The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-05
And Still More Promptly Passes Mr..
Pendleton's Reform Bill.
New Features of the Tariff Bill Reported to
the Senate by the Finance Com
mittee-Notes and Gossip.
WHISKY IN BOND.


The Senate Passes the Bill Extending the
Period for Paying Tax.
WASHINGTON, Jan. An the Senate, to-
day, the bill for extending the period for
paying tax on whisky in bond being under
consideration, Mr.. Hale moved TO amend so
as to limit the proposed extension OF time to
whisky entered before Jan l. 1881. His OBJ
ject in offering this amendment was to test
the sincerity of the professions that this bill
was merely designed to relieve distress, and
to ascertain whether relief of distress or the
securing of an indefinite extension of time
for the whisky men was the real object. 1t
was the Bourbon whisky interest that was
urging this bill, but all the whisky OF
that kind entered on or before July
1, 1881, was protected for one year by the ex-
listing law, and his (Mr Hale's) amendment
would give it two years more.
Mr. Sherman said if the whisky interest
came oftener to Congress for relief than
others, it was because no other inter
est, except tobacco, was so taxed by
Congress. The tax on spirits was 500
per cent. on its cost. In other words
the government said to the manufacturer of
spirits: within three years from the time
you manufacture your product you shall pay,
in taxes five times as much as that product
COSTS" This was an exceptional tax, yet
these manufacturers did not ask for its re-
peal, but merely for an extension of time, in
order that, they might have opportunity
to find a market for their product before
they were required to take it out of bond
and pay the tax upon it. In asking even this
they offered TO pay interest upon the tax at
the rate of per cent. Any man having a
lien upon the property of another, and re-
fusing an extension of time on such terms,
would be regarded as a Shylock.
Mr.. Maxey asked what reason there was for
granting this extension to distillers which
would not apply equally to importers of dis
titled spirits.
Mr.. Beck said importers had already sew
eral advantages, and further, they did not use
American grain or other American materials
The whisky men had paid into the treasury
a million OF dollars, and the class of manu-
facturers now complaining had never cheated
the government out of a dollar 1t was en-
tirely proper that whisky and tobacco should
be taxed, and he (Mr. Beck) certainly would
never ask that they should be relieved from
taxation so long as the poor man was taxed
100 per cent. upon his blanket and so per
cent. on the sugar he used in his tea He
was in favor of keeping the whisky interest
in condition to be taxed and to pay taxes,
so that the other burdens pressing heavily
upon the people might be reduced, and the
relief granted by this bill was necessary to
keep it in that condition.
The amendment was finally rejected-yeas
II, nays "a.
Mr.. Hale offered another amendment
providing that the tax or duty on all dis
titled spirits when the same are withdrawn,
shall be the duty or tax that would have
been paid if paid when the spirits were
placed in bond, with accrued interest thereon.
Rejected. Yeas 1S, nays %.
Mr.. Hale offered another amendment pro-
Vidinu that hOn6 toEan nudpr tho rrn
visions of this act shall be for an amount
sufficient to cover all taxes due and any
accrued or accruing interest upon the same.
Agreed to,
Mr., Window offered an amendment, pro-
posed by him some days ago, providing that
the time within which distilled spirits pro-
duced or manufactured after Jan. /, 1884,
are required to be withdrawn, shall be
limited to one year from the time of their
entry Lost. Yeas II, nays %.
Mr.. Morgan offered an amendment pro-
viding that the taxes now due, or that shall
fall due upon distilled spirits in bond, shall
be paid at the rate now provided by law and
that acceptance of any extension of time
under this act shall be construed as an ac-
ceptance of this condition. Lost-yeas, 90;
nays, 81.
Mr.. Salisbury offered an amendment limit
ing the operation of the act to liquor held by
producers of the same. Lost-yeas, Il;
nays, 2S.
The bill was then passed by the following
vote:
Yeas-Messrs. Aldrich, Barrow, Beck, Chill
cott, Davis of West Virginia, George, German,
Groome, Grover, Hampton, Hill, Jackson, Jonas,
lones of Florida, Jones of Nevada, Malone, Pen
dleton sherman, Slater Van Wyck, Vest, Voor-
hees, Williams-23.
Nays-Messrs Blair, Brown, Cameron of Wis
consin, Conger Edmunds, Hale, Hawley, Me
Dill, Maxey, Miller of California Miller Of New
York, Morgan, Morrill,, Plat Pugh, Rollins,
Salisbury. Sewell, Walker Windom-2O.
Several Senators who would have voted
yea were paired with others who would have
voted nay, as follows:
Mr.. Call with Mr. Lapham, Mr.. Cockrell
with Mr. Harrison, Mr.. Saunders with Mr..
Coke, Mr.. Logan with Mr. Frye, Mr. Harris with
Mr.. ingalls,, Mr.. Dave with Mr.. Lamar
The following pairs were announced with
out statement as to how the Senators would
have voted.
Mr.. Anthony with Mr.. Cameron, of Pennsyl-
vania; Mr.. Allison with Mr.. Bayard, Mr.. Sawyer
with Mr.. Camden, Mr.. Hoar with Mr. Mcpherson,
MI. Ferry with Mr. Farley.