Omaha daily bee., 1897-12-18
SENATOR'S DISCUSS LIQUOR
Debate Proposed Free Alcohol for Use il
Arts and Medicines,
HoAR THINKS SENATORS LACK COURAGE
He Wants Them to Impose nm Adj
ditionuI Tax OF One Dol
"' 1hr Bnrrc1 ON
Beer

WASHINGTON, Dec. IA spirited debate
was precipitated in the senate today by the
submission by MIR. Platt, republican of Con-
necticut, Of the report OF the special joint
committee Of the senate and house appointed
to investigate the use of alcohol In the arts.
1t developed that a wide divergence OF opin-
ion exists among senators as to the practical
bilty, from the point of view of government
revenue, of reducing the present tax upon
alcohol used in the arts.
Mr.. Hoar, republican Of Massachusetts, who
favors such reduction, expressed the opin-
ion that II congress would lay aside political
consideration and deal with the liquor ques-
ton courageously and honestly by the i'm
position of an additional tax of 81 a barrel
on beer the question of the governments
revenue would take care OF itself
Mr.. Vest, democrat of Missouri, strenuously
opposed any additional tax on beer
"A joint resolution accepting the invitation
of Norway to participate in an international
fisheries exposition next year was passed.
Under a special order 1913 private pension
bills were passed.
AT the suggestion of Mr.. Hawley, chairman
of the military affairs committee, the bill
which passed the house for the relief Of
miners in the Klondike region was taken up
at once. The senate bill was substituted for
with Messrs. Hawley, Carter and Cockrell,
conferees
During the day Mr.. Stewart, populist Of
Nevada, rose to question of personal priv
ilege to reply to charge which he said had
been made against him by Mr.. Chandler, a
charge which he characterized as a very
grave one. He referred to the assertion Of
the New Hampshire statesman that he
(StewarD had misrepresented the attitude or
the administration on the financial question.
IL had n,N, a,1 frA,, hn Ctntn on NJ
Secretary Gage before the house committee
on banking and currency to show that the
administration was committed to the gold
standard He contended that this statement
fully confirmed all he had said and further
that it manifested determination to place
the control of the currency in the hands of
the banks, giving them all the advantages
and eXacting from them no security.
ALLISON CALLS FOR PEACE.
After the debate on alcohol used in arts
had run some time Mr.. Allison deprecated
any attempt to raise the question at pres
ent He said it was not pertinent and that
it had not been made clear that alcohol
used in the arts could be exempted from
taxation. He added that the interests of
American manufacturers using alcohol had
been carefully guarded otherwise in the new
| tariff law. He thought, also, that recent
events had gone to show that the $1.10 tax
on alcohol eould be collected and expressed
the hope that earnest effort in that di-
| reotion would TDe made.
Mr. Plat expressed regret that upon the
presentation OF, the report deSultory dis
cusson should. have sprung up. He sug-
gested that after the committees report
| had been submitted the senators peruse it
carefully.
| Bills providing for the erection of pub
! lie building at Tacoma, Wash, and appro-
! priating s250,QGo for that purpose and pro-
viding an American register for the steamer
| Jacksonville were passed.
One of the pension bills passed granted a
| pension of $50 month to Cassius M. Clay,
ST., of Kentucky, a major general in the
| United States army during the war of the
rebellion.
Mr.. Turpie then presented the regular
| order of business, the consideration OF reso-
| lutions on the death of Representative Hol
| man of Indiana. Eloquent eulogies We're
| made by Mr.. Fairbanks of Indiana, Mr.. Mills
| of Texas, Mr.. Cockrell Of Missouri, Mr.. Frye
| of Maine and Mr. Turpie of Indiana. The
| resolutions of coincidence were passed and
| as further mark of respect the senate at
4:25 p. m. adjourned until tomorrow.