The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-29

his request as it would be exceedingly
difficult if not impossible to fill his
place in the department.
Among the orders issued today was
one directing Captain A. p Mahan,
the author and world renowned au-
thOrity on naval tactics, to report for
duty at the navy department. Cap
tain Mahan is a retired officer and
will be assigned to a position on the
strategy board. Probably he will re-
place Admiral Walker, for whom the
president and Secretary Long hold
the highest regard on account Of his
professional ability and who is to be
assigned to duty of the highest i'm
portance in the immediate future.
Upon the recommendation of Cap
tain Lemly, judge advocate general,
Secretary Long directed the release
from a Boston naval prison of twenty
eight sailors. The men have been in
prison for various infractiOns of mill
tary law and the department believes
that conditions warrant their reStOra-
tiOn to active service.
Secretary Alger has detailed the Off
GERS to muster into the service of the
United States for the states, the troops
called out by the presidents proclama-
ton. The officers are to go without
delay to the rendezvous designated and
report their arrival to the governors
of the states and execute the work
assigned to them as soon as practicable.
The officer for North Carolina is Cap
tain John G. Gresham, of the Seventh
cavalry with headquarters at Raleigh.
THE WAR REVENUE BILL.
The war revenue bill as reported to
the house today contains three changes
in the bill as originally drafted, as fol-
lows: A discount of per cent. on
beer stamps is allowed after the pas
sage of the act. Telephone messages
are subject to tax of 1 cent on mes
sages transmitted thirty miles or more,
the cost of which does noe ex-
ceed % cents; between 25 cents
and $3.50, 2 cents; between $3.50
and S. cents; in excess Of S., 10
cents. Official telephOnic and tele-
graphic messages of the government
are exempt from taxation. The differ
entail of one half a cent in mineral
waters and beverages, domestic or i'm,
ported not otherwise subject to inter-
nal taxation, in half pint bottles, is
eliminated so that the dividing line is
pints, BOTTLES containing one pint or
less to pay l cent, more than one pint,
2 cents.
At the meeting of the ways and
means committee today Mr.. Bailey on
behalf Of the democratic minority Of
fered the substitute agreed upon by
them for the proposition in the bill
authorizing the issue of $500, 900, 900 coin
bonds. u provides for an income tax
of 8 per cent. on incomes from all
sources in excess of $4,000. State,
county and municipal bonds, however,
were excepted from it's provision, to
meet the unanimous decision of the
supreme court in this respect.
The minority estimated that such
an income tax would raise 800 900 900.
Coupled with it was the proposition
to coin the silver seigniorage which,
"a present, amounts to 1000, 900. The
substitute was voted down by a strict
party vote. No amendments were Of
fcred to other provisions of the bill,
owing to the lack of time.
STATE OF THE TREASURY.
Chairman Dingley, of the ways and
means committet, submitted today
report with the war revenue bill which
contains the following:
The apparent cash balance in the
treasury when the joint resolution ap-
propriating $50, 900 900 for the national
defence was passed was about 1925, ,000,
900 in Guiding the 500 OOO0, 900 gold re-
demption fund or $125 O00, 900, exclud-
| cash in the treasury at that time be-
| longing to the government, exclusive
| of the greenback redemption fund, was
| only s65. 900 900.
! ''InaSmuch as a working balance Of
| about $4,000 900 is required to proper
| ly carry on the operations of the gov
| ernment, there remained $25, 900, 600 be-
| longing to the government available
| for use in meeting the $50 900 .0OG ap
! preparation. 1t will be necessary in
| order to meet the expenditure under
| the $4,000, 900 appropriation, all of
| which will have been expended within
| a few weeks. to use $25, 900 600 of the
| bank redemption fund, a part of which
must be replaced before the close of the
, present calendar year.
,, "Inasmuch as the difficulties with
| Spain have plunged the country into a
war, whose magnitude and length can
not now be intelligently fOrecaSted, it
| is necessary that measures should be
| Immediately taken to provide ways and
means to carry on naval and military
| operations on a scale and with a
! promptness which will exert an i'm
. portant influence in shortening the
| conflict. AS the expense of the prepa-
| rations for defence that have been go
! ing on for nearly two months are at
| the rate of $25 0O0, 600 per month or
| $500 00O, 900 per annum, and the ex-
! penses of actual war will be much
more, your committee are of opinion
| that the necessities of the country, as
we'll as the early successful conclusion
! of the war, call for such ample pro-
, to make loans. for means to carry on
naval and military operations. as will
impress the great powers OF Europe,