The age-herald., 1898-05-21
Mir. Daniels Able Speech


 MT. Daniel of Virginia delivered an ex- tended speech, strongly opposing an issue of bonds and supporting the substitute paragraphs proposed by the democratic majority of the finance committee.
 In beginning he said that congress had no intention of abrogating It's functions. It would come together as usual next D cam Der, and would then be prepared to furnish an additional supply of means and men to the government, if they should then be needed. He could conceive of the condi- tions in which the president would not be armed with every man and every dollar necessary for the conduct of the war. Every man in congress, whatever his po- ltioal affiliations, stood squarely behind the president, and individually and collectively would give him earnest support. He main- tained, however, that absolutely no neces- sity existed for plunging the country into a great bonded debt on account of the ex- isting war He was unwilling, he said, to mortgage posterity, to burden future gen. erations with debt the example of which would be constant temptation to extrava- gance.
 MT. Daniel cited the fact that not land battle had been fought in the present war, yet congress was asked to issue an enor- nous amount of bonds. MT. Daniels re- viewed at considerable length the financial transactions of the United States govern ment during the rebellion. If tho propasod issue of bonds were for the purpose of effect upon Spain, and would have the de- sired effect, then he was willing that any amount be issued. "But," said he, If Spain was not convinced at Manila that the country was in earnest in this war, then have been agred to. Those remaining are Eeutenants have some arguments to submit to her that will prove to be even more assuring conviction than any issue of bonds could be-"
 Protecting the Wealthy
 MT. Daniel maintained that the authors of the house bill had protected the wealth and taxed the poverty of the country. They had shown that they had poor opin- ion of their own generation by shuff1ing the debt of war upon the next. This would not, in his opinion, meet the approval of the people, he said, and the stamp tax was the most odious and pestiferous tax invent ed by man. It was tax which must be paid daily and the fear of possible prose- cution would haunt continually every per- son liable to it.
 The corporations, he thought, ought to be willing to be taxed their share of the burdens imposed by the war, as many would receive great sums of money from the government itself on contracts for war supplies. In conclusion, he expressed the hope that the committee amendment levy ing @ tax on corporations would be agreed to, as he was assured that many of the corporations themselves would not object. The committee amendment striking out the tonnage tax was agreed to. The committee amendment relating to the taxation of lega- cies and dstrbutive shares of personal property was read.
 Upon the completion of the reading of the bill MT. Aldrich offered the bond provision and the provision authorizing certificates of indebtedness as substitutes for the sec- tons of the bill reported by the majority of the commmittee providing for the coin- ing of silver seignorage, the issue of silver certificates and the issue of United States notes. The bill was then laid aside and the senate adjourned until Monday.