Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 May 1884 — NEWS CONDENSED. [ARTICLE]

NEWS CONDENSED.

Concise Record of the Week. DOINGS OF CONGRESS. Favorable reports were maac in the Senate, on the 29th ult., on resolutions to loan flags to the city of Charlotte, N. C., for celebrating the Mecklenburg declaration of independence, and t» the fair at Richmond in aid ej disabled Confederate soldiers, but thr committee will recommend no more legislation of this sort. A joint resolution was favorably reported to appropriate 125,000 to celebrate the completion of the Washington monument. A resolution was offered directing the preparation of a bill to provide that hereafter no patent shall be granted except to citipnw of the United States. The pleuro-pnen-monia bill was debated at great length and passed. The House of Representatives passed a joint resolution directing the President to enforce an immediate settlement of the claim of E. Wheelock against the Government of Venezuela for tortures inflicted by officers of that republic. The tariff bill was taken up in committee of the whole, and Mr. Hiscocfc spoke in opposition thereto. He instituted a comparison between the condition of the business of the country prior to the tariff of JB6l and its condition at the present time, and from the comparison deduced the conclusion that the protective system was a better one for the people. Agricultural products, he maintained, secured'a higher price now than twenty years ago—a result which was attributable to protection. Mr. Hnrd supported the measure in « spe- ch which attracted the attention of every member. H-e held that, subject to the needs of the Government, every man had the right to buy where goods were cheapest and sell where he "could realize the highest price. He claimed that the protective svstem had locked the United States out of the markets of the world ; he urged that onr manufacturers look outward across the seas for patrons, and closed by saying that if the Ohio Democratic platform would net allow the abolition of war t xes, he would apical to the people of Ms native State to re* pudiate the heresy. The passage of bills to authorize the Oregon Central Road to bridge the Willamette River, and to ratify the agreement with three Indian tribes of Montana for a portion of their reservation required by the Northern Pacific Road, followed by a long debate on the shipping bill, constituted the business of the Hemte on the 80th ult. In the House a bill was reported *o secure postal telegraphy on the contract system. A joint resolution was passed authorizing the Secretary of War, on proper .application, to loan tents "and flags for soldiers’ reunions and to grant condemned monumental purposes. Alter which the .tariff bill was taken up in committee of the whole and discussed at great length. Mr. Dingley (Rep.), of Maine, uenied tnat protection had caused the decline in American commerce. Mr. Hewitt (Dem.i. ot New York, declared that there was stagnation everywere in the protected industries. The wages of American workmen were not sufficient to give them even decent support, and during the last twenty years their progress had been downward. In the iron works last year twothirds were in blast, while this year nearly twothirds were dosed an I the wages of the army of workers were reduced. He was one of the unfortuna e manufacturers who had reduced w ages rather than turn ids men out altogether. Mr. Kt-Lley (Bep.i of Pennsylvania, interrupted to say he thanked Mr. Hewitt for indoising bis doctrix*. Production had so iar out■ron consumption that a readjustment of labor and capital would have to be made. Mr. Hewitt declared that protection would not prevent over-production, but on the contrary created that lamentable condition of affairs. Nothing could be done with the surplus but lite It up as long as money lasted and then stop and let the workmen starve. Trades -unions were all the protection workingmen needed. Under the present tariff these unions could not but be feeble and finally die. He held that the condition of English workmen had steadily improved since the era of free trade. He believed the tariff would have to go, but the progress should be gradual. He would begin by putting raw materials on the tree list; then he would limit tho rates of duties. If these moves turned out badly be would pause; If not, he would go on to the very end. Mr. Warner (Democrat), of Ohio, held that the Morrison bill was not in harmomy with the Ohio platform. That was bomb-proof, and would win all the time. Mr. Cntcheon (Rep.), of Mich gan, opposed the bill as to- ing wrong in principle, unscientific in construction, hurtful In tendencies, and destructive in its effects. It was neither protection, tree t ade, nor revenue only. It was protection with a free trade slash twenty inches wide through it/ It was a monster, shapeless, lame, and blind. The oountry wanted a tariff not for revenue, not for protection, but for revenue and protection, one and inseparable. Whek the shipping bill came up in the Sen-

ate on the Ist Inst., Mr. Frye asserted that the admission to American registry of vessels bought abroad would take from American ships the coastwise trade of the United States, bringing in all the old hulks of England. Mr. Vest retorted that the last, thing in the range of imagination i« the idea that any human being can cht at a Yankee. The Senate agreed to indefinitely postpone action on the bill to release the members of the original Fitz-John Porter court-martial from the obligation of secrecy. Bills were favorably reported to aid the construction of a ship canal between Lake Union and Puget Sound, Washing; on Territory, and to amend act relating to the impertation of spurious teas. In the House Mr. Dorsheimer spoke against the tariff biil. Mr. Eaton declared the measure directly opposed to the Constitution, and he would do his utmost to defeat it. Mr. Hammond insisted that the Democrats were earnest in their purpose to reduce taxation and diminish the revenue. Mr. Ftnertv opposed the measure in a speech of considerable length. A resolution' was adoped by the Senate, •on the 2d inst, calling on the Secretary of tho Interior for information as to what action had ibeen taken In regard to the entries of public lands in Colorado by the Estes Park Company *nd other English corporations. Mr. Garland, from the Committee on Territories, made an Adverse report on the House bill providing that mo person shall be appointed Governor of a Territory unless he has been for two years a resident thereof, because no such limitation can be placed on the constitutional power of the President. During the discussing on the shipping bill Mr. Vest offered an amendment to admit sfhip-building material free of duty and to place vessels purchased abroad on the American register. No action was taken. Adjourned till the 6th. The House devoted the entire day’s session to debate on the tariff bill. Mr. Nutting (Bep.) deprecated the agitation of the matter lor purely political reasons. Mr. Deuster (Dem.) game notice of an amendment he proposed to offer provided that after July 1 no duty should be levied on any kind of raw material. He depicted the advantages following such a course, and advocated the abolition of the duty on wool as a measuvo of benefit to both manufacturers and farmers. Mr. McMullen (Hep.l denounced the present tariff as a monstrous piece of Injustice. He declared that it had destroyed commerce, cut down the sales of American manufacturers, and depleted the revenues of American agriculture. In conclusion he pictured the dangers of aD overflowing Tteasury, which led thieves to devise every means from larceny to legislative robbery to get their hands into the public money. Mr. Miller (Rep.), of Pennsylvania, declared that the pro ectivc system had been tried, and had inured to the benefit of every class of Industry. Mri Cox (Dem.), of New York, argued in favor of throwing open the markets of the world to American industries. He believed in commerce and progress. not in exclusion, stagnation and starvation. In conclusion he expressed surprise that Mr. Finerty should oppose the frec-ship amendment to the shipping bill, and thus give England and other foreign countries l!40,o(m,ou0 in fares and freightage which should go to America. Mr. Smlnger (Dem.) gave the lii-lorv of the Tariff Commission, and quoted from ts report to show that the interests of the country demanded a reduction of Ou per cent. The tariff bill had only reduced duties 5,«:i per cent. A reduction of revenue to the extent of at $50,000,000 was imperatively demanded. He denied that American workingmen were protecied against foreign labor by the present high tariff. Protection was of advantage only to the manufacturers. It left the laborers to fight and starve. The Democrats intended to go before the country on this issue, and he ielt sur ■ the Seople would favor the reform now advocated y the Democratic party. There wns no session or the Senate on the 3d inst. Tho House, after prolonged debate passed the bill amending the Chinese immigration act by a vote of 184 to 13. Mr. Henley argued that the measure received unanimous indorsement In tho Pacific States and Territories. Mr. Rice showed that a Chinese merchant in San Francisco gnvc $3,000 to the Garfield Hospital fund, and Mr. Bndd retaliated by a remark that the Chinese sold their daughters for the vilest purposes. Mr. Hitt contended that the present

law had nearly stopped immigration from China, and that further radical legislation is not necessary.