Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-05-20
FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS-.
WASHINGTON, May 20.
SENATE.

oil duAllldIJ uhVdl lOEC6, WulCu Sudl
form an inner line of defense, with an
amendment by the Senate committee
providing that the force shall not ex-
coed 5000 men, was passed.
A bill authorizing the Secretary Of
the Treasury to refund $15,335 to the
Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul Rail.
way Company, the sum having been
deposited in the U. S. Treasury as a
guarantee, and for which no value was
received by the railway company, was
passed.
The consideration Of the war revenue
measure was resumed.
The pending question was upon sec
ton which authorizes every firm or cor
poration selling goods under contract 10
add to the price such tax as might be
levied by the law.
Mr.. German thought that the para.
graph ought to be stricken out.
Mr.. Wolcott advocated its elimina-
ton.
The committee amendment striking
out the paragraph was agreed to.
To the stamp tax provision MIR. Aid
rich offered an amendment that upon
each sale of any products or merchan-
disc at any exchange, or for present or
future delivery, for each 500 in value
of said sale one cent. and for each
additional 500 or fractional part there.
of in excess of 800, one cent" 1t was
agreed to.
Mr.. Daniel then addressed the Senate
upon the general provisions OF the
pending bill. In beginning he said that
Congress had no intention Of abrogating
it's functions. 1t would come together
as usual next December and would then
be prepared to furnish an additional
supply of men and means TO the gov
ernment, if, at that time. they should
be needed. He could conceive of no
conditions in which tie President would
not be armed with every man and every
, dollar necessary for the conduct of the
war. Every man in Congress, what
ever his political affiliations, stood
squarely behind the President and in
dlvidually and collectively would give
him earnest and sincere support. He
maintained, however, that absolutely
no necessity existed for plunging the
country into q great bonded debt on
account of the existing war. He was
unwilling, he said, to mortgage pros
terity, to burden future generations
with debt, the example of which
would be constant temptation to ex-
travagance. Mr.. Daniel cited the fact
that not land battle had been fought
in the present war, yet Congress was
asked to issue sn enormous amount OF
bonds.
He believed that at the threshold CT
war the government ought to spend
with liberal hand, in order properly
to meet the foe; yet the great forces of
the country ought to be conserved so
that if the full force of the nation had
to be used in the planting of one blow,
that blow would not be weakened by
previous sapping of the country's
forces.
He urged that every effort be made
to pay the expenses of the war as it
progressed. That was great financial
and economical principle. "The great
statesman of Eagland, who now lies
dead" said Mr.. Daniel, "the statesman
for whom the civilized world mourns,
had the courage to insist upon the prin-
ciple pray as you co." The bill as it
came to the Senate from the House, he
said, provided for the payment of the
war debts tomorrow or next day. 1t
provided for postponement of the day
of payment. This plan, he argued,
was good neither in principal nor in
practice.
Mr.. Daniel wanted it understood that
in animadverting to the features of the
pending bill he spoke not as partisan.
He would rather the democratic party
would never achieve another victory
than that his country, which he loved
far more than he loved his party,
should meet with any reyerses in the
present war. Is the proposed issue OF
bonds we're for the purpose of effect
upon Spain and the desired effect were
assured, then he was willing that any
amount should be issued. But" said
he, "if Spain was not convinced at Ma
Mia that this country WAS in earnest in
this war then Sampson and Schley and
Miles and their lieutenants have some
arguments to submit 10 her that will
prove to be- even more assured vehicles
of conviction than any issue of bonds
could be.
Mr.. Daniels maintained that the au-
thor of the House bill had protected
the wealth and taxed the poverty OF
the country. They had shown that
they had poor opinion of their own
generation by shutting the debt
of the war upon the next.
In reference to the excise tax of one
D. cent upon the gross receipts Of rail-
road shipping, telegraphic and tele-
phone operators, he said it was tax
upon those who were able to pay it and
was moderate, and compared its prov-
sions with those of the act of 1851 Mr..
Daniel said the stamp tax was the most
odius aud pestiferous tax invented by
man. 1t was tax which must be paid
daily and the fear of possible prosecu
ton would haunt continually every
psrson liable to it.
HOIlSF