The Cecil Whig., 1881-01-01
FROM WASHINGTON.

IsM-BUSINEss IN CoNGREss--T
BANK TANES.
WAsHINGToN. Dec. 26.-It is know
hat some prominent Democrats. and re
ported that others, think the elect"ra
-otes of Gcor1i III ought not to be counted
'ecause the Presidential electors of tha
tate did not meet on the day require
" the Constitution and east their vote
OF President and Vice President. Dem
'crats of the strict construction vafirt
an well afford to take that position j.
this instance. because the loss of Georgia
otes would count nothing So far as Han
'ock is concerned. as the election OF Gan
ield is beyond question, whether the vot
II Georgia is counted or not. 1t appear
hat there are wide differences of opinio'
m the question that will be raised in thi.
'eorgia case among members OF bot,
'otical parties.
The House Appropriation Committee
'xpect to have four more general arpro
Iriation bills ready for consideration
when Congress reconveneS in january.
they are anxious. especially the Demo.
cratic part OF the committee. to hurr'
dong blsineSS that must be disposed Of
because they wish to avoid any neceSSit,
tor an extra session of Congress through
my fault of theirs: and because il til,
new Congress shall be called together il
the Spring. the power and the immcns.
patronage "f the House of Representa-
rlveS would be transferred to the Rcpuh-
hcanS several months sooner. and the lit
tle army of Democratic clerks. door
keepers. messengers and other depend
rntS would lose about six months salary.
The mass of business to be attended tt
within the eight weeks remaining of the
life of this Congress. and the certainty
that Il good deal of it will provoke lone
debate. makes it probable that an extra
session NAV be necessary. and while both
parties will properly be chargeable with
more or less blame, each will seek t"
place all the responsibility upon the
other. In fact. it is even now common
to hear members of one party say that
the course Of the other will result i'll an
extra session. The Democrats say they
have nothing whatever to gain and much
to lose by it. and Republicans say that
while it would benefit their party in some
respects. they desire to avoid it if posi-
bic. because they know that the business
interests of the country are opposed t"
it. and session of Congress at the be-
ginning of Il new Administration is al
WAYS more or less embarrassing to a new
President.
The recent vote in the House upon a
motion to remove the stamp tax on bank |
checks showed that the proposition was
approved by nearly two-thirds of the !
members voting. and the result has set
members to thinking on the general sub |
iect of Il reduction of taxation by removal !
of all stamp taxes. 1t is admitted by
Treasury officials that there might be a |
reduction of somewhere i'll the eiyhbOr- /
hood of forty millions in internal revenue !
taxes. although the Commissioner of III /
ternal Revenue only recommended III his I
annual report an aggregate reduction OF
fifteen millions. The most popular sug-
geStion for remission of taxes relates to /
matches, which now pay fully fifty per
cent. upon the wholesale price. and the +
tax comes out of the pocket of almost /.
every man. from the richest to the poor
est. The manufacture Of matches is now
confined to Il few mon"polists. and they /
alone seriously oppose removal OF the
tax. because competition would then be +
largely facilitated and consumption slim (
ulated by reduction of price. 1t is be- /
lieved that country members generally 4,
would vote to abolish the match tax. and
if that were accomplished first they
might then consent to take off the two
cent tax on bank checks. The average |.
rural member from the West and South !
holds that the tax on banking capital and /
deposits is the most righteous of all the .
burdens laid by the government. because !
it is paid by the rich only. and Tor other .
REASONS that vary according to the region
from which the legislator comes. 1t is Il,
not expected by Treasury Officials that .
anJ legislation even apparently favorable +.
to national banks or " Eastern money I
power will be passed BY this Congress.
il they know it.
1t is understood that Commissioner
Raum would advise that only one stamp
tax be imposed. and that is upon bit
ters. which, though called patent medi- .
cine. are really used chiefly as beverage
Upon all of these that contain. say 20
per cent. of alcohol, Il stamp tax might .
be imposed.
1t is considered pretty certain that the .
Committee of Ways and Means will re-
port tavorably upon a bill repeating a tax /
on bank deposits and bank capital, and
it is thought that they will recommend
the passage of bill! to repeal the law
imposing stamp tax on matches and
pprated in one bill and proper allowances
were made for taN-pail goods on hand.
the interests of all concerned might be
accommodated, and the bill would 90
through the House without difficulty
One scheme proposed is to induce the
Committee to bring i'll a bill which shall .
include ali these subjects. namely: Tax
on national bank capital and deposits
which amounts to 81. 400. 900: Oh capital
and deposits of State banks. amounting
to 50 300 0oO; on bank checks, amount
ing To Sl,S00, 600. and on matches. So
$50, 600
But the Greenbacllers and some anti
National Bank men say this plan would
certainly defeat the whole of the pro-
posed reductions of taxation. Besides.
If these items were grouped i'll one bill.
revival of the income tax would probably
be added ito get even with the moucy
power