The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-02-24
SENATORS TALK Of VAR
CONCLUDED from First pageo


elon. II that fails I am in favor OF
supporting the Executive Department
When the time shall come and when
Che case Is go clear and fragrant that
all the constitutional representatives
" inc Amerscun people substantially
agree as to the facts"
MIR. Hale made the point of ordcr
against the amendment that 1t was
general legislation and had, under the
rules. no place In the bill The Vice
iresldent sustained the point and Mr..
Alien TOOK an appeal from the ruling.
MI Hale moved to lay the appeal OH
the table and Mr.. Allen demanded the
yeas and nays. MIR. Eale's motion was
carrled-ol to 5-those voting against
me motion being Messrs. Allen, of
Ncprasha; Cannon. Of Utah: IIeitfeld,
VI idahh: Mason, OF Illinois, and Tel
Ter, of Colorado.
no further amendments being offer
ed. the bill was passed
Inc senate then. at Sis p. M, went
INTO executive session and ten minutes
aftcl'ward adjourned.
HOUSE.
variety Of subjects occupied the
a',ehlion OF the House during the con-
sidcration OF the sundry civil appro-
prKition bill to-day. Mr.. NIahany, of
New York, made an attack on the
PATRIOTISM OF some Of the social lead
ers or New York whom, he said, held
niSh revel while the nation was bowed
uown with grief over the loss OF life
resulting from the Maine explosion.
MIR. Mahany referred TO the vegetable
party given BY Abram S. Hcwett, OF
view YORK. on the evening of February
lhh. He also made Il vicious assault
on New York paper for Its opposition
10 pneumatic tube system for trans-
mission of the malls in New York, Bos-
ton. Philadelphia and Brooklyn. The
item appropratinE $4,000 for power for
th!s system occasioned n good deal of
DEBATE. but 1t stood in the bill.
me appropriation of $4,000 for the
detectloH of violations Of the internal
revenue laws caused some debate. Mr..
Nitchen DENY, and Mr.. I,inney (Rep.).
OF North Carolina, were bitter in their
denunciation of the injustice Of the
system of paying for information. The
former moved to strike out the item.
1t placed a premium, they contended
upon false prosecutions. Last year,
Mr.. Linney said. information was
lodged against $500 persons, but there
were only 7S9 arrests These wholesale
charges against the people Of his State,
especially those In the western portion,
he said. had prejudiced the officials
here. and he appealed to the House to
remove the injustice done his people.
Mr.. Graft Rep), of Illinois. warmly
defended the appropriation. Over S4O,-
0oo00O in taxes were paid In his dis
trict he said, by legitimate distillers.
But Immense frauds were practiced on
the revenue. 1t was estimated that So
per cent. of the whiskey consumed in
this country was illicitly distilled. The
small number Of convictions he attri-
buted to the fact that the communities
and 1uries were in sympathy with the
Offenders a fund of this character,
he said. was necessary to secure in
formation of moonshiners.
MIR. Kitchen denounced the dirty
scoundrels" who informed for pay, and
declared that frivolous persecution
would not cease as long as the Gov
eminent paid for testimony.
Chairman Cannon explained that the
Increase in the appropriations for this
fund from $4,000 to $4,000 was due to
the increase Of the tax on wh!skey to
N.10 n gallon. a gallon Of whiskey cost
less than 20 cents. The evasion Of the
tax gave profit of 80 cents a gallon.
The mere statement of the case showed
the necessity for using other than ordi-
nary means for securing information.
MIR. Evans CRep., Kentucky, who Is
an ex-commissioner of internal revenue,
favored the appropriation, and said the
opposition to this item proceeded upon
the theory that the moonshne industry
must and shall be preserved He was
opposed TO that doctrine. He pointed
out the extreme difficulty Of ascertain
ing violations of law. yet 1t was fact
that there were States in the Union
where it was impossible to sell whiskcy
for s1.10 gallon, because Of the i'm
mense amount iilicitly distilled He de-
MED that any portion OF this fund was
used to buy testimony. 1t was, he said.
a SANDER upon The appropriation and
upon the administration of the law to
intimate that the Government bribed
witnesses. Whenever n Representative
opposed this appropriation upon the
floor Of the House 1t would be found that
Illicit distilling was one Of the industries
OF his district
Mr. Swanson Dem.. Virginia), in ad-
vocacy of the motion. said the cases
trumped up ny the informers crowded
the United States courts. and their
prosecution cost the United States an
nually from one half to n million dollars
more than the property seized.
After some further debate by Mcssrs
Tate Oem, Georgia) and Pearson
Wcp.. North Carolina), In favor of the
motion, and by Mr.. Sayers Dem. Tex
as). in opposition 30 It, the vote was
taken and the motion to strike out the
appropriation was adopted.
Mr. Cannon gave notice that he would
ask for an aye and nay vote when the
bill was reported to the House.
The appropria ton for continuing the
investigation OF the seal question went
out on a point Of Order. Forty-fsix pages
Of the bill were disposed Of to-day.
London. Feb. 23-'ro government cut
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