Year: 1872

revive as much of the industries of the
country as possible. If his friends fom
| missouri and Indiana had already arrived at


the conclusion so as to see the process by


which, with one horizontal stroke, all these
things could be accomplished, he (Dawes)


was exceedingly gratified that they had done
SO, and that they were prepared beforehand
10 make the announcement to the House
and to the country. He confessed to his
utter incompetency to the task he had un-
fortunately been assigned.


Mr.. FinklenbUg replied he had not said
nor had he intended to convey the idea that
| he had arrived at Solution of the tariff
problem; ne was but a patient laborer on
the subject, the difficulties Of which he re-
cognized as well as the gentleman from
massachusetts did, nor was he in favor of
! striking off all duties on machinery. He
! was opposed, however, to making certain
Kinds OF machinery free in an exceptional
manner, until the House had arrived at a
proper point to which all machinery should
be reduced, with a due reference to the
revenues fthe country and the credit of
the government.


Mr.. Maynard again stated the points in
the bill and deprecated any further discus
sion OF the tariff question on such a meas
ure. He was seconded, and the bill
passed.


The Biggest Printing Office fn the
World.


The House then went into Committee Of
the Whole, Mr.. Blair of Missouri, in the
chair. The Committee was addressed by
Mr.. Snapp in support of the view expressed
III the resolution which he had introduced
n9rinr in fba dow I,
mode OF reforming the civil service His
speech created much amusement.


Mr.. Poland, of Vermont, then made
personal explanation in connection with the
resolution offered by him some days since
for the establishment of a rule that will give
committees the power of calling on the Ge-
partments for information, and which pro-
position Of his had been attributed, in an
article in the Washington Patriot to a de-
sign to shield the Postmaster General and
the POstOffice Department from an inquiry
into the mail contracts.


Mr.. Garfield took the same view of the
proposition, and said he had made several
efforts to get just such resolution adopted.


Mr.. Eldridge inquired why the Depart
ments could not report the fact that the in-
formation called for had been already fur
nished.


Mr.. Garfield replied that it was because
the call might vary somewhat in describing
what was wanted The Committee on Ar-
preparations had just been looking over the
accounts for public printing. This Govern
ment had at present the largest printing
house on the globe where were over one
thousand men and women employed to
that business and where enough printing
ink was bought every year to float the big
gest man-Of-war in the navy. A train
of army wagons reaching through from
Washington to Baltimore and loaded
with one ton piece, packed closely on the
road as six mule teams can be packed,
would Tot be able to haul the mass of pub
lie documents printed every year in that
printing house. Congress was asked, and
would have to appropriate two million dol
lars to run that establishment next fiscal
year. He wished to call the attention of
the House that unless it put the brakes On
that enormous outlay it would become a
scandal in the eyes of the nation.


SchOfield said he could suggest a remedy
that would stop all that expense.


Garfield said be would like TO hear it.
SchOfield-AbOlish the franking privilege.


Mr.. Garfield agree to that perfectly. l
would call it, not the franking privilege,
but the franking burden.


Mr.. Randall remarked that the fear of All
exposure through an investigation should
be the last thing interfered with, and the
knowledge that any member could call for
information from a Department operated
as a wholesome check upon corrupt ten
denotes.


Mr.. Eldridge expressed similar views,
and said That it seemed to him as if the gen
tleman from Ohio (Garield) had been mag
nifying the printing question in order to
cover up, and perhaps prevent investigations


The committee rose aad the House ad- |
iOurned.