The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-06
TARIFF BILL HANGING.
No Time Yet Fixed To Vote on
Measure.

Measure.
SUGAR BOUNTY AMENDMENT
CAUSES TROUBLE.
Tariff Commission Proposed But the
Plan Voted Down-Mr. M organ Makes
Another Appeal for the Cubans.
Washington. July 5. = The Senate
continued work on the tariff bill today,
although the national holiday was gener-
ally observed in the executive depart
mental branches of the government. The
usual gallery attendance was considera.
bly, augumented by the presence OF
many holiday visitors.
The tariff bill was taken up with little
delay and Mr.. Mills moved to amend
paragraph 395 by striking out "books of
all kinds" his purpose being to place
books on the free list Rejected IS to
2s.
Mr.. Mills then proposed new para
graph for the free list, viz: ''The Bible
in whatever language printed"
There was considerable amusement
among the Senators over this proposition
but Mr.. Mills, with earnestness, insisted
on yea and nay vote. The amendment
was rejected-21 to 25, Messrs. Kyle,
Stewart and Teller voting with the
Demoera is in the affirmative, and Mr..
McEnery with the Republicans in the
negative.
A new paragraph was inserted in the
Free List: "Wafers, unleavened or not
edible for sacramental use, or for cover
ing or holding pharamaceutal prepara-
tions.''
The new committee amendment relat-
ing to stamps on bonds, debentures. GER
tificates Of stock, etc., was taken up and
Mr.. Allison proposed changes striking
out the section authorizing the Commis-
sioner of Internal Revenue to supply
collectors, postmasters, stationers, ETC..
with stamps, and to allow five per cent
as commission. The section was chang
ed by making the stamp apply to bonds,
etc., latter September Is, 1897" instead
of Hereafter" The rates were as
originally presented: ION each 500 of
face value of bonds, debentures or certi-
ficates, of Indebtedness cents; on each
800 of face value of original issue of
certificates of stock cents; on each 800
of transfers of shares of certificates of
stotk, cents.
A legal discussion ensued in the Senate
as to the legality of the provision that
unstamped bonds, etc., shall be utterly
void and shall not be used in evidence.
Mr.. Lindsay of Kentucky declared that
less Congress intended to follow the ex-
ample of the King of England, establish
ing stamp tax before the independence Of
America was declared.
Mr.. Platt of Connecticut, speaking for
the finance committee, said that as the
question had been raised, it would be
carefully considered and if need be,
changed before the bill became law.
The stamp amendment as whole, was
then agreed to on viva voce vote, no
call for an aye and no vote being made
Mr.. Allison proposed the amendment
heretofore offered by Mr.. Spooner for a
tariff inquiry of three members of the
board of appraisers.
Mr.Allison made the first definite state
rived from the bill. He said it was not
possible for an expert to make exact cal
culations on the amount of revenue q
tariff bill would yield
From the best information available, -
proceeded Mr.. Allison, IT kbelieve this
bill will yield SIZE, ,O0O, 600 to $3.50, ,OOO, 900
the first year, that is from July l, 1897 to
"How much the second year?" quired
Mr. White
stIt depends" answered Mr.. Allison !;
''hut would say some thing over 1900,
600, 600.
Mr.. Teller criticized the estimates of
the amount of revenue the bill would
produce which had been offered by the
majority. He ridiculed Chairman Ding
ley's estimate and referred to the admis-
sion that means must be found outside
of the bill as it came from the House to
supply the deficit. He spoke of the vari-
Gus propositions the finance committee
had advanced and then abandoned. The
beer tax, he said, would not have cost the
consumers single mill. 1t would have
been borne by the beer manufacturers
who had been prosperous through the
years of industrial stagnation.
"But,' continued Mr.. Teller. "a great
election was pending in one of the great
states of the Union where large portion
of the voting public did not believe in a
tax on beer SO it was sacrificed"
After some remarks by Mr.. Stewart in
opposition to the pending Spooner COM
mission amendment, Mr.. Allen offered
some amendments to the amendment SO
as to provide that the President shall,
with the advice and consent of the SEN
ate, select the general appraisers, not
more than one Of whom shall be of the
same political party.
Mr. Spooner defended his amendment.
which, he said, Mr.. Allen had either not
read or had completely misunderstood.
Mr.. White Of California thought the
proposed commission was unwise.
Mr.. Morgan opposed the commission
amendment on the ground that Congress
had no right to delegate its powers. He
drifted into a general discussion of the
bill. It was framed, he said, for the pur
pose of paying the debts of those who
wanted protection at the expense of the
revenue.
Mr.. Morgan said the innate strength Of
the nationS was all that could save 1t
from the denominations of this bill.
MIR. Morgan said this national holiday
would inspire men toward independent
action, and he would make 1T day of