The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-24
KITCHIN IS AGAINST IT
MIR. GRAFF WARMLY DEFENDS
THE APPROPRIATION.
ONE THIRD OF WAsKEY USED IS ILLICIT
Mr.. Kfchin Denounced Informers as DIRTY
ScoundreIs" and Said Frivolous Prose
cutions Would not Cease as Long as
Tas,;r,,v Wac Paid For.
Testimony Was Paid For.

J
Washington, d. c., Feb. 23.-A varie-
ty of subjects occupied the attention of
the House during the consideration of
the Sundry Civil Appropriation bill to-
day. Mr.. Mahany, of New York, made
an attack on the patriotism of some OF
the social leaders of New York, whom
he said held high revel while the ma
ti0n was bowed down with grief over
the loss of life resulting from the Maine
explosion. Mr.. Mahany referred to the
vegetable party" given by Abram S.
Hewitt, of New York, on the evening
Of February II. He also made vicious
assault on Il New York paper for its
opposition to the pneumatic tube system
for transmission of the mails in New
York. Boston. Philadelphia and Brook
lyn. The item appropriating $4,000
for power for this system OccaSioned a
good deal of debate, but it stood in the
bill.
The appropriation Of $4,000 for the
detection Of violations of the internal
revenue laws caused some debate. Mr.
Kitchin. DemocraD, and Mr. Linnpy,
Republican). Of North Carolina, were
bitter in their accommodation of the in
Justice of the system cf paying for infor-
nation. The former moved to strike out
the item 1t placed Il premium they
cOntandpd. upon false prosecutions.
Last year. Mr.. Linney said, information
was lodged against 3,3OO persons, butt
theIe were only 7SD arrests. These
wholesale charges against the people of
ms State. especially thuse in the west
ern portion, he said, had prejudlced the
officials acre and ne appealed TO the
tiouSe to remove the injustice done his
people.
Mr. Graft, (Republican, Illinois,,
warmly defended tle appropriation.
Uvcr S40,0O0.000 in taxes were paid mI
ais district, he said, by legitimate dis
r!l.crs But immense fraIrds WeIe prac-
ticed on the revenue. 1t was estimated
that 3:j per cent. of the whiskey CON
sumed in this country was illicltly dis
titled The small number of convictions
ne attributed to the fact that the COM
munities and juries were III sympathy
with the Offenders. \ fund of this char-
acter, he said, was necessary to secure
information o. mQonshners.
DENOUNCED BY MIR. KITCHIN.
Mir. Kstcain denounced the dirty
scoundrers VINO informed for pay, ANA
declared that frivolous prosecutions
would not cease as long as the govern
ment paid for testimony.
Chairman Cannon explained that the
increase in the appropriations Tor this
fund from $4,000 to $4,000 was due
to the increase of the tax ON whiskey
to S1.1O a gallon. A gallon of whiskey
cost loss than 70 cents. The evasion OF
the tax gave profit of 80 cents a gal
lon. The mere statement of the case
showed the necessity for using other
than ordinary means for securing IN
formation.
Mr. Evans, (Itep., KY, who is an eX'
Commissioner of Internal Revenue IA
yored tn" appropriation and said the OPP
position to this item proceeded upon the
theory that the mOonShine industry must
and shall be preserved. lie was op-
posed to that doctrine. He pointed out
the extreme difficulty of aScertainlng
violations of law yet 1T was Il fact that
there were States i'll the union where 1t
was impossible to sell whiskey for $1.lD
Il gallon because of the immense amount
ilIicitly distilled He denied that any
portion of this fund was used to buy
testimony. 1t was, he said, a slander
upon the appropriation and upon the adj
ministration of the law to intimate that
the government bribed witnesses When
ever representative opposed this appro-
priation upon the floor of the House t
would he found that illicit distilling was
one of the industries of his district.
Mr.. Swanson, (Dem., Na.), in adv0cn-
cy Of the motion, said the cases trumped |
up by the informels crowded the United |
States courts and their prosecution cost |
the United States annually from one |
half TO a million dollars more than the |
property seized. After some further de- |
bate by Messrs. Tate, (Dem., Ga.), and |
Pearson, Rep., \. ca. in favor of the |
motion and by Mr.. Savers, DEM, Texas, !
in opposition to it the vote was taken |
and the motion to strike out the appro- |
prIation was adopted.
Mr.. Cannon gave notice that he would |
ask for an aye and no vote when the
bill was reported to the House.
The appropriation for continuing the |
investigation of the seal question went |
out on a point of order. Forty six |
pages of the bill were disposed of to-
day.