Birmingham state herald., 1897-07-06
NO AGREEMENT REACHED
As to a Time for Voting on the Y Tariff Bill.
NIGHT SESSIONS ASKED FOR
By Allison to Hold Until the Committee of the Whole Reports on the Measure
 The House Farce.

WaSnlngtOn, July 5.-SenatOr Allison in charge of the tariff bill announced shortly before the adjournment of the senate today that as no agreement had been reached for final vote on the tariff bill he would ask the senate to remain in session tomorrow night at least until the bill was reported in from the com mittee of the whole to the senate. This promises a test of endurance unless the opposition to the bill gives way. Mr. Allisons statement was made after an other futile effort to have time fixed for the vote. In other respects the sen ate made good progress today, dispos- ing of two important amendments that placing a stamp tax being agreed to with little or no opposition and without the formality of vote while the Spooner amendment proposing a tariff investiga- tion was withdrawn after a protracted struggle. Later in the day several new amendments from individual senators were voted on.
 Secretary of Agriculture Wilson. and Speaker Reed were on the floor during the early h urs of the sesson Ths tariff bill was taken up with little delay and MT. Mills, of Texas, moved to amend paragraph 395 ID" by stricking out 'books of all kinds" his purpose being to place books on the free list. Rejected IS to 28.
 MT. Mills proposed a new paragraph for the free list, viz ''The Bible in whatever language printed"
 There was considerable amusement among the senators at this proposition. but MT. Mills with earnestness insisted on yea and nay vote The amendment was rejected-21 to 20. Messrs. Kyle, Stewart and Teller voting with the dem ocrats in the affirmative, MT. McEnery with the republicans in the negative.
 A new paragraph was inserted in the free list: "Wafers for sacramental use or for coverings in holding pharmaceuti-i cal prescriptions"
 The new committee amendments relat- ing to the stamps on bondA debentures, certificates of stocks, etc., was taken up and MT. Allison proposed several changes.
 legal discussion ensued IS to the le- galty of the proposition that unstamped bonds, etc., shall be utterly void and shall not be used in evidence
 MT. Allen, of Nebraska, while concur Ing in the general principle of the pro- posed tax, said that congress had no power to lay down a rule of evidence for state courts.
 Senators Chiffon, of Texas, Teller, of Colorado, and White, of California, com cured in this view, while Messrs. Vest, of Missouri, and MT. Morgan, of Alabama, said 1t came within the power of con- gress.
 MT. Bacon, of Georgia, supported the propositi5 5n for establishing a rule for dealing with these bonds, stocks, etc.
 MT. Platt of Connecticut, speaking for the finance committee said since the point had been raised it should be care fully considered and if need be changed before the bill became law.
 The stamp amendment as whole was then agreed to on viva yoce vote, no cal for yea and nay vote bsing made The ssno' response was light, and came from the democra tic side of the chamber.
 The amendment as agreed to fixes the following "a te on bonds, etc:
 Bonds, debeneures or certificates of in- tdebtedness, issued after September 15, 1S97 by any association, company or cor poration, on a hundred dollars of face value or fraction thereof, cents; and on each original issue which, whether an organization or reorganization Of certih- cates of stock by any such association, company or corporation of each hundred dollars of face value or fraction there- of, cents; and on all :ransa ctions of shares or certificates of stock in any as- socist stion, company or corporation on each hundred dollars or fraction thereof, cents."
 Exemptions from the stamp tax are made in the case of S ate county and mu- nicipal bonds and the stock and bonds of4 cooperative building associa tions.
 MT. Allen proposed the amendment here tofore offered by MT. Spooner for a tariff inquiry by three members of the board of appraisers.
 Mir Teller took occasion in this connec- tion to criticise the committee for first transforming the house bill and then go- ing back in substance to the house rates. He had tried to learn what amount of revenue the bill would yield. and he said he would be glad to have dhe chairman, Mr Allison, throw some light on the suh- ject.
 This brought MT Allison to his fsetsfor the first definite statement as to the rev. enue expected to be derived from the bill. He said + was nou possible for any expert to make exact calculations on the amount a revenue tariff bill would yield. It had never been done, and never would be done.
 But from thebest informa ton obtain- able" said MT. Allison, "I believe this bill will yeild from $175.000,0 GOO to $1S0 900, 900 the first year, thar is from July l. 1897, to ; July 1, 1898"
 He said the schedules had been gone over a every stage as successive changes were made. and he felt this estimate could be safely made. It applied only to the first year, after which there would be much larger yield of revenue.
 How much the second year?" uueried MT White.
 ''It depends replied Mir Allison. 'buy I would say something over $200 GOO eOO''
 How much over the recent law?" asked MT. Stewart. of Nevada.
 About $60,000,000, responded MT. AL 1ison. But it will depend upon the con- dition of our industries. No one can tell exactly how many tons or how many