Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 March 1888 — WASHINGTON NOTES. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON NOTES.

The Committee on Ways and Means, says a correspondent of the Indianapolis News, is gettiniflnto a snarl over the tariff bill, as was expected. A bill intended by the Democratic members to pleaso Mr. Randal), and make “both wings flap together” is going to be a decided failure. Th,e Republican members of the committee find that there is just enough division among the Democrats to give them the opportunity they desired io.upset the whole'bill. There are probably not forty votes on both sides of the House against the complete removal of the sugar tax, with a substitution of bounties to American producerp. This fact makes the proposed reduction of the sugar tax by the inconsiuorable amount of $12,000,000 a decidedly unpopular feature of the bill. The thing that will make it more ridiculous, however, is the internal revenue feature. This is what is called the bill for the relief of the moonshineis. It wipes out the general law making it a penal offense to manufacture spirits in evasion of the Government, and makes the tax on spirits and whisky a lump quantity tax. It is provided as a substitute for fining rnd imprisonment that illicit stills may be confiscated and sold at public auction to the highest bidder. Thiß is exactly the sort of bill that moonshiners want. A confiscated still in their region, in the best Bort of weather, would not bring $5. Public opinion is so strong in favor of the moonshiners that nobody would dare buy a still of a United States Marshal for anything like its value. The quantity tax, as everybody knows, is what brewers and distillers like. Nobody but an expert in the business can even approximate the quantity manufactured. The chances are all in favor of a grand wrangle on the Democoatic side of the House over the tariff and internal revenue bills. Leading Republicans say that all they have to do is tosit still and let the fight go on.

The President sent to the Senate Wednesday a response to a resolution of inquiry from that body about the exclusion of American pork from French ports. The response included a letter from Secretary Bayard, together with correspondence between the State Department and its representatives in France. Secretary Bayard says he sees ittle prospect for any change in the attitude oi the French Chamber of Deputies on the subji cl. A letter from Minister McLane says he is making an effort to secure a temporary suspension of the order which excludes American pork, in the hope that the pending changes in the regulations regarding American importations of this character may, when completed, include favorable action on American pork.. The statement is made in a Washington special that the Republicans in Congress are solidly opposed to any reduction of tax on whisky. “Tney are soldlvin favor,” says the dispaeth, “of just Buch reforms as are proposed in the internal ’revenue bilk submitted by the Democrats, but they do not indorse the administration feature of it. The Republicans stand as one man on the subject of internal revenue reform, and, although they have not. proposed a bill, they will be in concert when they do act. The effort which Mr. Randall will make to induce the Republicans to support his tariff and internal revenue bill will be ineffective, if for no other reason, because he proposes a redaction of the tariff on whisky.” • '

John S. Barbour, United States Sena-tor-elect to succeed Riddleberger, has written a card to the Democrats of Virginia, declining to act further as chairman of the State Committee, on the ground that he is not in harmony with the administration. The House public lands committe is practically unanimous in the opinion that unearned land grants should be forfeited. In reply to a resolution, the President has informed the Senate that the negotiations for a treaty regarding Chinese laborers are already in progress. Secretary Fairchild now estimates that the Treasury surplus by June will be $155,000,000. ——