The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-02
ADVERSE VOTES IN SENATE
FINANCE COMMITTEE DEFEATED ON
THREE IMPORTANT MOTIONS.
Cotton Bagging and Cotton Ties
Made Free and Lumber Duty Re
duced-RepubItcan Caucus Action.
Special to the Indianapolis journal.

Illinois,
father of the House reciprocity proposition
is outspoken in his denunciation of the
Senate amendment to the House plan and
| says it is no good. He declares that it is
| fundamentally defective and that if en-
grated in the law would defeat the objects
| sought to be attained. He says the Senate
proposition is Uncons titutional, and that in
| his opinion the House will never consent
to its substitution for the ways and means
| chapter on the same subject, of which he is
| the author. The reciprocity clause in the
| Senate bill will be one of the obstacles to
quick conference action.
Chairman Dingley estimates that every
| days delay in the passage of the tariff bill
| costs the country $3.50, 600. The Senate sits
| six hours a day and its time is therefore
worth $4,000 an hour. Judge Turple made
a speech yesterday that consumed an hour
and half, and if Mr.. Dingiey's estimate
| is correct it cost the country 100000 or
| thereabouts, which is more than the sena-
tor could earn in his private capacity as
| lawyer in ten years. Senator Allen, of Ne
| braska, has occupied about two days of the
! Senate discussion at a cost to the nation in
| the neighborhood Of $500,000. Senators Mills
| and Morgan have also occupied many hours
! in the discussion OF generaities, greatly to
! the delay of the bill, and without serving
| any useful purpose as far as can be seen.
| Senators White. of California, Jones, of Ar
kansas and Vest, of Missouri, have done
more talking than any three senators on
| the floor but there has been excuse for
| them, because they have been the recog-
nized leaders Of the opposition and, as
| members of the finance committee, author
| lied to be on their feet whenever occasion
| seemed to demand. Caffrey, of Louisiana,
has taken between a day and a. half and
two days of time on general subjects. All
told about so per cent. of the time con-
sumed in discussing the tariff bill in the
Senate has been by Democrats, or members
of the opposition.
The brewers think they have "got onto"
a dreadful scheme to slip up their blind
side and do" them in the dark. They
learn that when the Republicans of the
Senate abandoned the internal revenue fea-
lures of the bill with it's provision for rails
ing the tax on beer from 911a cents net Gts
present rate) to $144 per barrel. the move
was blind, and that the taxing clause is
to be restored in conference. According to
the scare story, which is now frightening
the brewers half to death, the conference
committee will be urged by the President
in the bill to save it from being a deficit
measure the first year, instead of a revenue
raiser, and that the suggestion will be
adopted. The theory is that the Republican
leaders had this in mind all the time and
adopted it as the easiest and most effective
way of getting rid Of an offensive and bull
doing brewers lobby, with its clamor
about overtaxing the "growler" and op-
pressing the poor man by taxing his can"
The Republican senators held what they
decided should be their last caucus on the
| tariff bill tonight The meeting continued
for more than three hours, and was produc-
tive of important results, which were not
reached without the display of considerable
feeling. Among the points decided were the
| following: To report no antitrust amend
| ment to withdraw the original finance
| committee provisions for duty on tea and
an increase of "A cents per barrel in the
tax of beer and to provide for tax on bond
and stock transactions. The greater part
of the time was given to the proposition
for provision against trusts. The discus
sion on this question was opened upon the
basis of a report by the judiciary commit
tee in opposition to any effort to attach
a trust provision to the tariff bill. The
committee had held a meeting during the
afternoon at which the whole question was
gone over at length with other Republican
senator's, including Senators Hanna and
Chandler. 1t was there decided that it
would be extremely difficult to secure leg
slation that would be effective and that
| upon the whole it was impoltic and unwise
to undertake it. A report was made ac-
cordingly to the caucus and a resolution
adopted authorizing the presentation of an
amendment providing in express terms for
the continuance in effect of the terms of
the Wilson law, which makes it unlawful
to form a trust in imported articles. This
report called out some vigorous protests,
| especially on the part or the western sena-
tors, but they were replied to with spirit.
1t was asserted among other things, that
the presentation of a new antitrust pro-
vision would lead to long debate, which
could not be afforded 1t the present time.
The success of the proposition TO recede
from the increased tax on beer and the
longed discussion Of the amount Of revenue
the bin would yield. Many senators ex-
pressed the opinion that the volume would
not be equal to the demands of the govern
ment. 1t was in response to this view that
determination was reached to provide for
a tax on stock and bond transactions The
details of this scheme were not agreed
upon, but were left to the finance commit
tee to perfect. There was decided opposi-
ton to a tax on either ordinary bank
checks or mortgages. Tt appeared during
the discussion Of this branch of the subject
day with estimates of the revenue the bill
would produce, made by Mr.. Worthington
c. Ford who, had given the opinion that
with an equal volume Of imports the bin
would produce during the first year of it's
operation more than $100 600. 900 in excess of
the returns under the Wilson law for the
first year it was in existence Senator Alli-
son said, however, that these figures were
misleading. as the imports could not be
expected 10 be as large and advised his fell
low-senators on this account not to accept
them as any indication OF the possibilities
of the bill.
When the tariff bill reaches the House,
after it has passed the Senate, it is not
probable that there win be any attempt
to oppose the motion which will be made
either directly by Chairman Dingley or by
the operation of a special order to disagree
to the Senate amendment and send the bill
to conference. The Republican. leaders do
rot think there is any necessity for de-
bate until the bill Is reported back By the
conferees, and the Democrats are inclined
TO the same opinion. Alr Bailey, the leader