Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-04-21
REVENUE MEASURE READY
The House Ways and Means Com
mittee Complete Bill to Raise
Money for War.
The ARTICLES THAT WILL BE TAXED.
Tn Secretary Authorized to Raise n Loan OF
S5OO,OOO,OOO by Popular Subscription
Intense Interest Felt at Washington In
Regard to the Character of the Cuban
Resolution That VIII Be Passed.

Intense Interest Felt at Washington In
Regard to the Character of the Cuban
Resolution That VIII BE Passed.
WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE repub-
fcan memb ers of the ways and means
committee of the house have practical
" completed the preparation of the
revenue measure which will be passed
to raise revenues sufficient to prosecute
the war. The members propose that
the present generation shall bear the
burdens of the war and proceeding
upon that theory they have prepared
bill that will raise between 500, O00.-
300 to $120, 900, 900 additional revenue
per annum. The bill will pro-
vide for an additional tax of
| 81 per barrel upon beer from
which $50, 900, 900 will be raised. On
manufactured tobacco aud snuff the
revenue tax will be increased from six
to II cents. This is expected to raise
sl5. 600, 600 of revenue. The increase
On cigars and cigarettes has not been
absolutely fixed, but it probably will
be 81 on all classes From this So, 0OO,-
BOO is expected. The proposition
which the senate placed on the tariff
bill. but which went out in con-
! ference, to tax all stocks and
| transfers of corporations is embodied
in the measure, together with practi-
cally all the scheme of internal reve-
nue. taxation of the act of 1856, which
| includes a stamp tax on all checks,
drafts and all instruments of business
! mortgages, loans and bonds); tax
On patent and proprietary medi-
cines and a tax on telegraph mes
sages and express packages is
also incorporated in the bill. This
scheme of taxation is estimated to raise
S35, 600, 600. The tax on proprietary and
patent medicines will be two cents on
packages or bottles retailing at 25
cents or under, and four cents on those
retailing above that price. The tax
on telegraph messages will be one cent
! ON all messages which cost -25 cents or
less and two cents on all above
% cents. A duty of ten cents per
pound is placed on tea and three cents
per pound upon coffee, with a counter
vailing internal revenue tax on stock
| on hand. This latter will be in the
| form of a tax on the sales of stock on
hand to avoid constitutional inhibi-
| ton against direct tax. From tea
and coffee, SIS, 600, 600 are estimated.
Bottled waters are to bear a tax SIM
1 liar TO patent 1neulCIneS.
For the pressing needs of the govern
ment the secretary Of the treasury is
given the general poweral to issue GER
| tificates of Indebtedness payable in
one year and to bear not to exceed
three per cent. interest. The secretary
| of the treasury is also authorized to bor-
| row on the credit of the government by
popular su description a loan of $500, 000,-
900. This loan is to be placed through
the post offices of the country, the sub
| treasures and government deposito-
| ries in low rate bonds which are to be
sold at par. They are to bear three
per cent. and to be redeemable after
five years at the option of the govern
ment and to be due in 20 years. The
| principal and interest are to be pay
able in coin. The measure will be
| presented to the full committee proba-
blv Monday and it will be brought
into the house as soon as the war reso-
Iutions are signed by the president.
| Intense Interest in Cuban Resolution.
| WASHINGTON, April 17.-Members of
the administration are watching with
much interest the progress of events
at the capitol. No one, so far, has any
clear idea of the exact character of the
resolution which will finally be
adopted ana SonC TO The I.
Aside from the interest which natu-
rally would be excited in the out
come of the debate upon resolu-
tions of such grave Importance
as those now pending before the two
houses of congress, there is additional
interest caused by the fact that there
appears to be a chance, at least. that
the resolution as it comes from the
conference committee may contain a
clause recognizing the independence
of the Cuban republic. What action
would be taken by the president in
that event cannot be stated with any
degree of certainty, but the indica-
tions are that the resolution might be
returned to congress without executive
approval or allowed to become a law
without his signature. The right to
recognize the independence of any
power, it is contended, under the con-
stitution. is clearly an indefeasible
right and the exclusive privilege of
the executive in the event of the
president allowing the resolution to
become law without his signature,
the opinion is expressed in official cir
Giles that the objectional part would
be imperative, because it is unlawful
under the constitution.