Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-26
MORE TAX ON BEER
An Amendment Proposed to the
Filled Cheese Bill.
SENATOR DUBOIS GIVES His REASONS
MIR. Sherman's Motion to Table II
Was Defeated.
FREE ALCOHOL REPEAL BILL

Mr.. Quay was on the floor Of the Senate
| today for the first time since his visit to
Mr.. Mckinley and was greeted by num-
Der of Senator'S
The pension committee reported in favor
of passing the bill pensicril 6 Francis e.
| Hoover over the Presidents veto.
The bill was passed pensioning the widow
of Gen. George E. Spencer, at one time a
United States Senator from Alabama, at
SIS per month.
On motion of Mr.. Sherman, the filled
cheese bill was taken up-yess, SO; nays,
a. The effect of this was Eot to displace
the bond BILL which continues as the I'M
finished business after 2 o'clock.
MIR. ThurstOn's Position.
owing to sickness in his family, the SEN
| ator defined his position on a number of
| important pending measures viz, favora-
Bile to the election of Senators by the peo-
pie, to the bill amending the law for pun
| ishment for contempt of court, to the fill
ed cheese bill and opposed to the bill pro-
hibitins the issue of bonds. AS to the last
measure, Mr.. Thurston explained that his
opposition was not due to the principle of
the bill, which he might approve at
other time, but he felt it was too late In
the season to withhold from the admins
crisis.
Beer Tax Amendment.
Mr.. Dubois Qdaho) Offered an amend
| n.ent to the cheese bill placing a tax of
70 cents per barrel on beer, porter, ale,
&c. In supporting the amendment Mr.. Du-
bois said 1t Offered opportunity to Mr..
Sherman to execute the patriotic purposes
he had recently expressed. without resort
| Ing to the Dingley tariff bill. unjust.
| unsatisfactory, sectional BILL " hich cannot
! pass the Senate" That bill was trap,
transparent and unfair" This beer amend
ment would. he said yield S25,UOOO0 addi-
| tional revenue. Mr.. Dubois said Senators
could accept this or else quit posing be-
| Tore the country as the only patriots"
The text of the Dubois beer tax amend
ment is az follows:
In order to raise revenue to meet the
various expenses of the government the
sum of 10 cents shall be levied and collect
ed, under such rules and regulations as
| the Secretary CT the Treasury may pre-
| scribe, on every barrel of lager beer ale
and porter manufactured in the United
states. In addition to the tax now imposed
| thereon
Mr.. Sherman's Notion Defeated.
Mr. Sherman tOhio) replied briefly, urging
| That this was move to cripple the cheese
| bill, which was in no sense a general rev.
enue Dill On the general question of in
| creasing the beer tax, Mr.. Sherman said
| that thirty millions of revenue already was
| raised from that very useful and comfort
ape drink. and he thought the consumers
OF peer paid about enough. He moved to
table the beer amendment, which motion
was dcfeated-yeas, %; nays 80.
The vote in detail follows!
4eaS-Republicans Aldrich Allison Baker
Burrows Cullom. Davis. Gallinger Hawley,
Mitchell (Oregon). Morrill,, Nelson, Perkins
Plat Quay, Sewell, Sherman. Shoup and
| Mllson-lS Democrats, Cockrell, Hill.
Mitchell T,,rr o,l
| 7. Total %.
Nays-Repubicans, Brown. Cannon, Car
ter. Dubois, Hansbrough. Pett;grew. Teller
ferry, Chiffon, Daniel, Faulkner, Gray Har-
| rts,Jones CArkansasl. Lindsay, Mills, Morgan,
Pugh,. Roach. Vest, WahhaI. Whites.
Populists, Allen, Butler Kyle PETER and
| Stewart-5. Total. go
A Running Debate.
The refusal to table created something
| of stir through the Senate, and there
| was buzz Of comment the vote on the
| adoption OF the amendment about to
| be taken. Mr.. Villas opposed the amend
| ment saying the tax on beer fell on the
consumer, wage-earning, Woodworking
| class.
Mr.. Dubois said this opposition created a
| most ludlcrouS situation. Senators de-
Claimed for more revenue. and yet opposed
| a move to raise revenue 1t was the
| strangest spectacle he had ever witnessed
| In the Senate.
| Mr.. Dubois denied that this would place
great burden on the consumers of the
| beer. Beer was cheap, two glasses for five
| cents. he said, and the price would not
! raise.
Mr.. Mitchell (Wis.) raised a laugh by
| reharkins that he would like to know
! where MI. Dubois got beer at two glasses
| for five cents.
Mr.. Mills Crex.) supported the beer
amehament. and pointed out that the op-
p9s!.ion came from Senators who support
co greater tax on cheese, an article OF
| food used by the DOOR
Mr. Aldrlch OK. ID expressed qualification
mat the democratic party had by the vote
just given placed itself on record in favor
] of high beer tax. 1t had been eenar,1I,,
! supposed. he said, that the brewers of the
| country supported the democratic Marty
| not only by their votes. but in a more sub.
| Stahtlai way, and now, in return for this
| help, the party offered a heavy beer TOW
| MT. Aldrich said he did not know whetber
| TINS move was in anticipation of the Chi
| caSo convention. but in any event he said
| curiosity. ~ e'eA'
! Mr.. Nelson Minn.) deprecated the move
| 10 inject the tariff silver questions into
this meritorious bill against FRAUDULENT
| cheese.
Mr.. Nelson, in answer to a question from
| MI. Lindsay, said that Minnesota mad
passed law to protect her own people, but
could NOT make 1t extend to the export
| article abroad ard in other states
Mr.. Gray Oel) said the cheese bill WAS
confessedly not to raise revenue so that
| the beer amendment was most opportune
to make the bill what it purported to be-.
| revenue measure
| At 2 o'clock the cheese bill, with the beer
| amendment pending, was laid aside. Mr.
| Sherman announcing that he would call n
| up as soon as the bond bill was disposed
| of.
| The Bond Bill Taken I'm,
| Consideration Of the bond bill was then
resumed, and Mr.. Pritchard on. c. spoke
In opposition to the issue of bonds in time
| of peace.
! Mr.. Lindsay Ry) opposed the bill. While
he did not regard it as an act of repudia-
| ton, yet he believed it would lead to the
| suspension of specie payments within sixty
| days from the time of its adoption Con-
gress was about to adjourn without giving
! relief to the treasury and as a result it
| was likely to become necessary within a
| few months for the Secretary of the Treas
| ury to resort to another issue of bonds
The danger to the treasury did not lay in
| the lack of revenue, Mr.. Lindsay said. but
| IN drains on the gold reserve required for
| redemption purposes.
| THE. HOUsR