The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-18


WASHINGTON. May 17.-Considera-
bic progress was made by the senate
today in considering the war revenue
measure. ~ a.
Mr.. Jones (Ark) presented in a gen
eral statement the views of the Demo-
cratic members of the finance commit
tee. He maintained that the taxes i'm
posed by the pending bill ought to he
levied upon property and not upon con-
sumption; that the policy of the Re-
publican party always had been to i'm
pose taxes upon consumption, while
that Of the Democratic party was to
impose it upon property. He believed
that taxation that would raise $3.50. 900. :
600 would be amply sufficient to be car
ried by this bill, and that, if the ex-
ieencies Of the war should demonstrate
that more money was needed, congress
could provide 1t later. He opposed the
proposition to issue bonds and eertifi-
Gates of Indebtedness far in excess e,f
the requirements of the war, and held
that the expenses should be paid nv
the government as the war progresses
Mr.. Jones called attention to the
statement of Secretary of the Treasury
Gage that the additional expense of the
war, over and above the current ex-
penses OF the government, would he
about $25,0O0,O00 a month, a total of
perhaps 0O,000,00O year. Secretary
Alger had informed the finance com
mlttee that the extraordinary war ex
penses of his department would ha
ABOUT $15O,O00.000. He thought this
amount sufficiently liberal. Secretary
Long had presented to the COMMITTEES
carefully prepared statement show
ing that the war expenses of his d.
partment would be about SIS, 900, O0O Al
lowing Sl5,000,000 for extra EXPENSES
the 1uil amount needed by the estimates
OF cabinet officers was according to
ms hgures, in the neighborhood o.
sz4o,ooo,ooO. This amount was, Of
course, in addition to the ordinary ex-
penses of the government. >
MT. Hale challenged this. statement
declaring that the $75,OOO,0OO referred
10 IN the statement Of Secretary Long
did not include the amount carried by
the naval appropriation bill for the
present war, and 1t did not Include eth
er about S2O,0O0,0OO which would be in
cluded in the general deficiency bill, He.
was satisfied that the amount the war
would cost the navy df parsment would
not be far from $13O, 100000 from the
present time Until the first of Julv
1892 july
Mr.. Allison called attention to the
fact that he had made that point Gear
IN his statement yesterday
DELIBERATE ACTION URGED.
Mr.. Jones. continuing, maintained
that 1t was entirely Unnecessary for
all OF the expenses Of The existing war
70 De provided for in the pending bin
congress would return hare in Deem
Der next, and, if the emergency re-
CURED presence. it could be called
together by the president sooner than
tfat. '''e'ii
Mr.. Jones did rot approve at all Of
the Dill as it came from the house of
representatives. His figures. the hest
attainable estimat S, he said, indicated
that the expenses of the war during
the next year would not be more than
$24o,0OO, 600, yet dvocates of the pend
ing OIL propos / to place at the dis
posal of the government more than
three times that sum through taxation
and the issue of bonds
Mr.. Jones declared that every feature
o. the bill was tax on consumption.
onerous and vexatious forms of taxa
ton ever devised. The tax upon to-
bacco and upon beer was a tax on con-
sumption. 3&
In response to an inquiry from Mr..
Aldrich, MG1 Jones said that he did not
believe any man could determine def
nltely how and upon whom the beer
tax would fall. eve on this side" said
ne, believe, however, that the lxes
levied ought to rest upon property,
while the bill pending increases the
taxes on consumption. as
In answer to an inquiry by Mr. AL
drich, Mr.. Jones said:
Il am willing to fix the amount that
ought to be produced by the pending
bill at 100000, 900; but I believe it
would be better and wiser for US to
levy even more taxes rather than in
crease our interest bearing obligations.
If I had to take my choice between an
issue of bonds and an increase of taxa
ton, l would prefer to increase taxa
ton Eu
Without reaching any agreement as
to what portion of the bill should 3e
considered first, the senate proceeded
with the reading of the bill. with the
understanding that at any time SEN
ators should have the privilege of their
amendment or alteration.