Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 February 1883 — NEWS CONDENSED. [ARTICLE]

NEWS CONDENSED.

DOINGS OF CONGRESfy No material progress was made in the debate on the tariff on the 3d Inst The Senate applied its attention to the cotton schedule, and didagood dealoLtidklpgand very little work. Mr. Harris amendments fixing the duty on cotton yarns of ail values at 3?" 35 and 40 per cent were serially voted down, but when Mr. Beck wanted 1 cent taken off the duty toed in the bill on the next to the lowest grade of yum, and 3 cents taken off the duty on each higher grade, the Republicans - seemed disposed to compromise, and the amendment was adopted without a division. The House spent three hours on the schedule of earthenware and glassware but did not finish it. Six manufacturers of the ware* sat in the members’ private e*}lerv jind .watched the proceedings, each having before him a printed copy of the Tariff bllL Other manufacturers or their agents were conFpicuous with Tariff bills In their bands in the front row of me public gallery, where they could readily be brought down for consultation In an emergency. The Committee of Wavs and Means, having learned something from their defeat yesterday, wisely offered to-dav to change the duty on flint and lime glass bottles and vials from Scents a pound to 35 per cent ad valorem. Plain flint and lime-pressed glassware was left at 35 per cent, ad valorem, which is the duty under the present law. The committee and the commission increased the duty on all articles of giass when cut, engraved, etched, decorated painted, colored, stained, silvered or gilded, not including plate-glass silvered or looking-glass plates, from 40 to 50 per cent, ad valorem. Thb Senate made some progress with its Tariff bill on the 6th inst, and finished the cotton schedule. There were no noticeable features in the debate, the speeches taking the widest range and covering all the Msenual features of the bill. The Senate made considerable reduction in the schedule below the recommendations of the Finance Committee. A joint resolution was introduced »r the relief of sufferers by the recent floods in Germany. Mr. Van Wyck offered a resolution of inquiry whether claim agents in Washington are practicing extortion on soldiers widows and orphans. In the House, Mr. Kelley offered a resolution providing that the Tariff bill should be taken from the committee of the whole Feb. 13 and put upon Its passage. He then proceeded to reiterate the charge that the Democrats intended to defeat the Tariff bill. Mr. Morrison replied that the bill as reported by the Ways and Means Committee was a sham intended to forestall any reduction of the tariff, instead of effecting what the people demanded—its revision in such a manner as to reduce taxes. The resolution was rejected—l 39 yeas to 202 nays. Bills were Introduced to prevent the issue of land patents to subsidized railroads not completed within the specified time, i,nd to promote commercial relations with Central and South America. A motion to suspend the rules »nd pass a Mil to establish the Territory of North Dakota failed of adoption. A bill to quiet the title of settlers on Des Moines river lands was passed. Mr. .Cannon moved to suspend the rules and bring the Legislative Appropriation bill before the House, bnt it was voted down. Both houses or Congress were engaged upon the tariff on the 6th inst., though very little progress was made. In the Senate, the amendment of Mr. Beck extending the duty of 10 cents per. pound laid by the bill upon wools of the firstsclass, the value whereof at the last Sort or place whence exported to the United tales, excluding charges in such port, shall be 30 cents per pound or less, to such wools valued at 32 cents or less per pound, was agreed to —yeas 25,navs 24. Two or three other amendments were offered, debated, and lost. In the House, Mr. Tucker moved to reduce the duty on the cost of polished plate glass, undeUvered. above 24x30 inches square and not exceeding 64x0 inches, from 26 to 15 cents per square foot. This, together with various other amendments offered by Mr. Tucker, was lost. The consideration of the metal schedule was entered upon. Mr. Kelley, under Instruction from his oommittee, moved to increase from 60 to 75 cents per ton the duty on iron ore, including manganiferous iron ore, also the dross or residuum from burnt pyrites. Pending aotlon on Mr. Kelley’s motion, public business was suspended and appropriate resolutions upon the life and public service of the late Representatives Updegralf, of Ohio, and Hawk, of Illinois, were adopted and eulogies upon the deceased were delivered. Similar memorial services were gone throngh in the Senate. Mb. Lamab, of Mississippi, delivered a prepared speech upon the tariff question in the Senate on the 7th inst, taking strong free-trade ground. The keynote of the speech was the unnatural and abnormal development of the power of the manufacturing Interests. He said that protection meant high taxes. He wanted the people to have the matter explained to them clearly throughout the breadth of the land. There was a demand for the reduction of taxes. He wanted Congress to say to the country: “If yon want protection you must consent to pay the cost of maintaining that system, and scorn the allurement of low taxes and cheap foreign goods;" likened the power of the manufacturers to that of the slave power before the war. The latter fell with a crash because its supporters were blind to the future. The handwriting was on tho wall predicting the destruction of the glgantio monopolies which are now fastened npon the material interests of the country, and he trusted that they would yet open their eyes to see before • the inevitable ruin and downfall should come. A motion to put books on the free list was, after carried—24 to 22—Messrs. Ingalls, Plumb and VanWyck, Republicans, voting with the Democrats. A motion to put pulp for making paper on the free list was lost. The duty on bituminous coal was placed at 73 cents per ton, and emery ore was placed on the free list. The House tackled the metal schedule of the Tariff bill, and after spending five hours on tho first item without making any change in the rate of duty, the bill was lain aside for other business. Mr. Bingham introduced a bill for a commission of seven members to report upon the condition and value of the plant of the various telegraph companies, and what can be done to reduoe the cost of communication. The tariff occupied the almost exclusive attention of both houses of Congress on the 9th inst. In the Senate, a motion to put jute on the free list was lost. A motion to add books, pamphlets, bound or unbound, and all printed matter not specially enumerated or provided for in the bill, engravings bound or unbound, etchings, illustrated books, maps and charts to tho free list, was agreed to. The negative vote was wholly Republican. Messrs. Van Wyck and Ingalls voted In the affirmative with the Democrats. Mr. Allison offered an. amendment, which was ordered printed, providing for refunding 90 per cent, of the duty paid on Imported salt used In curing meats exported from this country. The House continued consideration of the metal schedule, and made some important redactions from the report of the Ways and Means Committee. The duty on steel railroad bars was cut down from $lB to sls per ton: charcoal iron bars was fixed at $22 per ton, ana steel blooms at 46 per cent, ad valorem. The clause imposing a duty of 2>6 cents per pound on armor or other plate was struok from the bill.