OUR AMERICAN LETTER,

Otago Witness, Issue 1639, 21 April 1883, Page 8

OUR AMERICAN LETTER,

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) . <j San Francisco, March 10th. JThe forty-seventh Congress ceased to exist at noon on the 4th March, and it is very doubt ful whether an extra session will be convened. Everything will depend upon the amount of outside pressure brought to bear on the i Administration. Should no special interest be affected, the President is not likely to convene the forty-eighth Congress before the legal day for its assemblage in December. While Congress is in session tho life of the President is not an enviable one, but General Arthur managed to surround himself with moro of the forms of a court than hia predecessors, and in this way he was somewhat free from indiscriminate intrusion. Of late years the Executive of this nation has been treated as a kind of general utility man, but Arthur's natural dignity and sense of propriety enabled

him to raise the Btatus of his high office to Bomething like what it should be. Both Hayes and Garneld were signally wanting in those personal qualities which command respect. Among the earlier line of Presidents there were courtly men. Buchanan was the last of them until Arthur's accession, but there were many email men between JefferBon, for example, and Andrew Bucha an. The Republican party has only furnished one B'uch President, and he is not the first choice of the people, but an accident, so to apeak. ' Cheater A. Arthur's place in history, however, will be a conspicuous one, and although hist contemporaries may not do him jußtice, posterity, will recognise his merit and preserve his Jfame, Of one thing all may be certain— President Arthur will not sou his hands with N the jobbery in which the Hayeß Administration waß steeped, and to which (jarfield was no stranger in Congress. The great railroad monopolists lost their best friend when Garneld was taken off. Had he lived, things might have happened which would have upturned -social conditions, and now, as these tmthß are becoming known, one la ' perplexed to understand the strange and tragic providence of fact which preserved Mb reputation while removing him from the grand executive stage upon which he was the most conspicuous figure. With him fell those com. binations which had been formed to subordinate the productive' industries and wealth of the nation .to 'the avaricious control of " soulless corporations," and which James E. Blame j was unquestionably manipulating. Garfield was saved from "the evil to come, ' and Blame is free to pose before the country as a millionaire twice told — a railroad magnate — from the thrifty savings of 25 years in Con- j greßß at a salary of 5000dol (£1000)- a year, i The vast fortunes accumulated by poor men in Congress of late years, under the Republican regime, are attracting attention, and the story of each one ia told in the Press with charming simplicity and directness. Senator Dorsey has come to utter grief on the Star route business ; Senator Windom, recently Secretary of the Treasury, is also in financial trouble, although . parading great wealth acquired somehow m • .Cjongress ; and Senator Sherman, his predeces- * ior in the Treasury Department, is Bpoken of in similar term». He is now very rich. Sherman has more worldly wisdom than most of hit class, and covers up his tracks more adroitly than Blame. This is a digression, however, valuable only in as far as it sheds light upon the dark eidc of American, politics, aud serves to bring into aharp contrast with successful politicians the able and courteous gentleman who sow occupies the White House. WHAT OONGBBSB LEFT UNDONE. Before referring to the work accomplished by Congress last session I shall say something •bout its unfinished business. The titles of bills on the House calendar fill, 10 pages of printed matter. There are 760 bills and joint resolutions left upon the calendars, and 223 upon the Speaker's table having failed to secure final action by the House. Besides these there ia a multitude of propositions buried in th.c pigeon-holes of the various committees. There , are also about 400 private bills left over, the titles of which fill 25 printed pages. Among the measures of public policy which find a halting-place in the House are the Rivers and Harbours Bill, which was fought tooth-and-nail to the last moment, and then ' failed to pass. Included in this appropriation bill were many absolutely necessary works, but there were also very many utterly woithlesß propositions. Congressmen laid -themselves out to. "get something for their district," after the pattern of members of Legislatures in the Australian Colonies, and it was this deadweight that killed the bill. Fortunately our American system does not make the Administration a party to this log-rolling in Congress, as all legislation originates in Con- , greas itself, and the Cabinet is entirely distinct ' from the legislative branch of the Government. "Under your Parliamentary system the Cabinet is head centre of intrigue, as it were, and were your public men not models of public virtue, I i very much fear they, would endeavour to build . up their local influence by securing the 1 expenditure of public money in their respective electoral districts. Every American believes ia our glorious Constitution and an appropriation, what do your political lights believe n? A bill providing a permanent construction fund for the navy failed to pass the House, although promoted by Representative Robeson, of unsavoury reputation as the Secretary of the Navy under Grant, who stole himself rich out of the construction fund. Seventeen national ships have been struck off the list as unserviceable, and the balance are nearly all unoeawortby and rotten. A bill providing for an ocean mail service failed to pass. . Bills creating a Commission on Immigration, an Agricultural Commission, and a Commission on the Liquor Traffic shared the same fate, as did many others of public utility. The" Nicaragua Canal Bill was one of these, and also the Postal Savings Bank Bill A bill to regulate the Presidential succession is ' likewise among the unfinished business. I bare already' outlined the provisions of this bill, and therefore need not refer to it. OU THE SENATE FILE there remain 308 bills reported from Committee but not acted upon. Among the more important are Senator Logan's bill to provide a specific 1 -annual appropriation for 15 years for school purposes 'on the basis of illiteracy. The bulk, of the money would go to the South, but in the Territories where Mormonism prevails illiteracy is quite aB marked as in the old slave States. An amendment to the Constitution in ' relation to the. manufacture, importation, and sale of intoxicating liquors remains for action by next Congress, This is opposed by the whisky interest, which failed to pass its own special bill relating to spirits in bond, that wmild have cost the Treasury many millions of dollars.

THB SHIPPING BILL was killed at the last moment almost. It contained a free ship clause, also one authorising the Postmaster-general to contract for the payment of an ocean mail service not to exceed in all 1,500,000d0l a year. This would have enabled the Government to pay a subsidy to the Australian and New Zealand mail service. John Roach opposed the bill, because it admitted of placing a foreign-built ship on tha American register, and this, he thought, would take, money out of his purse ; bat the Senate, to carry that clause, bought off other opposition by striking out the subsidy clause. This, of course, rendered the bill practically valueless to New Zealand, and I was not at all Borry when the House, in its hilarious mood at the very close of tho session, would not take it up. I have no doubt this bill Will pass in the next Congress and become law, with a subsidy clause included. In thiß connection it may be mentioned that on learning the intention of the New Zealand Government by last mail regarding the poßtal service, Mr Creighton had a memorial adopted by the Board of Trade ot San Francisco addressed to the California Legislature requesting it to memorialise Congress in favour of granting a sufficient subsidy to ensure its continuance, setting forth the tttnefits it conferred upon American trade, and to* injustice of requiring all the subsidy £o be

Eaid by the Colonies. He was also authorised y the Board of Trade to proceed to Sacramento and take steps to obtain the passing of a concurrent resolution embodying its views. As there were only 10 or 12 unexpired days of the session, there was some doubt of being able to get the business through, but he succeeded in his mission, and the concurrent resolutions were telegraphed to the President of the United States Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by the Governor, in terms of the instructions by the Legislature. This was too late for action before Congress adjourned, but it places the question before the national Legislature in a much stronger way than if an appeal on the justice of the case were made by the Colony. It makes the Pacific Coast a party in interest, and brings great political weight to bear upon the Administration and Congress. At hia request al&o the California delegation at Washington were telegraphed to requesting their immediate attention to the matter. I have every reason to believe that the United States will behave liberally in this matter, and that Congress, when it assembles, will give authority to the Postmaster-general to pay a sufficient subsidy. Should a special session be called, the business would be promptly disposed of.

WHAT OONGRESB DID.

Besides the Appropriation and Pension Bills, the Tariff and Tax Bill was the principal work of the short session. It passed loug atter midnight of the 3rd, and was immediately signed by the President, who was in waiting at the Capitol to sign bills as presented to him. It is a compromise measure throughout, and satisfies nobody except the bankers, who are relieved of an annual tax upon deposits and circulation aggregating eleven and a-quarter million dollars (£2,250,000) ; and depositors upon their open accounts are relieved of two and a-half million dollars (£500,000) yearly on two-cent, cheque stamps. This is a substantial boon to capital. The match tax and patent medicine stamp duty go the Bame way, as I understand it, or are both materially reduced. I am uncertain upon this poiat, inasmuch as the bill as finally passed has not yet been printed, and changes were made at nearly the last moment. The duty on tobacco aud its manufactures is reduced by about 11,000,000d0l (£2,200,000) yeaiiv. The tariff reductions on sugar will aggregate 4,000,000d0l yearly. The wool schedule remains as already advised, and is at such a point now as admits of large direct purchases on American account of your long-staple wool. When I receive tha Tariff iv its entirety I shall write you specially upon this point. An increase has taken place on various kinds of merchandise, but the ironmasters are very savage because they did not get everything their own way. They now declare' that they cannot keep their furnacps going unless the men consent to a large reduction of wages. This is a mere pretence, however, intended to coerce labour, because the new tariff in some respects is more favourable to the iron industry than the old one. Should the employers insist' upon a reduction of wages there will be a general strike. It is singular, but it is true nevertheless, that as a rule wages fall in the exact ratio of increased tariff protection to manufacturers. American working men are coming to understand this question far more intelligently than they did when the Protection policy was inaugurated for their assumed benefit, but really to muke them far more dependent upon capital in the hands of lawcreated monopolies. The tariff bill which finally passed originated in the Senate, and is different from the House bill, as both differed from the bill drafted by the Tariff Commission. It is more liberal than the House bill, and is estimated to remit 70,000,000 dollars annually of taxation. £14,000,000, its equivalent in British currency, is a very large yeariy sum to strike from the national revenue, the more so as Congress passed a bill last session enlarging very much the pension claims, already out of all proportion to the true requirements of the case.

BCENKB IN CONGRESS.

The last night of the session in all American Legislatures is marked by every species of irregularity and excitement, greatly promoted by the presence of crowds of strangers upon the floor. If you have any business with a member you may step in and take a chair beside his desk. This plan has advantages, but it has also disadvantages. The closing hours in the National House of Representatives weie characterised by great disorder and tumult, and very little business could be transacted. An adjournment was taken for three hours, to euable members who had imbibed too free'y to cool off a lifcfcle. Over 120 members had been rejected by their constituencies, and new men will take their places. This niay have excited them a little, but it does not account for the total want of dignity and respect due to the legislative Office. The galleries were crowded, and the spectators caught up the infection from the floor, and took an active.part in promoting the noise and tumult. Such, is the picture as presented by the Press reporters. Nevertheless the Forty-seventh Congress, while it did many unwise things, and played with national wealth in a very reckless manner, passed not a few salutary laws. It has also made a beginning in' the reduction of taxation. There is a wide field for legislative reform, however, Congress, and if the next Democratic House does • its duty faithfully, it will ensure the election of a Democratic Administration in 1884.

NATIONAL FINANCE AND TRADE.

The public debt was reduced 7,630,678d0l during Febiuary last. The total decrease of the debt in the last eight months of the fiscal year was 102,638,346d01. In other words, the revenue derived from national trade and excise, besides providing for all exigencies and requirements of Government, and the prodigal expenditures under the pension bureau and the river and harbour appropriation for the current tiacal year, gave a surplus equivalent to £20,523,669 sterling in eight months, or, at the same ratio, about tho sum total of the New Zealand debt in 12 inonthß. If there were nothing but this fact to illustrate the wonderful prosperity of America, it would do bo conclusively. There was an available cash balance in the Treasury on March Ist of 143,258,218d01. The payment of pensions during February amounted to 9,781,419d01. Who can say after this that Republics are forgetful of their soldiers, or ungenerous to those who serve them? The coming season will be one of great activity in immigration. A newline of steamships has been established between New Orleans and Liverpool to divert emigration from New York, and the Northwest to the lower valley of the Mississippi, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, and we are anticipating a.large influx of people by that route. The crop prospects generally are good, and the business outlook never was batter, despite the complaints of croakers.

FLOODS AND OI'HEH CALAMITIES.

At the date of the departure of ttie last mail for the Colonies, newa was received of extensive overflows of the Ohio River, but no one then imagined that it would become a national calamity in magnitude. Cincinnati was flooded, and for several days it was cut off' from the outside world, traffic despatch being impossible. There was •ntfderablo distress,

but energetic measures were taken for its relief, and although the gas was shut off and there waß a scarcity of water for domestic purposes, the people managed to pull through until " the waters were assuaged from off the face of the earth." Louisville and all the smaller towns along the course of theriver were flooded. Farms were submerged, and stock and property of all kinds destroyed. Blocks of houses were swept away bodily, and any movement in the towiiß was made in boats. It is impossible to ascertain the loss of life, but a low estimate of propTty destroyed puts it at £2,500,000 sterling. And now the Mississippi has buret its levees, and i 8 flooding Arkansas and the lower country. As this is an event of recent occurrence, I cannot say how disastrous it may be, but owing to the relative poverty of the flooded region in the South, it will not be so destructive of property as tho floods in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Isfevertheless, the recuperative power of this country is bo great that no lasting trace of these misfortunes remains. Men who have been flooded out make a fresh start, in faith and hope, and they succeed. Not so in Europe, whoao population is making continuous appeals to America for money to relieve the misery and distress in their flooded M I M

regions. A terrible calamity befell the colliers in the Diamond mine, Braidwood, Illinois, which became flooded, and 74 men lost their lives. A panic in a New York Catholic echool caused the death of 14 children. The means of egress were insufficient. If sensational crimes coiild be classed as calamities, I might fill the Daily Times with recitals of these, but I have no inclination that way. Suffice it to say that there is a growing tendency among all classes to disregard human life. It is a sign of the times which deserves careful study.

ODDS AND ENDS.

The Republican city Government having expended nearly all the funds for the present fiscal year in the first six months, their successors have been compelled to shut off all gaslamps on the streets, and San Francisco is now in darkness nightly, and will continue so until June nexk Crime is steadily on the increase, and homicide is frequent. Another Catholic bank— the Augustinian Association— has come to grief. It used its depositors' money to build churches and Catholic Bchoola and train young men for the priesthood. This is a duplicate of the Cincinnati Archdiocesan Bank swindle under the management of the Purcells. The Catholic priests of the archdiocese repudiate this debt. There has been very heavy weather .East, but the Wiggins great stoim, fixed for March 9th, did not come off, although he frightened thousands of people almost out of their wits. I enclose you a clipping to show just how any scatter-brain astrologer and almanac-maker can secure gratuitous advertising and make himself famous in this country.

Jacob Terry,