Year: 1875

congress TO furnish him with the means
| to meet the demands for the sinking
| fund. He then went on to say that
! whoever impaired that sinking fund by
| one dollar impaired faith in the nation,
! at home and and abroad; and that the
sinking fund lacked two-thirds of the
amount which should have been paid
| into it, which had told on the credit of
the nation and the value of its bonds in
the markets of the world itoian aggregate
amount Of more than was sought to be
raised under this bill. He did not see
where expenditures could be cut
down substantially, and therefore
! the question before the house
was, how could the government raise
10y increased revenue with the least de-
literious effect? II congress had not, two
or three years ago, abolished the duty on
lea and coffee, there would be now no
| necessity Of this measure.


MIR. Cox-Why did not your commit.
tee report measure to restore that
tax?


Mr.. Dawes-That would require anoth-
er consideration. What would the gov
eminent get by restoring that tax since
tfls. first of December, when it was first
suggested in the Presidents message,
that that duty should be restored en-
tire? The tes trade Of the country had
turned its attention to importation of
tea, and it is Uniform testimony of all
having knowledge of tariff, that there
is in this country to-day more than
years stock of tea on hand; therefore,
to impose a duty of fifteen cents per
pound would be to put money in the
pockets of importers, without any cor.
responding advantage to the govern
ment. Mr.. Dawes went on to give
statistics as 10 the manufacture of
whisky, and the stocks on hand in
distilleries and bonded warehouses, and
to defend and advocate the recommen-
datiOn of the committee Of ways and
means in regard to the taxation of whis-
ky. He estimated the increased revenue
which the government would derive
from the bill, as follows: Whisky, $l6,-
$4,000; tobacco, S4 6000 900; sugar, S.
$4,000; restoration of ten per cent. on
manufactured goods, 5000 000-in all
about $37, 750, 900. From this was to be
deducted about $780, 600 loss by repeal
of the tax on matches, leaving net in
crease of $35, ,437, 900, which would just
about meet the estimated requirements
of the government. In concluding, he
said: "It remains, therefore, for the
house to say, first, whether it will meet
that deficit in the treasury; secondly,
whether it will meet it by seeking out
new sources Of revenue, as the commit
tee Of ways and means has recon-
mended, or whether it will turn
its attention to some other method"
The honor of the government is in
volved in this question. The ability to
meet its current expense, as well as to
keep its faith, is involved in the ques-
ton. 1t may be that the committee on
ways and means has not selected the
best articles on which to impose this in
crease Of duty. 1t will beSfor the house,
of course, to pass upon that. II you
make up your minds to increase the
revenues of the country by means of in
creased taxation, it only remains for the
house to pass upon the judgment and
wisdom of selection of the matter by the
committee on ways and means. To
that decision Of the house the committee
will offer no objections. II the house
shall believe that restoration Of duty
on tea and coffee, after what appears to
be the condition Of that trade, will be a
wiser course than a restoration Of ten
per cent. duty on manufactured
cents gallon on whisky,



sugar, it will be for the house to take
the responsibility, but have to say this,
an attempt at a general tariff legisla-
ton at this time will be fatal TO the OBJ
jeet of the committee on ways and
means snd to the purpose which l be-
lieve actuates congress. If you open the
door to the general tariff legislation by
letting in this item which bears upon
one member and that item which bears
upon another, and so on, you will load
this bill so that it cannot possibly be-
come a law at this session of congress,
and the party in power, which is respOn-
sible for the legislation of the country
and which is responsible for maintain
ing the public faith with public credit,
or which is responsible for furnishing
the means to carry on the government
during the next two years, by any such
unwise and indiscrete tampering with
this bill will turn the government into
the hands of those who are
not responsible in that particular
and who will be without the means of
providing for the obligations of the gov
ernment. have to say to my political
friends on this side of the house that
they need not expect from those who do
not feel the responsibility of meeting
the public credit, any support for this
measure. Let the bill be modified as
the house may see fit; but not by any
general tariff details that would make
it fail to become law. If it fails to be-
come a law, gentlemen on the other side
of the house will have to take up the
responsibility earlier than they antici-
pated. aud to them will be left discretion
Of the question whether they will main
tain that honor of the government at
home and abroad which this side of the
house, by projecting this bill, will have
failed to do. L submit, therefore, to my
friends on this side, that the public will
hold them responsible if they fail
to furnish the administration with the
means of continuing the government,
and I say to my friends on the other
side Of the house that it is not well for
them to provoke too soon that RESPONSE
bility in raising revenue which they will
find will come home to plague them
quite soon enough for their comfort or
for their success. On the passage or
failure of this bill will depend the ques-
ton whether this side of the house shall
&c. to the country after the fourth day of
March and ask the people to pass upon
their work here with any expectation of
commendation. trust, therefore, that
whatever may be thought as to the wis
dom of the bill now presented, it will be
passed by the house in some form which
will bring into the treasury thirty-five
millions of additional revenue. If this
side of the house fail to do that, it will
have failed to do duty which up to this
time the Republican party, according to
the measure of its ability, has substan-
TALLY discharged.


Mr.. Wood, member of the commit
tee of ways and means, addressed the
house in opposition to the bill. He said
he could not give the bill his support,
and felt compelled to do all he could to
prevent the passage of it. There was no
public necessity demanding:it. He was
actuated by no spirit OF faction, and
would offer no partisan opposition to
any measure of relief to the treasury, if
its condition demanded it. The credit
of the government must be maintained at
all hazards. The public faith is a sacred
obligation, which should be guarded at
almost any sacrifice, at all times and
under all circumstances. He would do
nothing to embarrass the government
or to Tetard its success in administering
the laws equally and faithfully to all in
terested; but while he said this, and
meant it in all sincerity, neither, on the
other hand, would he do anything to aid
the government in depressing the peO-
pie. He did not think that any addi-
tional taxes were necessary. Mr.. Wood