Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-19
DISCUSSING TAXES
Consideration of the Revenue Bill
in the Senate.
Mr.. M'LAURIN FOR LEGAL TENDERS
House Agrees to Adjourn Until
Next Monday.
GEORGE MEMORIAL SPEECHES

| The death of Gladstone was made the
theme of the chaplain's invocation at the
| opening of the Senate today.
| 80, Eternal Cod the chaplain prayed
with the whole English-speaking race We
| stand as mourners beside the bier of the
most eminent man of our generation" Ref
erence was made to the influence of Glad
| stone upon the life of the world, and
| praises were given for the example of his
| own noble life.
A resolution, presented by Mr.. Mills
(Tex) was passed. 1t calls upon the Sec
| rotary of War for plans ind specifications
| for the improvement of Arkansas Pass har-
Dor, the removal of the bar and the i'm
| provement Of the channel, making it 20 feet
| deep and $50 feet wide at the bottom
The War Revenue Bill.
| At the conclusion of the morning BUSH
ness consideration of the war revenue bin
was resumed. Mr.. McLaurin IS c. de-
| ilVered set speech upon the features of
the pending bill. Speaking of the bringing
on of the war in which we are now engag-
| ed, he said Spain had supposed that COM
| lherciai greed had Stfled patriotism This
| TO her sorrow, she had learned at Manila
! was not the fact. She had realized there
| catur and Perry ~
| He was ready, he said to vote for any
| measure that would tend to bring the war
10 successful conclusion. People on the
| ieianu oI CuDa are dying every hour Their
conditlon is beyond the power of descrip-
| ,lon. EVERY day now means the loss of
nuhoreds. perhaps thousands, of lives in
Cuba, Mr.. McLaurin declared Liberty on
| the island is at stake and the war has
paced our own national prestige at stake
| CONCERNING the proposed issue of bonds
ne sald mat there was an influence at work
| IN TINS country more powerful than the
| PRESIDENT, more potent than Congress 1t
was the silent, secret influence of the
| money power which was endeavoring to
| iorce an issue of bonds. Once the Senate
! the forum of the people, Yields to this
| ciamor, MIR. McLaurin declared, and be
| comes entangled in the meshes of the
money octopus the people will suffer in
deed. "
| There is an army in this country" said
ne Just as anxious to raid the United
| osates treasury as our volunteers are to
| RAD the island of Cuba. To the army
| refer to no volunteers are needed These
| Jobpers and spectators form greater
| menace to us than war with Spain"
Mr.. McLaurin defended the bill as re-
| ported by the majority of the finance com
| mittee, and hoped that, with the possible
| exception of the stamp tax, which he deem
| ed unnecessary, the bill would pass as re-
ported.
| He strongly urged the adoption of the
proposition to issue legal tender notes.
| 1t Is the dealers in futures declared
| Mr.. McLaurin. 1.-The financial SPECTATORS
ana cormorants, the transportation COM
| panies, the manufacturers of ammunition
| who make money out of the war. Upon
these the financial burdens of the war
| ought to fall. and not upon the families of
| the men who go to the front to fight for
| their country
At the conclusion of Mr. McI.aurin's
speech the clerk proceeded with the read
| ing of the bill
Tax on Transfers.
When the paragraph providing for stamp
1 "a oil
sidered Mr. Bacon (Ga.) said the committee
had NOT carefully covered agreements to
sell the stock. and that if it should be es-
tab,shed that agreement to sell" should
| not bear stamps unless an actual transfer
| CT stock took place agreement might be
| made and then a settlement effected be-
| tween the parties without actual trans
| fer of stock taking place The paragraph
| was amended sc as to clearly cover ali
| agreements to sell stock, whether the stock
| actually was transferred or not
Mr.. German thought that checks for
small amounts ought not to be required to
| bear stamps.
Mr.. Aldrich, in reply, said that the elm
| nation of checks for small amounts would
| reduce the revenue from this source abou.
| S,OOO,O0O. The tax he said. did not bear
| upon small depCsitors heavily and upon
| savings bank depositors who drew money
| on their book it bore not at all.
| Mr.. Clay tGa.) moved to strike out the
| requirement of tax of two cents upon
| each promissory note of 500 or less.
| 1t was rejected
| Mr.. Bacon moved so to modify the pro-
| vision for tax on inland bills of exchange
| as to relieve bills of less than 500 in value
| from the requirement and to fix the rate at
= cents where the value is between 500 and
| 500.
Mr.. Wolcott objected to the change. say
ing that there was no real foundation for
| the objection to the proposed tax except
UPON the StllmD. If might he ha Of
value in campaigning in the back counties
of Georgia.
Mr.. Bacon replied that If the people of
the back counties of Colorado We're like
those in Georgia they would be pretty well
represented at the front and their interests
should be cared for in the bill
He said the objection was not to the
amount of the tax, but to the Inconvenience
1t would occasion to persons removed from
the centers of civilization.
Mr.. German suggested that If the bill was
to pass as reported it would carry too
much revenue, and that taxes such as these
now under consideration could be eliminate
ed. He urged that the democratic amend
mentS be taken up now.
MIR. Allison suggested that if the demo-
cratic amendments were to be included in
the bill as it should become a law it would
carry more revenue than was needed hut
there was no way yet of knowing how this
would be, but II they We're included in the
final action of the Senate it would be easv
enough to return to other items
Mr.. Aldrich opposed any change in the or
der of proceedings with the bill
Upon roll call the Bacon amendment
was lost-13 to IL.