Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-09
T ARIFF BILL GOSSIP.
The Proposed Income Tax and the Sugar
Schedules.
These Are the Questions That Are
Most Affecting the Democrats of
the House at Present.

Ihe bottom seemed to have dropped out
Of everything at the Capitol today. Neither
house is in session. Few statesmen were in
the building and practically nothing was be-
ing done or talked about. The questions
which are still affecting the democrats Of
the House most are the income tax contro-
versy and the conflicting opinions as to how
the sugar schedule shall be adjusted, and
whether or not there shall be a caucus over
the tariff bill. The indications point strong
ly to the substitution Of a graduating indi-
vidual compact for the tax on corporations,
which the committee has adopted and Mr.
Cleveland has indorsed.
Petition for Individual Tax.
The advocates of the individual tax are
circulating petition Systematically among
the various delegations asking the commit
tee to substitute the individual tax. 1t is
said that this petition is being widely sign
ed and the belief is that 1t will control the
action of the committee in the end. If so.
1t Is not at all improbable that the income
tax question being presented in that way to
Congress will fail. The committee then
would be forced to an increased whisky tax
and tax on sugar. At present there is a
tacit understanding in the committee that
nothing Is to be done with whisky, but cir
cumstances may change their purposes In
this respect.
Pressure on the Sugar Question.
On the sugar question considerable pres
sure is being brought, and threats are made
that with the sugar schedule, as it is in the
Wilson bill, the measure cannot get through
the Senate. If the caucus, which some of
the democrats are trying to get up is held.
the sugar question will be dealt with. 1t is
almost certain from the prevailing senti-
ments in the House that every vesture of
b,gatt I.ae
the probabilities are that unless the income
tax fails there Will be no additional duty on
sugar put in by the House The manner in
which this question will be dealt with in the
Senate is another thing.
PrObab Senate Amendments,
The general impression is that the sugar
schedule it goes through the House, will
be as it is in the Wilson bill with the
bounty provision stricken off, and that the
Senate will amend the bill by providing a
duty on sugar. The ways and means COM
mittee expect to report the bill on Wednes-
day. putting some single internal revenue
feature in 1t 50 as to make 1t amendable by
adding the other features hereafter they
are decided on
Representatives. of interests materially af-
fected by the tariff bill have brought such
pressure upon their Congressmen that some
opposition may be expected not only from
republicans, but from certain of the demo
cratic majority as well Some of the
democrats assert openly that they will op-
pose the bill If concessions are not made to
them, but as a rule. the dissatisfaction is
more implied than expressed.
MIR. simpson for the POpulists.
Mr.. Simpson (Kan) was asked today what
position the populist members of the House
would assume toward the measure. He re-
piled that free wool was a discriminat tion
against the farmers OF the west, and that
If a greater cut were not made in woolen
manufactures the populists would protest
Free salt, the Kansas Representative COM
plains, is another blow at one of his home
industries that he proposes opposing. Mr.
Simpson asserts that free salt Is finished
product" and much entitled to protec-
ton other articles similarly classified.
The wine growers of New York state are
asking the ways and means committee to
put them on an equal footing with the Cali
fo-nia manufacturers. Under the present
law, an exemption is made of the tax on
spirits which Californians use to fortify
their wines. The New Workers ask that this
discrimination be removed and that the
California producers either pay the tax OF
that the exemption apply to the eastern
manufacturers also.