The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-05-28
THE F|FTY-FOURTH CONGRESS
THE HOUSE PASSED THE BILL
REPEATING THE REBATE ON
ALCOHOL.
FILLED CHEESE" BILL IN THE SENATE
An Amendment Thereto. Placing Tax
of IS Cents Per Barrel on Beer, Ale
and Porter Threatens to Carry.
Bond Bill Debate.

Washington, May 26.-Tarilf and
finance each came in for share of con-
sideration in the senate today. Early
in the day Mr.. Sherman succeeded in
having the filled cheese bill taken up,
whereupun Mr.. Dubois Rep.) of Idaho
offered IN amendment adding 20 cents
per barrel to the tax on beer. The SEN
ator said his amendment was intended
to test the sincerity of senators who cX-
pressed the patriotic desire to aid the
treasury by raising more revenue.
Mr.. Sherman opposed the amendment
as II slillful means to defeat the cheese
bill. His motion to table the Dubois
amendment was defeated-yeas, %;
nays, 80.
mcnt the debate became general, Sena-
tors Mills and Gray supporting, and Mel
son, Aldrich and Villas opposing it.
The bill and pending beer amendment
were displaced at = o'clock by the bond
bill, which was advocated by Mr.. Pritch
ard CRepD of North Carolina and opposed
by Mr.. Lindsay Dem.) of Kentucky.
A bill was passed to pension. at $40
n month. the widow of Gen. George Spcn-
GER ut one time United States senator
from Alabama.
Mr.. Thurston, in view of his departure
owing to the sickness of his family, de-
fined his position on II number of inn
portant pending measures. viz: Favor
able to the election of senators by the
people: the bill amending the law for
81 lmnnt for cnntnInnt N
| filed cheese bill. and opposed to the bill
prohibiting the issue of bonds.
As soon as the filled cheese bill was
taken up. Mr.. Dubois (Rep.) of Idaho
offered an amendment, placing an addi-
| tional tax of 10 cents per barrel on beer.
porter and ale. In supporting the amend
mcnt Mr.. Dubois said it offered an op-
portunity to Mr.. Sherman to execute the
patriotic purposes he had recently eX-
pressed without resorting to the Ding
ley tariff BILL an unjust, unsatisfactory
bill. which can not pass the senate"
That bill was trap, transparent
and unfair" This beer amendment
would produce S25,000,000 additional
| revenue.
Mr.. Dubois said senators should ac-
cept this or else 'quit posing before the
country as the only patriots"
Mr.. Sherman replied briefly. urging
that this was Il move to cripple the cheese
bill. which WAS in no sense II general
revenue bill. Thirty million of revenue
already was raised from that Every use
full and comfortable drink" and he (Sher-
| nam thought the consumers of beer paid
about enough. He moved to table the
beer amendment, which motion was de-
featcd-yeas. %; nays, 30.
The refusal to table created something
of stir throughout the senate.
Mr.. Villas opposed the amendment. say
ing that the tax on beer fell on the con-
sumer-a wagc-earning. Woodworking
| class.
Mr.. Mills Dem.) of Texas supported
the beer amendment and pointed out that
the opposition came from senators who
| supported greater tax on cheese, an ar
ticlc of food used by the poor.
Mr.. Nelson Rep) of Minnesota depre-
Gated the move to inject the tariff or sill
yer questions into this meritoriOus bill
against fraudulent cheese In answer to
n question from Mr.. Lindsay he said that
Minnesota had passed law to protect
her own people, but could not make it
extend to the export article abroad and
in other states.
Mr. Gray Dem.) of Delaware said the
cheese bill was cOnfessedly not to raise
revenue: that the beer amendment was
supposed to he n revenue measure.
At o'clock the cheese bill, with the
amendment pending, was laid aside. Mr..
Sherman announcing that he would call
it up as soon as the bond bill was dis
posed Of
Mr.. Lindsay Dem) of Kentucky OPP
posed the bond bill. While he did not
regard it as an act of reputation, yet he
believed it would lead to the suspension
of specie payment within sixty days from
the time of its adoption
Congress was about to adjourn without
giving relief to the treasury, and as Il
result it was likely to become necessary
within few months for the secretary
of the treasury to resort to another issue
of bonds. Referring to the silver agita-
ton. Mr.. Lindsay said a 1G-to-1 ratio
would drive out gold and bring the coun.
try to silver monometalism with II dis
turbance which would end in bankruptcy
and panic. 1t would be dangerous eX-
pertinent. The bond bill was then laid
aside.
Mr.. Stewart Pop.) of Nebraska asked
that the financial speech of Mr. Carlisle
in 1878 be printed as a document. but
Messrs Lindsay, Aldrich and Platt OBJ
jected to it as antiquated.
The final conference report on the leg
islative, executive and judicial bill was
agreed to.
dry civil bill was agreed to. the remain.
ing items, including public buildings, be.
ing sent back to conference
At 6:10 the senate held brief eXecu-
tive session and then adjourned.