Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 April 1884 — NEWS CONDENSED. [ARTICLE]

NEWS CONDENSED.

Concise Record of the Week. DOINGS OF CONGRESS. A joist resolution to furnish certain books to the law library of Cincinnati passed the Senate on the 15th inst. Bills were formally reported to create'a commission on the alcoholic liquor traffic, for the relief of the Ntz Perce Indians in Idaho, and to provide tor coinage at the branch mint in Denver. A resolution was offered directing the Judiciary Committee to report whether Paul Strobach is now discharging the duties of United States Marshal of Alabama, after his nomination was rejected The bankruptcy bill was taken up, and it was agreed that any person owing in excess of S3OO may petition for discharge. By a vote of 140 yeas to 138 nays the House of Representatives decided to take up the Morrison tariff bill. The vote by which the consideration of the bill was secured was made up of 105 Democrats and five Republicans. The opposing vote consisted of ninety-nine Republicans and thirty-eight Democrats, and one Independent, Finerty, of Chicago. The Democratic opposition vote consisted of one vote e tch from Alabama, Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, four from California, three from New Jersey, five from Ohio, ten from Pennsylvania, and nine from New York. Mr. Morrison opened the debate on the measure. He declared that to fail to re luce taxation and thus relieve the people would be a flagrant disregard of public duty. A horizontal reduction might not be the best, but none other was practicable at present. To the list of articles now imported free of duty it was proposed to add salt, coal, wood, and lumber. Salt was already free for fishermen and meat exporters, coal was untaxed for use on coast trading vessels, and the revenue from wood and lumber was in the past ten years not over $lO,000,000, while the domestic wooden products exceeded $500,000,000 per annum in vain?. In t l ie estimates, as carefully prepared, the bill would leave in oottons but two articles dutiable above 40 per cent, in woolens but one above 60 per cent., and in Iron and steel but few above 50 per cent. As at present arranged many of these articles were taxed above 100 per cent, through hidden enormities in classification and rates of duty. The above limits were intended to remeuy these enormities. The insufficient character of the late revision forbade its permanency. The only security from agitation and change would be to confine the taxing power to obtaining a revenue limited to the necessities of the Government. The cry of the protectionists that lower ratos would ruin manufactures was used when the industries were young, and would continue to be used to the end. He instanced the placing of quinine on the tree list, and declared that as had been the case in that industry so it would be in all other industries. Mr. Kelley made the opening speech for the opposition. He drew pictures of the fearful condition of the laboring classes of Europe, and said that the proposition now was that the United States should enter the race with the world for the cheapness which had led to such terrible results. He denied that any of the articles called raw materials by the Democrats were, in reality, raw materials. In the race for cheapness production left the prosperous countries and found Its way to the most oppressed. After a spirited passage between Messrs. Kelley and Hewitt regarding the duty on wire rods, Mr.. Kelley repeated his assertion that production had outrun consumption, and this evil could not bo mitigated by a reduction in the tariff. The only means by welch the markets could be increased would bo to stop the importation of cheap labor, send., back all who hail signed contracts in loreign lands to work at low wages, see that laborers were paid so much that the public schools might be well sustained and the children educated, and protect American motherhood against becoming drudges In foundries. He advocated complete isolation of the country, which could be sustained in freedom and purity only so long as it did not begin the unholy race for the “cheap and nasty underteachings of dismal science." Mr. Mills, of Texas, followed Mr. Kelley-in a speech supporting the bill.

The bill to authorize the States of Illinois, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee to make laws to secure from waste lands granted for school purposes, was favorably reported to the Senate, Anril 16. The measure to divide into homesteads a portion of the Sioux Reservation in Dakota was passed. ' Several amendments were made to the bankruptcy bill. In executive session Charles E. Coon was confirmed as Assistant Secretary of tlio Treasury. The tariff bill was debated throughout the entire session of the House. Mr. Russell deprecated the reopening of the Agitation, but said the Republicans accepted the challenge. Mr. Blount thought legislation should be such that a revenue standard would ultimately be reached, and said the reduction by the bill under discussion would be about $30,000,000. Mr. Chace predicted that a cut of 20 per oent. on wool would stop most of the mills in the country. Mr. Jones, of Arkansas, spoke of the imperative demand for a reduction of the tariff, and said the passage of the bill would place the Democratic party on the side of reformation. Mr. Wilson, of lowa, offered a resolution in the Senate, April 17, that it is competent for Congress to fix freight rates on interstate commerce, secure free competition, and prohibit discrimination of any kind. Bills were passed to adjust the account for arms between South Carolina and the Federal Government, and to authorize the location of a branch soldiers' home in some one of the newer Western States, at a cost of $250,000. Consider - tlon of the bankrupt bill having been resumed, Mr. George proposed an amendment giving laborers and servants priority over debts due to the State or the United States. In executive ses- , sion objection was made to the Immediate consideration of the recommendation by the President that the collector at Key West be removed for sympathy with the Cuban insurgents. The House of Representatives pass d a bill authorizing the construction of a railway bridge across the St. Croix River in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The tariff bill was laid over for a day, and the pension appropriation hill taken up, when Mr. Rosecrans offered an amendment to strike out the provision for the pay of pension agents, leaving their duties to the pay department of the army. The postoilicc appropriation bill was comP*e ted and passed by the Senate on the 18th inst. Provision was made for more expeditious ocean mail and steamboat service. It is estimated that $1,700,000 more than the revenue of the department will be required. Adverse reports were made on the newspaper copyright bill and on the resolution for the er union of a bronze equestrian statue to Simon Bolivar. Mr. Plumb announced that at no extra cost the time between the oceans had been diminished one day. After tributes to the memory of Representative Herndon, the Senate adjourned to the 21st. The House of Repr* sentat ivos passed bills to permit the bridging of the Missouri Illver at S.bley. and to limit to two years the time within ! which internal revenue offenders mav be prosecuted. A favorable report was made on the bill To relieve from the charge of desertion such soldiers as would have received an honorabl • discharge had they been present at the mustering out of their commands. A bill for the establishment of a National Bureau of Labor Statistics, and appropriating $25,000 therefor, passed the House April 19. The Speaker presented a message from tho President recommending an appropriation of $25,000 to defray the expenses of the special embassy from Siam. The Senate was not in session.