Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-05-26
FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, May 26.
SENATE.

! After morning business had 0eeHz4ls-
posed of, the war revenue bill was laid
before the Senate.
Mr.. Pettigrew suggested the absence
of quorum. After fifteen minutes had
elapsed the necessary quorum was Sc
cured.
Mr.. White, of California, then took
the floor. The bill, upon which the civil
war was conducted, he said, was utter
ly inapplcable to present conditions,
| though all are united to present a solid
| front to the foreign foe. He deemed it
essentially desirable that the taxation
imposed by the bill should be spread
over the country fairly and equitably.
The burdens placed upon the country
by the war Dug ht to be borne by all alike.
Beer and tobacco it was argued, he
said, were luxuries. The people did
not have to use them unless they
choose to do 80. He admitted and con-
tended that tobacco and beer were le-
Ultimate articles of taxation, but there
could be no doubt that the burden of
the tax would fall upon the poor men
of the couotry. Mr.. White denounced
the stamp tax as burden, an onerous
burden, from which all would be glad
to escape. 1t was nuisance and par
excellence tax upon the plain people
of the land. Concerning the inherit
ance tax Mr.. White maintained that
Notwithstanding the objections urged
against it by reason of its being an in-
vasion OF the prerogatives of the States,
| it was perfectly Unsuitable and he eX.
pressed the hope and belief that
the courts would sustain the &C
ton of Congress in enacting the
proposition into national law.
The proposed corporation tax ne ear
nestly supported. He maintained that
the corporations owed something to the
country not only for their creation but
also for the privilege of existence. He
maintained that the argument OF Sen
ators that tax should not be laid
against corporation because it was mol
laid against partnership engsgtd in
the same line of business, was not
sound, as the corporation enjoyed more
privileges than the partnership in bust
ness and before the law. He regretted
that there was manifest disposition
among republican Senators to oppose
the placing of any tax upon any cor.
porations. They were all seemingly,
at least, alike opposed, he said, to in
sisting that the Standard Oil Company
and the sugar trust and other great mo-
nopolies should be compelled to pay
their share of the burdens of the pres
ent war; why" he asked, ''are they
opposed to the tax upon these great 90
eregations OF wealth? They are well
able to bear it, much better than some
of the interests which are laid under
tribute by this BILL" Mr. White said it
had been whispered that the great Fl
nancisl interests which had contributed
largely to a campaign fund were de-
manding as compensation for their lib
erality that the burdens OF the war
should not be thrust upon them. He
did not believe, however, that
any Senator on either side of the
chamber would be influenced by
demand so St fish and sordid.
He declared that it would be the plain
people who would not only offer up
their lives in defense of the national
honor, but who would also pay the
bulk OF the taxes for the Conduct of the
war. He appealed to Senators to per-
nit the bill to pass in such form as
would distribute with reasonable equity
the burdens it mpos ei and TO lay taxa
ton that would be fair to the American
people and would reflect honor upon
the American Senate.
Mr.. Teller followed. He thought
war might have been avoided, but now
that the war was on he wanted TO see
it conducted by united country. The
administration would find itself sup.
ported by every party and there would
be no holding back the sineWs of war,
all the men and all the money. Mr.
Teller referred to the unprepared con.
dtion of the country for war, and said
this should not have been the case, but
there was not under the circumstances
the usual justification for taxing
future generations TO pay for the
war as it was not, as was the
civil war, war for self preservation.
He asserted that the bond feature Of
the bill was in no wise cognate TO rev.
enue measure and declared that it was
merely attached for the purpose OF
taking advantage of the war exigency
to secure authority for bond issue.
He did not think the bill would pro-
duce as much revenue as estimated by
the committee and said the Senate was
entitled to detailed estimate. Instead
of this when they called for facts they
were giving only guesses.
Interrupting, Mr.. Allison said it was
impossible to state with anything more
than approximate accuracy what rev
enue would be raised from the bill. Es-
Inmates were necessarily uncertain.
Who, for instance, could tell what
amount would be derived from the pro-
posed bank check tax9
Mr.. Teller said Mr.. Allieion's ex-
PLANTATION was an admission that the
.committee had been guessing.
Before Mr.. Teller had concluded his
speech the bill was laid aside that the
Senate might take up the special Or
der-eulogies upon the late Senator
Edward c. Walthall, of Mississippi
and Mr.. Money being recognized pre-
sented the resolutions upon the death
of Mr.. Walthall. The eulogies were
then delivered.
AS for himself he would not only tax
corporations, but he would also include
producing individuals. He would not
put tax upon the poor, he would put
it upon the rich. he would tax SAL
aries, as we'll upon those of Senators as
upon others. But, he said, the taxing
I