The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-26
REVENUE BILL AMENDED
SEVERAL IMPORTANT CHANGES
MADE BY DINGLEY's COMMITTEE.
Taxed Parties and Concerns EmpOw-
ephone Messages Assessed.

WASHINGTON, Apgn 25-At the meet
ing of the ways and means committee of
the House this morning the war revenue
bill framed by the Republicans was formal
~ presented for consideration and the
Democrats protested earnestly against
programme that would prevent them from
examining it's provisions thoroughly before
it was reported to the House. They also
asked for an opportunity to offer amend
ments in committee. The Republican mem
bers had another conference this afternoon
as g. result of which Chairman Dlngley at
a late hour reintroduced the bill with
number Of important amendments framed
to meet objections. The amended bill is like
ly to be laid before the full committee to-
morrow. There are two new features One,
which is made Section Is, gives authority
for the taxed parties and concerns to meet
the increased rates 1t follows:
THAT every person, firm or corporation,
who shall have made any contract prior to
the passage of this act and without other
provision therein for the payment of taxes
imposed by law, enacted subsequent there
to upon articles to be delivered under such
contract, is hereby authorized and empow-
cred to add to the price thereof so much
money as will be equivalent to the tax i'm
posed on said articles by this act, and not
previously paid by the vendee, and shall be
entitled by virtue hereof to be paid, and
to sue for and to recover the same accord
ingly. And in all cases of articles manufac-
tured or produced, in whole or in part, upon
commission or where the material is fur
nished by one party and manufactured by
another, # the manufacturer shall be re-
quired to pay under this act the tax here
by imposed, such person or persons so pay
ing the same shall be entitled to collect the
amount thereof OF the owner or owners and
shall have a lien for the amount thus paid
on the produced or manufactured goods"
The amended bill imposes tax on tele-
phone messages as follows: For thirty
miles or more, where the charge does not
exceed 70 cents, l cent; where the charge
exceeds % and does not exceed $780, 2
cents; from 81 to S., cents; any charge
exceeding So 10 cents. Official messages Of
the United States government are exempt
from this tax, as well as that telegraph
messages. owners and operators Of long
distance lines are required to report month
~ to the commissioner of internal revenue
on the number of messages during the pre-
ceding month of Il distance of thirty miles
or more, for which a charge has been made
together with the amount received, under
penalty of not exceeding $500 for failure to
The setting apart of $4,000 for the
Marine Hospital Service from the receipts
year 1899
For the expenses of assessment and col
lection Of these taxes 100000 or so much OF
that as is necessary is appropriated for the
employment of such deputy collectors and
other employees in the several collection dis
tricts of the United States as may be neces-
sary. The exemption of bonds, depentures
or certificates of Indebtedness issued by the
federal state. county, town and municipal
corporations from the stamp taxes imposed
by the bill is extended to include "or other
corporations exercising the taxing power"
Punishment for failure to require an adj
hesive duty stamp on any dispatches or
messages is waived in the case of press
news dispatches. Bank certificates of de-
post, not drawing interest, are taxed 2
cents and those drawing interest 8 cents.
There are many other minor changes.
The Democratic members CT the commit
tee have a substitute proposition for the
bond issue which is briefly as follows: 10
coin $4,000 900 OF the seigniorage now in
the treasury into standard silver dollars, to
issue $50 eO0O 900 of certificates of indebted
ness at a low rate of interest, and TO insti-
tute an income tax of per cent. on all
incomes over s., 600 While the latter clause
does not present any new features by which
conflict with the decision OF the Supreme
| Court Is averted, the members profess be-
lief that IL the measure becomes law that
tbe Supreme Court would be brought TO
reverse its previous decision. Mr. McMil-
| lin is entrusted with the drawing up Of the
| income tax provision.