The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-02-16
THE TOBACCO TAX.
The Majority OF the House Appropri-
alton Committee in Favor Of
Cheaper Cigars.
Should the Bill Become a Law II viii
Cause the Abolition Of Many
Federal Offices.
Mills Makes Report ON the senate substi-
tuts. showing that IL WIN not
Reduce Duties.

w AEhlN0IONt FNbs Aot-bI N Nbit VI ~
to the house committee on appropriations
to-day resolved TO report favorably the sub
stitute for Cowle's internal revenue bill.
The substitute proposes the entire repeal
OF the tobacco tax, and omits the "moon-
shine" sections OF Cowle's bill.
Those In favor OF the measure
were Randall, Clements, Felix Campbell,
OF New York, Gay, Canton, Ryan, Butter
worth, Long, McComas and Henderson.
Those opposed 10 II were Forney, Foran,
Sayres and Rice. Forney says he will re-
port substitute bill removing the duty on
manufactured tobacco and snuff, but not
ON cigars. Sayres said he intended 10 pre-
pare a minority report for presentation.
He said. 81 am opposed 10 reducing the
surplus by taxing on the tax on cigars,
cheroots and cigarettes until we have re-
duced the customs duty on the necessaries
OF life"
There appears 20 be some difference OF
opinion as ~ measure OF privilege which
the revenue bill will possess, which may
later bring on conflict on the fi0or Of the
house between the ways and means and APP
propriation committees. IL might be well
10 state the position OF the last named com.
mittee In the matter. While II does not
contend that any committee other than that
OF the ways and means Is privileged 10 re-
port q revenue bill nc any time, II holds
that under the rules when q bill IL once re-
ported and placed on the calendar, II will
Itself be privileged, and that a motion may
at any time be made 10 10 into committee
of the whole 10 consider revenue bills. To
succeed In getting at the tobacco bill II
would be necessary for the house 10 lay
aside any revenue bill preceding II on the
calendar, and II the ways and means COM
mittee should anticipate the report OF the
committee on appropriations by reporting
Gus but not necessarily unsGrmountabe
obstacle 10 the accomplishment OF the
wishes OF the friends OF the bill 10 repeal
the tobacco tax.
The formal action OF the appropriation
committee upon Cowles' bill was ~ strike
out sections one, two, three and four and
substitute sections one and two Of Ran
dali's tariff bill, introduced at the last SEES
sion, and also TO strike out sections six,
nine, ten, eleven, twelve and sixteen Of
Cowles' bill. In the shape which II will be
reported the bill provides that after July l
next all laws now In force whereby farmers
and producers of tobacco are restricted in
the sale and disposition of the same, and
all laws relating 10 internal revenue taxes
ON manufactured tobacco, sDuff, cigars,
cheroots and cigarettes, and special taxes
required by law TO be paid by the manu-.
facturers OF and dealers In leaf
tured tobacco, peddlers OF tobacco, snuff
and cigars and manufacturers OF snuff
and OF cigars shall be repealed. tits pro-
yided also that n drawback equal to the
tax shall be paid on unbroken factory
packages In the hands OF manufacturers
and dealers when the law takes effect
The redemption al q pro rata valuation OF