Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-26
Resumption of the Discussion in the
Senate.
REMARKS BY WHITE and TELLER
Mr.. Germans Amendment for a
Special Excise Tax
VARIOUS BILLS IN HOUSE

After morning business had been dis
| posed of. the war measure was laid before
| the Senate.
Mr.. Pettigrew Is. d. suggested the alb
sence of quorum. After fifteen minutes
had elapsed the necessary quorum was
| secured.
Mr.. White Cali then began an extended
| speech, covering pretty fully the general
| features of the bill. especially those relat-
| ing to the tax on corporations and on in
herftances. The consideration of the bill,
he said, had enlisted the attention of the
country, and many people we're becoming
restless because final vote had not been
reached. He thought, however. that the
delay was due to the peculiarity of the
pending measure. The revenue bill upon
which the civil war was conducted was a
complicated instrument, utterly inappli-
| cable to Present conditions. The object of
| the bill challenged the attention end sup
| port of every member of both branches of
| Congress. All are united to present a
| solid front to the foreign foe
| 1t was no longer question of doubt that
| all the money necessary for the prosecu-
ton of the war would be supplied. 1t was
| simply the method of raising the funds
that was under debate here.
| Great as this nation is" said he,
| mighty as are her resources. this coun-
| try is not now prepared to place before
| an opponent its full strength and all the
| material of war residing in Its BOSOM But
L LIZ llilic tdLiu iiOl very long TIME, Sltner1
it will be ready to put forth its entire
| strength. and then this conflict will be de-
| cided speedily
Mr. White said he deemed it essentially
| desirable that the taxation imposed by the
| bill should be spread over the country fair
ly and equitably. The burdens placed up
on the country by the war ought TO be
| borne by all alike
| Mr.. White regarded 1t as unfortunate
that SO heavy tax should have been
| placed upon tobacco because by some 1t
was considered a luxury. He maintained
| that the placing by the House of Repre-
| sentatfves of one-third of the tax to be
raised upon beer one-third upon tobacco
| and one-third on stamps vas severe. if
| not almost unJustihable. Beer and tobac-
co, 1t was argued. said he, were luxuries.
| The people did not have to use them unless
| they chose to do so. He admitted and con-
| tended that tobacco and beer were legiti-
| mate articles of taxation, but there could
| he no doubt that the burden of he tax
| would fall upon the poor men Of the coun-
| try.
Mr. White denounced the stamp tax as
| burden. an Onerous burden, from which
| all would be glad to escape. 1t was a nuis-
| ance. and. par excellence, a tax upon the
plain people of the land.
Concerning the inheritance tax, Mr..
| White maintained that Notwithstanding
| the objections urged against 1t by reason
| or its beiig an invasion of the preroga-
tives of the states, it was perfectly just-
| fable. anG he expressed the hope and be-
| lief that the courts would sustain the ac-
| ton of Congress in enacting the proposition
| into national law.
FavOrs the Corporation Tax.
Mr.. White then entered upon long dis
| cussion of the proposed corporation tax
| which he earnestly supported. He main
| tanned that the corporations owed some
| thing to the country, not only for their
| creation, hut also for the privilege of eX-
| istence. He rainta that the argument
\ a a fay CHI he 1a;,I
| against a corporation because 1t was not
| laid against partnership engaged in the
! same line of business was not sound as
| the corporation enjoyed more privileges
| than the partnership in business and be-
| fore the law. If it were not so, corpora
| tons would not be formed.
He regretted that there was manifest
disposition among republican senators to
oppose the placing of any tax upon any
corporations They were all seemingly, at
| least, alike opposed, he said to insisting
that the Standard Oil Company and the
| sugar trust and other great monopolies
| should be compelled to pay their share of
| the burdens of the present war
| why, he asked. ARE they opposed to
ire TAX upon these great corporations of
| wealth? They are well able to bear 1t:
| much better than some of the interests
which are laid under tribute by this bill"
Mr.. Whlte said he would make all classes
OF business bear a just proportion of the
war burdens, and could see no proper or
| valid reason why the corporations Should
be exempt from provisions Of the BILL He
said that Mr.. German MIDI had prena red
an amendment to the measure which he
would be willing to support if the general
| tax upon all corporations should not be
deemed desirable by the Senate. At his
| request Mr. German sent to the desk and
had read the amendment he proposed To
oner at the proper time.
1t follows:
Mr.. Germans Amendment.
THAT from and after the passage of this
| act every person. firm, company or CORPORA
ton, owning or possessing, or having the
care or management Of any railroad, street
| railroad. sleeping car. steamboat, ship or
otner vessel. engaged or employed in the
business OF transporting passengers or
freight for hire, or in transporting the mails
| of the United States. or carrying on or do
ing an express business, or having the care
or management of any Geographic or tele-
phone line by which telegraphic or teIe
phone dispatches or messages are received
or transmitted, or carrying on or doing the
| business of furnishing gas, electric light
Electric ae power, steam heat or steam power
| or refining petroleum. or refining sugar. or
owning or controlling any pipe line for
transporting oil or other products whose
gross annual receipts exceed $3.50 900 shall
be subject to pay annually a special excise
tax equivalent to one-half of 1 per cent On
| the gross amount Of all receipts of such
persons, firms, corporations and companies
IN their respective business; provided, that
n
clude any amount of the receipts for the
transportation Of persons freight, or mails
between the United States and any foreign
port, but such tax shall be rated for the
transportation of persons, freight, or malls
| from port within the United States
through foreign territory to port within
the United States. and shall be assessed
upon and collected from persons, firms.
companies or corporations within the
| United States receiving hire or pay for such
transportation Of persons freight or mails"
Mr.. White said 1t had been whispered
that the great financial interests which had
contributed largely to a campaign fund
were demanding as compensation for their
hberality 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 inf1u-
enced by demand so sordid and selfish.
He objected to the issue of bonds at this
time because bonds were unnecessary, and
because a great majority of the people was
opposed to them. believing they would in
crease too greatly the burdens of the coun-
try.
In conclusion. Mr.. White declared that 1t
would be the plain people who would NOT
only offer up their lives in defense Ar the