The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-18
Administration Committed to the
Gold Standard.
PROCEEDINGS IN SENATE
STEWARDS CHARGE FULLY CON-
FIRMED BY GAGE.
Debate On Alcohol In Fine Arts
Brings Out Some Pertinent Re
marks On the Liquor Question
Conference On Klondike Relief
Holman Memorial.

bate was precipitated in the senate to-
day by the submission by Mr.. Plat of
Connecticut of the report of the special
joint committee Of the senate and
house appointed to investigate the use
of alcohol in tne arts.
1t developed that wide divergence
of opinion exists among senators as to
the practicability, from the point of
view of government revenue, of re-
ducing the present tax upon alcohol
used in the arts.
BEER TAX.
Mr.. Hoar of Massachusetts, who IA
vors such a reduction, expressed the
opinion that if congress would lay
aside political considerations and deal
with the liquor question courageously
and honestly by the imposition of an
additional tax of 81 a barrel on beer,
the question of the governments reve-
nue. would take care of itself.
Mr.. Vest of Missouri strenuously OPP
posed any additional tax on beer.
A joint resolution accepting the in
vitation of Norway to participate in
an international fisheries exposition
next year was passed.
Under a special order, 1873 private
pension bills were passed.
KLONDIKE RELIEF.
At the suggestion of Mr.. Hawley,
chairman of the military affairs COM
mittee, the bill passed the house for
the relief of the miners in the Klondike
region was taken up at once. The
senate bill was substituted for that Of
the house and a conference was or
dered, with Messrs. Hawley, Garter
and Cockrell conferees.
During the day Mr.. Stewart (Nev)
arose to a point of personal privilege
to reply to a charge which he said had
been made against him by Mr.. Chan
der, a charge which he characterized
as very grave. He referred to the as
sertion of the New Hampshire senator
that he (Stewart) had misrepresente
the attitude of the administration on
the financial question.
IN THE HANDS OF BANKS.
He had extracts read from the state
ment made yesterday by 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 that he
had said, and, further, that it mani
tested a determination to place the
control of the currency in the hands
of the banks, giving them all the ad-
vantageS and eXacting from them nc
security.
TAX ON ALCOHOL.
After debate on alcohol used in arts
run some time Mr.. Allison deprecated
any attempt to raise the question al
present 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 without i'm
pairing the revenues beyond what they
could stand. He added that the inter
ests of American manufacturers using
alcohol had been carefully guarded
otherwise in the new tariff law. He
thought also that recent events hac
gone to show that the S1.10 tax on al
cohol could be collected, and expressed
the hope that an earnest effort in thai
direction would be made.
Mr.. Platt expressed regret that upor
the presentation of the report a de
sultory discussion should have sprung
up. He suggested that after the com
mittee's report had been had, the sen
ators peruse it carefully.
TACOMA FAVORED.
Bills providing for the erection of {
public building at Tacoma, Wash, anC
appropriating $780, 600 for that purpose
and providing an American register
for the steamer Jacksonville wer,
passed.
One of the pension bills passed
granted a pension of $50 a month t.
Cassius M. Clay, ST., of Kentucky,
major general in the United State.
army during the war of the rebellion.
Mr.. Turpie Gnd.) then presented TIL
regular order of business-the consider
alton of resolutions on the death o
! William Steele Holman, late represent
ative from Indiana. Tributes to hi
memory were paid in eloquent eulogie
| by Mr.. Fairbanks Qnd.), Mr.. Mill
(Tex.), Mr.. Cockrell (Mo), Mr.. Fry
| (Me.) and Mr.. Turpie Qnd.) The reso
lutions of coincidence were passed, ant
as a further mark of respect the senat
at 4:25 p. m. adjourned until tomor
row.