The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-12-17
Washington.

Washington.
THE ToBAcco-TAX QUESTION TO BE TAKEN Up
IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE T0-DAY-AR.
HUNTERS LETTER AND ITS EFFECT-THE
BILL. FOR THE RELIEF OF THE SOUTHERN
METHODIST BOOK CONCERN - DEMOCRATIC
CONFERENCE DECISION OF The PENSION
OFFICE CONCERNING THE WIDOWS OF SOL
D1rRs OF 1S12-L0w PRICE OF VIRGINIA
CATTlE-THE TEXAS-PACIFTC-BL AISE'S RE-
soLUrIoN-Po POTOMAC BRlpGE-PERsoNAL.
from Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, December 16.-The Senate
Finance Committee will take up.tobacco to-
morrow. and among those who will appear
are Colonel Burwell and Commissioner
Raum. The Commissioner says in bis re-
port that il you reduce the fax to sixteen
cents you will diminish the revenue one
third, when the figures show that for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1915, the receipts
from tobacco were over twenty-four mil
lions, and that for the three quarters OF that
year while the tax was twenty cents The
average was over six millions quar-.
ter, and for the last quarter, when
the lax was twcnty-four cents, 1t was
only fraction over five millions
Now. in 1878. the receipts arc twenty-five
millicns-a5out what the tax would have
been in 10 ut q twenty-cent tax for The
whole wear: and The Commissioner would
have the Senate believe that a reduction OF
the tax will decrease the receipts TO less than
SiS,O0D,0G0 with the experience OF 10 he
fore him. EcSays, too, thata high tax does
not. diminish consumption, when the fact is,
according TO his own figures, that in 1915
when the tax was twenty cents, there were
10. 1885 pounds OF tobacco consumed.
while in 1873, with q twcnty-four-cent tax,
there we're only 1O5,500,2I1 used.
Tue EFFECT OF Mr.. HUNTERS LETTER.
Senator Grover, OF Oregon, after reading
Mr.. Hunters letter this morning, said the
points were strongly presented, and he
would aid in helping Virginia to get the to-
bacco tax reduced. In this letter it is shown
that as you increase the price the demand
decreases. and as You decrease the price o.
tobacco the demand increases. In regard tt
the effect OF high tax on the interests o.
the planter, Mr.. Hunter says: ca tax 0.
twenty-four cents pound on 4 crop whict
sells. am told, st an average OF five cents q
pound in the raw leaf, needs 10 comment
from me. Ii the tax were one cent more
ii would be at the rate Of five
hundred per cent. on the commodity.
How many agricultural products could bear
such a tax and live? In point Of fact, an
told that the average quality Of tobacco is
beginning to disappear; that many arc
threatening to abandon the culture; and
upon theory, don't see how it can possibly
survive"
TIE SOUTHERN METHODIST BOOK CONCERN
Senator Morgan has given notice that be
will call up on Wednesday the bill for the
relief OF the Southern Methodist Publishing
Concern at Nashville. 1t provides for the
payment of Sl50,00O for the rent, &c, of the
publishing buildings occupied during the
war, aud it, passage is urged by all the
Northern Methodist bishops, headed by
Bishop Simpson and hundreds OF leading
members Of that branch OF the Methods;
Church. Senator Hereford, who has given
the subject much attention, thinks the bill
will pass.
An IMPORTANT DEMOCRATIC CONFERENCE.
The committee OF Democratic member:
OF both houses, consisting Of Senators Ran
som, Mcdonald, Wallace, Eaton, and Cock
rell, and Representatives Blackburn, Ban
ming, Hunton, Jones (N. H., Wood, Clarke
(MissourD. Morrison, Blount, Randall, and
Reagan, will hold conference Wednes.
day IN Senator Johnston'S commttee-rooms
when matters OF grave moment TO the Demo.
cratic party Of the country will be consid
cred. The party needs Il stronger organ
7Zatlon and more fraternity.
THE WIDOWS OF SOLDIERS OF 1912.
The Pension Office has decided that tn,
widow OF soldier OF the war Of 1912 wht
married again and lost her husband was no
entitled to a pension; and to do away Will
this hardship Judge Harris, of Virginia, in
troduced bill to-day in the House which
gives such widows pensions Just as il they
had never married again.
THE SOUTHWESTERN CATTLE TRADE.
General Pridemore says his people are
suffering from the low price Of cattle II
Baltimore, New York, and other northern
markets. One half OF the cattle. dealers now
return from the East losers by their opera
tons. This depresses the business. MeSsrS
Stuart and Cloyd, TWO Of the largest dealers
in his section, have been shipping to Eng.
land this year. Southwestern Virginia, be
says, furnishes the fattest cattle sent to the
eastern markets. Mr.. Stuart, he says, win.
tiers 1000 head, and Mr. Palmer is introdu-
cling the finest imported stock that can be
obtained.
COMMITTEE NEWS.
Colonel Mosby was before the Senate APP
preparation Committee to-day and gave rea-
sous why he should have consular clerk,
as recommended by Mr.. Eyarts.
The iellow-Fevcr Committee Of the two
houses had third meeting to-day, and is
working with commendabie zeal.
The House Committee on Appropriations
will not agree to the Senate amendment to
the West Point bill because they say their
report was fully up to the estimate. They
VIII agree, however, to the amendments to
the naval bill
The Potter Committee held secret ses-
sion to-day and agreed upon sub-commit-
tee TO visit New Orleans.
The Senate Committee on Appropriations
to-day reported the diplomatic and consular
and the naval appropriations bills. In the
former 1t restored the present salaries OF
certain Ministers, and increased the naval
Dill 100000 in the item OF provisions.
THE TEyAs-PACIFIC. 1El
Again to-day Mr.. Stanley Matthews en-
deaVored to get the Texas Pacific bill up in
the Senate, but he was deIeated-ayes, 26 /;
noes, 81. Its friends say the trouble was
that the Senate wanted to dispose Of Biaine's
resolution first.
49, ,rr,,-,x.
AEsgS--THE REPUBLICANS WANT "A STAR
CHAMBER IN,yE,s1,IG ALTON -