The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-02-04
WAGES CERTIFICATES.
WHAT THE HOUSE THINKS OF THEM.
The Pa...v. of the sherman Funding Dill Ia the
ssn.t.-DnlI Iusldsnt to the Late PrsII.
d.Sps nlueu-InpOrtast Railroad
Allllnss-Gsh,ral News Notes.
Special Dispatch to the In..lllgoneet

Special Dispatch 10 the lntellig0neer.
WASllXaroS, February 3.-The House
spent the entire session to-day in tho dis,
cussion Of one bill on the private calendar
to release tho Philadelphia & Reading
Railroad Company from certain taxes,
This bill was before the Forty.sixth Con-
gress and was reported favorably from the
Ways and Means Committee, but was not
reached OH the House calendar. This
session It came from the Ways and Means
Committee to the House again unanimous
y recommended for passage, but met with
even less success than in the lust session,
being laid on the table by vote Of lOs to
40.
The claim Of the niiroad company is
for the release from the payment Of the
ten per cent tax imposed by the act Of 1875
on all notes used for circulation, which
was assessed by the Commissioner Of In
ternal Revenue on s2,SS7 900 Of wages GER
tifcates issued by the company in 1870 in
payment Of wages and salaries 10 their
employees, and which passed into circula-
ton from the act Of the Commissioner.
The company appealed to the Secretary Of
the Treasury, and he having sustained the
Commissioner, TO the Attorney-Generll.
His decision being also against the COM
pany, they sought and obtained an in.
junction from the courts 10 restrain the
collection Of the taxes until the claim for
release had been decided by Congress.
Inthe discussion to-day only two points
were prominently considered; whether
these wages certificates came under the cat
egory Of circulating notes, or whether Con-
gress should take action on this claim before
the case had gone through the courts. The
advocates Of the bill, the mostprominent Of
whom were Messrs. Kelley, Of Pennsylva.
mia, Stewart, Of New York, ,..and Mutchler,
Of Pennsylvania, claimed that these certifi.
Gates being promises to pay on a certain
date, and bearing interest, were simple
promissory notes, which should not come
under the operation Of the act Of 1875,
assessing tax on the notes used in circu.
ton tany more than the promissory note
issued by an individual or a firm in the
ordinary routine Of commercial business
and, with regard to the bringing of the
the claim before Congress in advance Of
the action Of the Supreme Court that the
company should not, be subjected to the
hardship Of apostolic adverse decision in
the courts or the delay of legal procedure.
On the other hand the opponents Of the
measure held that the wages certificate.
issued by the company circulated rs any
other currency, and that Congress should
not take jurisdiction of cases which pro
perly belong to the courts,
Mr.. Hammond, OF Georgia, and Mr.. Nc
Lane, Of Maryland, were the principal ad
yocates Of this view OF the case.
Mr.. Springer argued against the bill III
being special legislation. When the vote
came 10 be taken on the question of report
ing the bill from the committee Of tht
whole to the House on the motion Of Mr.
Camp, of New York, to report it adversely
tho vote stood 1Os to 40. The members O
tho Ways and Means Committee, nearl
all the Pennsylvania delegates and som
Of the Ohio members voted against report
ing the bill adversely. The decided vot
against the bill was surprise to its sup
nnrtnrs