The record-union., 1898-04-03

/ and made a number of suggestions as
| to the treatment of the discussion of
! the situation to be set forth in the
Forthcoming message Major Easton,
the Presidents military aide, slipped in
| for brief interview. Abner McKin-
ley came in from New York on an
early train, and was at the White
| House for a few minutes.
Senator Frye of Maine had q per
sonaI interview with the President. It
is said the purpose of Mr.. F'rye's call
was to ascertain when the message Of
the President might be expected. so as
| to guide the Senate Committee on For
eign Relations in its work. 1t is known
that Senator Frye is for vigorous ac-
ton, and would like to see the coming
message take strong grounds. which
will unite Congress and the Admins
tration in a firm policy to secure the
independence of Cuba by intervention
at once.
ARMY REORGANIZATION BILL.
Senators Wolcott Of Colorado Flkins
of West Virginia, Spooner Of Wiscon-
sin, Gear of Iowa, and Representative
Hull, Chairman of the Military Affairs
Committee, also had brief interviews
with the President. Hulls conference
related to the army reorganization bill.
! The President expressed his desire that
the bill should be enacted into law at
the earliest possible moment. and said
that it was wise to have it an the stat
ute books, in readiness for CARRYING out
its War-footing provisions. in view cf
| the expected serious elimination of the
p1 esent crisis. At the clase of the con-
! ference Hull said the army bill would
doubtless be passed by the House next
Monday, and that few incidental
changes received would be corrected BY
amendments when the bill is acted
upon by the Senate There is much
| significance in the early date fixed upon
for bringing that bill up in Congress
The bill is an Administration measure,
and provides for the adoption of three
battalion war formations in war times
About 11:30 o'clock Secretary Long
brought ever some friends to present to
the President. He stated that there
had been no developments
Secretary Alger called with some De-
partment papers. Secretaries Long
and Alger both denied the report Of the
recall of Minister Woodford
WAR REVENUE MEASURE.
Secretary Gage and Representative
Dingley of Maine, Chairman of the
House Ways and Means Committee,
ing the forenoon The conference, it
can safely be said, related to measures
to put the Treasury on a war footing,
involving, as hostile operations will,
if once begun. largely increased expen-
ditures and appropriations. 1t is
thought this phase of the question may
/ to some extent figure in the Presidents
message.
The appropriation bill would go to the
Committee on Appropriations. There
is reason for belief that a war revenue
measure has been under consideration,
and it is not improbable that a bill of
this character may be introduced at
the same time, if it is not, indeed made
a part of the expected bill or resolu-
tion authorizing the President to inter-
vene forcibly to put a stop to the hos
tiitites in Cuba. No definite plan or
even outline of a plan to raise war
revenue from the internal revenue
sources has yet been formulated, but
it is thought by the persons who would
necessarily be consulted in the matter
that legislation for an additional tax
on beer is almost certain in the event
of hostilities to be recommended to
Congress. Whisky, it is said, also
would some in for a share of the in
crease but for the fact that the present
rate of 81 10 per gallon, in the opinion
of experienced revenue officials, is
really above the maximum revenue
production point
There is no doubt that quite a list OF
articles that are admittedly luxuries
will be considered by the Ways and
Means Cimmittee as objects of reve-
nue. legislation in case any large
amount of funds is needed to carry on
the war, which nearly all visitors to
the White House said now seemed in
evita5le. Treasury experts have esti-
mated that the increase of the tax on
beer from 81 to 81 per barrel would
result in a gain of approximately $40,-
000,G00 a year to the revenues, but
whether so heavy an increase as that
is contemplated is not known.
The question of laying a small in
ternal revenue tax on tea and coffee
is also under consideration 1t is
thought that tax of something less
s cents pound on coffee would bring
in large revenue, possibly $35. .00000O
or 40000.000 a year This tax, it is
Thought, would not result in materially
increasing the price to the consumer of
either tea or coffee, except possibly in
the beginning.
The combined revenues from beer, tea
and coffee, it is thought, would approx
INsA
mate Sto.000,C0o year and possibly
SS0,G00G03.
Representative Mcmillan. the rank
ing Democratic member of the Ways
and Means Committee, called While
Chairman Dingley was in conference
with the President, but remained only
a few minutes.
WAR PREPARATIONS.