Birmingham state herald., 1897-05-23
WILL |NAUGURATE A FIGHT Democratic Senators So Decide 8oi at Yesterdays Caucus. 7 v
 TtE POOR MANS BEVERAGE Commonly Known as Beer, Must Not Be } Taxed 10 Raise Revenue ue-Chairman
 Germans Statement.

.r Washingt ton, May 22.-IThe democratic senators held caucus today and decided to maugurate their fight upon the ,arif bill as soon as the bill is taken up in the senate by a motion to strike out the inc aernal revenue features of the bill relat- ing to beer and tobacco. This result was reached after a discussion in which prac- tically all the senators present partici- pated. The conclusion was unanimous that this was the wise and polite course .,sdo pursue. The talk was based largely upon the proposition to increase the tax upon beer which was generally criticised as an effort to increase the price of the poor mans beverage" which was pro- nourced wholly unjustifable in times of peace, and with $12,O00,000 of idle money in the treasury. The beer tax was re- garded as war tax.
 | The discussion of other features of the tariff bill was only desultory, and no con- cluslon beyond that stated was reached itFhe sugar schedule was the subject of frequent remarks and ghere was discus sion of the advisability of offering sub- stftute for it, but mo conclusion to that effect was arrived al. It was made ap- parent that every democratic senator present would probably vote against it.. ,. Senator German urged the advisabilfty of the introduction of a substitute for the entire bill, and made speech In support of the proposition, but it was soon made apparent that the sentiment of the eau- GUS was almost unanimous in opposition ] to this course, and the proposition was not pressed to vote. Mr. German gave officially brief outline of the subject Y He said he thought bill could be pre- pared which would levy revenue duty on tea, coffee and other articles, which would increase the revenue sufficiently 10 make. revenue bill, and this was the principal point of importance. The gem eral sentiment of the conference was op- posed to any policy of delay No set speeches will be made in opening the de- balte, and there will be proba bly, no ef fort on the democratic side of the cham Der to prevent the taking up of sched- ules immediately after MT. Aldrich's pre- liminary statement is concluded. The democrats expect that d.sagreements will develop among the republicans, and for this reason no general opinion was ex- pressed in the caucus as to the time that would be consumed by the debate.
 At the conclusion of the caucus, Sena- tor German, chairmtam, gave out the fol- lowing statement concerning it:
 The conference of democratic senators was held today and it was unanimously agreed by them that notwiths .arIding thfe delay dn furnishing the comparative statements which would able them in- telheiantly to consider the bill there would be no opposition to immediately proceed ing with the consideration of the same on Tuesday as they recognized the business interests of the country require 9 speedy a disposition of ths question as consist mt with an intelligent consideration of the measure. They were further unanimous ly of the opinion that the excessive in- creases in rates on imported articlas pro- vided for both in the Dingley bin and a S reported to the senate should be antagon- ized however, .that the republican party is committed to these increases and the democrats will be contented with. fair discussion upon these prop ositions.
 The conference was unanimously of the opinion that thtaK would oppose the in- crease taxes on fbeer tobacco. sugars and other commodities embraced in the in- ternal revenue schedules. Neither party was committed to such increases and there Is no governmental necessity for slrch increased burdens upon these arti- clrste
 Senator Aldrfch of the republican s'de of the senate finance commit tee, express ed the cnirion when informed of the de- cison of the democrats to move t0 s'trilse out the internal revenue part of the bill that the motion would ail He saad that Cit was most unusual not to say ua1pre- cedented" to atta!ck the last pant Of the bil, firnt He had heentd m criticism firm any source of the proposition to increase the beer tax.