested against the
elimination from the bill of request for
deficiency supply of funds to transport sill
yer coins.
Mr.. Grosvenor Ohio took occasion to
reply briefly to the speech yesterday of Mr..
Perkins IN. ". in which demand for free
hides was made. Mr. Grosvenor asserted
there was no industry In the country so
prosperous today as the boot and shoe In
dustry.
Stating that there had been considerable
criticism of southern cotton planters in their
efforts to decrease their cotton acreage, Mr..
Sims (Tenn.) denied that this would increase
European acreage. and placed in the Record
an article from the government crop report
er on the subject.
So-Called Coercion Appropriations.
General debate on the bill was closed by
Chairman Tawney of the appropriations
committee. 1t was understood that time for
debate was to be allowed when the canal
section of the bill was reached for amend
ment. Mr.. Tawney discussed the so-called
coercion appropriations by government
departments. Taking up some Of the esti-
mates coming under this head he mentioned
the request for 81, 100000 by the bureau of
steam engineering of the Navy Department,
in which it was admitted the regular appro-
priation for this purpose was not sufficient.
On this showing he said the Secretary of
the Navy had authorized waiver of the re-
quired appropriation so that it could all be
spent within two months if it so happened.
This, he said. was technically within the
law, but was violation of the spirit of the
statute. Not all of the milion-Gollar re-
quest was allowed by the committee