Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-07-10
SENATORS HARD AT woRK.
Large Attendance at the House AM
other Dose of Chandler Drops
Mr.. Scott Speaks.
fFrom our Regular Correspondent

tor Allison and his associates worked
hard to get the tariff bill through the
Senate last week, but fate, in the
shape OF several undisposed OF
amendments, could not be overcome
and the bill is still before the Senate,
and the Senator'S are working when
most other people are celebrating In
dependence Day in some more pleas
ant manner. But they have the
consolation of knowing that they will
certainly pass the bill this week.
Probably no amendment added to
the tariff bill by the Senate will give
more general satisfaction than that
which imposes tax on every ceitifi-
cate of stock and bond other than
those issued by the Government,
National, State or Municipal. In ad-
dition to raising revenue to large
amount from class who will not find
it burden, this amendment, if it
remains in the bill until it becomes a
| law, as it probably will, will drive the
places known as bucket shops" out
of business, because to fail to pay the
tax on each transaction will be to ac-
knowledge that they do not actually
sell the stock, but merely accept bets
on whether the price will go up or
down, and to make their proprietors
amenable to the laws against gam
bling; to pay the tax will bankrupt
them. 1t will probably also lessen
the business done in the legitimate
stock exchanges, because the tax will
add to the expense of buying and
selling stock for speculation, but there
are thousands who will regard it a
great blessing to the country if stock
speculation as business was entirely
broken up. 1t is business that pro-
duces nothing useful and adds nothing
to the real wealth of the country,
while it annually demoralizes and
drives to the dogs thousands of bust
ness men who might continue to be
useful citizens if it were not for stock
speculation.
There was an unusually large at
tendance at the meeting of the House
today, as all Republican absentees
had been notified to be present, be-
cause of the expectation that the tariff
bill would be sent back from the SEN
ate. All of the Republican Repre-
sentatives now in Washington, will
remain in reach until the tariff bill is
disposed of. The House took its us
ual adjournment until Thursday, aud
it is hoped that the Senate will have
passed the tariff bill before that day.
The last Democratic Senator to find
out that Senator Chandler is always
loaded, was White, OF California. Mr..
Chandler was making few remarks
or the reciprocity amendment to the
tariff bill, which was reported from
the Finance Committee and adopted
by the Senate, when Mr. White tried
to be funny" by asking him if he
lad been commissioned by the FL
nance Committee to occupy the floor
until the next amendment was ready.
Quick as a flash, Mr. Chandler re-
sponded, with an eXasperating smile:
"Oh no; have been asked merely to
occupy the floor to look out for any
thing that the Senator from California
may say worthy of notice. AS moth
ing of the kind has occurred, l will
continue to con6ne my remarks to
reciprocity" Mr.. White dropped in
to his seat and sought consolation by
putting extra vigor in the movement
of a big palm leaf fan, while Senator
Tillman, who had received his dose of
Chandler drops several days before,
made no attempt to conceal broad
grin.
1t is learned from an authoritative
source that President Mckinley may
send special message to Congress in
few days, strongly recommending
legislation for the appointment of a
Commission to investigate and report
upon the reform needed in our present
currency system. If this message is
sent to Congress, it will not be with
the expectation that the matter will be
acted upon at the present session, but
tor the purpose of getting it before
the country for discussion and sug-
gestion. 1t is pretty thoroughly I'M
derstood that no other legislation will
be taken up by Congress after the
tariff bill is disposed of.
Mr.. N. B. Scott, the West Virginia
member of the Republican National