Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-16
TARIFF BILL DEFECTS.
One Of Them Touched Manufactured and
Leaf Tobacco.

WASHINGTON, March 15.-The expen-
ditures OF the government for the eight
months and a half OF the present fiscal
year have exceeded the receipts 100000,
the figures being Receipts. s2ll. 900. 600; ex-
penditures. s263 10000. This ratio. II car
ried out TO the end of the fiscal year,
will make the net deficit about 100000.
The present discussion OF the tariff
I'M in full committee. although not pro-
ducing many changes In the schedules.
Is bringing TO light some extraordinary
defects in the bill. one OF these was dis
covered yesterday. and had II not been
found in time IL would have reduced the
revenue-yielding power Of the bill by up
wards of 100000.
The last page of the bill as made public
by the Senate is long distance from the
first, but the legislation found In the last
few paragraphs controls the whole bill.
one of these paragraphs. section 100. pro-
Vides that an act to reduce the revenue
and equalize the duties on imports. and
for other purposes. approved October /,
1870. and all acts and parts OF acts not
inconsistent with this act are hereby re-
pealed."
This was an absolute repeal OF the Nc
Kinley law. and Mr.. Vest in committee
yesterday moved that II be stricken out.
for very obvious reasons. The internal
revenue tax on manufactured tobacco and
all the regulations as to license taxes
and the sale of leaf tobacco are contained
in the Mckinley law, and nothing Is said
about them in the Wilson bill. The In
tention was. OF course, TO permit the pres
ent law to stand in these respects. Had
not the sweeping character Of the repeal
, ing clause been detected in time, these
provisions OF the Mckinley act would
have been wiped out and the government
would have found itself powerless 10 col
lect a dollar of internal-revenue tax on
manufactured tobacco. except in the
shape of cigars and cigarettes. The free
leaf provisions would also have been
eliminated from the present law.
Secretary Carlisle and Assistant-Secre-
taTy Hamlin were I'm consultation with the
Senate Committee on Finance this after
noon concerning the administrative fea-
lures OF the tariff bill. 1t is understood
that Mr. Carlisle conceded with some Of
the opinions expressed by the Republican
members of the committee. that some
amendments Of this portion Of the bill
will be made. The Republicans are at
lacking the administrative part of the bill
wherever IL Is materially different from
the existing law. which, they claim. is as
good a system as can be devised.
The opinion Is gaining ground that the
bill will be reported to the Senate on Tues
day next. No agreement has been made. but
the Republican members will not object,
provided they are granted the following
two weeks to make preparations Tor the
debate before II shall begin, and Ii now
appears probable that this concession will
be granted.
Mr. William Lamb OF Norfolk, In be-
half of the bituminous coal interests,
has requested Senator Voorhees, to have
the following alterations made In the
text OF the Wilson bill 1t does not change
the schedule, but will prevent any mis-
construction of the intention OF the law.
Instead of coal. bituminous and shale. 40
cents per ton, to read coal, bituminous
and shale, 40 cents per ton of twenty
eight bushels, 80 pounds to the bushei."
and instead OF coal. slack or cuim, 10
cents per ton, read coal, SLACK or cuim'
such as will pass through half-inch
screen. Is cents per ton OF twenty-eight
bushels. 50 pounds to the bushel."