The times., 1898-04-29
DISCUSSING WAR REVENUE
The House Resumes COnSidera-
ton of the Taxation Bill.
AN EMERGENCY MEASURE
Chairman Hull, of the Committee on
Military Affairs. Introduces a Bill
Providing for the SupensiOn of
Certain Restrictions on the Quar-
termaster's Department..

/ Inc House convened at noon To-Day, and
before the war revenue bill came up for
! renewed discussion Chairman Hull, of the
/ Committee on Military Affairs, introduced
an emergency bill providing for the sus-
/ pension of certain restrictions of law re-
J lating TO the Quartermaster's Depart
ment of the Army.
The purpose of the bill is simply to
! suspend peace Army regulations, which
/ are not practicable in time of war
/ Among other things it suspends the law
! which heretofore limited the civilian pay
roll TO $l0000,00O and restricted individ-
ual civilian salaries to $50 per month
AIR. Hull asked unanimous consent to
have the bill considered and passed at
once. He submitted correspondence from
Quartermaster General Ludington and
Secretary Alger, in which it was set
forth that the peace-times limit of 81 0OU-
600 on civilian services in the Army would
be far too small for the demands of
war; and, further. that it would be nee
essary to employ civilians at a larger
salary than $50 per month. An expla-
nation of the bill and the urgency of its
immediate passage occupied eight min
ed without dissent.
Mr.. Dingley arose to suggest that the
House unanimously agree to take its
evening recess at o'clock instead of 5,
and no objection was made to the propo-
sition. The House then resolved itself
into the committee of the whole to resume
debate on the war revenue bill. Represen-
! tatiVe Payne took the floor in defense of
the proposition to issue $500, 900 900 worth
of war bonds, and made an effort to be
sarcastic at the expense of Representa-
tive Bailey and others on the Democratic
side who yesterday attacked the Su-
preme Court income tax decision because
! it relieves the wealth of the land from
taxation and allows the common people
to bear the entire burden of increased
revenues.
Opposition to the pending war revenue
bill in the House is not confined to the
Democratic side. Some Republicans are
seriously thinking of antagonizing it but
the chances are that they will be driven
into submission by the party whip.
A Republican member who represents
a district that makes more beer, per-
haps. than any other district in the
United States said today:
"If l vote for this bill with its unjust
method of taxation | will help to inflict
great injury upon my constituents. If I
vote for it that vote will settle my polti-
Congress from my district"
And yet so rigid is the party discipline
of the Republicans in the House that
this member hesitates to vote against
orders even to sustain his own convic-
tions and in defense of the interests of his
constituents.
Some Western Republicans are protest
ing against the proposed issue of $500,
900, 900 bonds and 800 600 600 Treasury GER
tificates. They say the people of their
section of the country cannot be per-
suaded of the necessity or wisdom of
such eXtraYagant Legislation at this time.
The point made by Representative
Sayers, that Congress will meet again in
December. when additional war supplies
can be voted, should this Session not
make ample provision. has caused MEM
bers of the House to reflect. They be-
gin to realize that no harm could result
from a pruning Of the bond provision of
the pending bill; that $500, 10000 would
certainly be all-sufiicieut TO carry on the
war until the next session of Congress.
The suggestion of Mr. Dingley that
only portion of the bonds authorized
could be issued and sold, IS not general
~ credited The prevailing impression
is that the greedy capitalists would
bring sufficient pressure to bear to have
all the bonds that Congress might au-
thoriZe sold without delay
The Republican managers under the
immediate orders Of Boss" Reed are
quietly threatening boilers on their side
with dire penalties and they will no
doubt force their followers into line for
the bill.
Congress, according to what most of
the leaders say, is likely to remain in
session until the war with Spain is over,
even if the struggle should be prolonged
until December. IT is most important
that it should in view of the possibility of
complications with other European ma
tions. A number OF congressman look for
Interference on the part of several of
the powers whose interests and sympa-
thies are with Spain, and decidedly
against the United States or any strong
republic
1t is probable however. that during the
hot Sumer weather should the war con-
tinue until then. that brief recesses will
be taken. and the members generally
will remain close to Washington so that
they can return on short notice.