The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-04-26
Provision for Tax ON Tele-
phone Messages
Is Made by the New Revenue
Tariff Bill.
DINGLEY PREPARES IT
Democrats Will Offer a Substi
tute Measure
Including Income Tax and Coin
age of Silver.

Washington, April 26.-The war reve-
nue. tariff bill was not reported to the
house yesterday as was expected. AT
the meeting of the ways and means
committee when the bill formed by the
Republicans was formally presented
for consideration, the Democrats pro-
tested earnestly against a program that
would prevent them from examining its
provisions thoroughly before it was re-
ported to the house. They asked for
an opportunity to offer amendments in
committee.
The Republican members of the ways
and means committee had another con-
ference in the afternoon as a result of
which Chairman Dingley, at a late
with number of important amend
ments framed to meet objections. The
amended bill is likely to be laid before
the full committee today.
There are two new features, one
which is made section %, gives author
ity for the taxed parties and concerns
to meet the increased rates. 1t follows:
THAT every person, firm or corpora
ton, who shall have made any contract
prior to the passing of this act and
without other provision therein for the
payment of taxes imposed by law, en-
acted subsequent thereto, upon articles
to be delivered under such contract, is
hereby authorized and empowered to
add to the price thereof so much money
as will be equivalent to the tax imposed
on said articles by this act, and not
previously paid by the Vendee. and shall
and to sue for and to recover the same
accordingly. And in all cases of arti-
Giles manufactured produced, in
whole in part, upon commission or
where the material is furnished by one
party and manufactured by another If
the manufacturer shall be required to
pay under this act the tax hereby i'm
posed, such person or persons so paying
the same shall be entitled to collect the
amount thereof OF the owner or owners
and shall have a lien for the amount
h11G nail on hn TrOdI1Rn6 M r.
tured goods"
The amended bill imposes a tax on
telephone messages as follows:
For thirty miles or more, where the
| charge does not exceed 25 cents, one
cent; where charges exceed rs cents and
do not exceed $1.50, two cents; from 81
to So, five cents; any charge exceeding
SIS, ten cents. Official messages of the
United States government are exempt
from this tax as well as that on tele-
graph messages. Owners and operat-
orS of long distance lines are required
to report monthly to the commissioner
of internal revenue the number of mes
sages during preceding month of a dis
lance of thirty miles or more, for which
a charge has been made, together with
the amount received under a penalty Of
not exceeding $500 for failure to report.
The setting apart of $750.000 for the
marine hospital service from the re-
ceipts from tonnage duties is limited to
| the fiscal year, 1899.
For the expenses of assessment and
collection of these taxes, $4,000 or so
much of that as is necessary, is appro-
! priated for the employment for such
deputy collectors and other employees in
| the several collection districts of the
| United States as may be necessary. The
exemption of bonds, debentureS or GER
| tificateS of Indebtedness issued by the
| federal, state, county, township and
| municipal corporations from the stamp
| taxes imposed by the bill is extended
! to include ''or other corporation exer-
| cising the taxing power"
| Punishment for failure to require an
| adhesive duty stamp on any dispatches
| or messages is waived in the case of
| press news dispatches. Bank certif1-
! Gates of deposit, not drawing interest
! are taxed two cents; and those drawing
! interest five cents.
| There are many other minor changes.
| The Democratic members of the COM
mittee have substitute proposition for
| the bond issue which is, briefly, as fol-
| lows:
To coin $4,000, 900 of the seignorage
| now in the treasury into standard silver
dollars, to issue $50 900, 900 of certificates
| of indebtedness at a low rate of inter
i est and to institute an income tax of 3
per cent on all incomes over 81, 000
| While this latter clause does not pre-
| sent any new feature by which conflict
with the decision of the supreme court
| Is averted the members profess a be-
! lief that if the measure becomes law
| the supreme court would be brought to
| reverse its previous decision. Mr.. Nc
| Millen is entrusted with the drawing of
the income tax provision.