The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-02
Committee Amendments on Nearly
sixty Pages Of the Measure Dis
posed OF Before Adjournment.
Mr.. G0RMAN'S PLAN REJECTED
TAX PLACED ON SUGAR AND PETRO-
LEUM REFINING CORPORATIONS.
Action ON Various Features-BiIl
Passed for Protection of HOmestead-
ers-Army Nominations Confirmed.

WASHINGTON, June marked progress
was made by the Senate to-day toward the
final disposition of the war-revenue meas
ure. The committee amendments on nearly
sixty pages of the bill were passed on and
the Senate nearly reached the principal
question at issue between the contending
parties. These remaining questions have
already been discussed thoroughly and.
aside from few set speeches yet to be de-
livered, will not arouse probably more than
desultory debate. The interest of the ses-
sion centered in the action taken upon the
amendment of Mr.. German (Dem. Md.
levying a tax of one-quarter of l per cent.
upon the gross receipts of all corporations
doing business exceeding $4,000 a year.
BY direct vote upon it, the amendment
was rejected-27 to "a, Mr.. Pettigrew (Pop..
S. d. offered the German amendment with
the clause containing the $4,000 exemption
stricken out, but it was defeated-25 to 81.
Mr.. White lDem., CALI then proposed the
German amendment so modified that it
levies tax of one-quarter of l per cent
upon all corporations engaged in the refin-
ing of sugar or petroleum. The California
Senator explained that he desired to see a
tax levied on the American Sugar Trust and
the Standard Oil Company. The amend
| ment prevailed by vote of 80 to 26. 1t
was supported by twenty-five Democrats,
| four Republicans, five Populists and two
| silver Republicans, and opposed by twenty
| four Republicans and two Democrats.
Speeches were made by Mr.. Chandler, Mr..
Hoar and Mr.. Bate. Mr.. Chandler devoted
almost his entire time to a discussion of
the financial question, advocating the issue
| of bonds and the coinage of the silver
| seigniorage and opposing the issue of legal
tender notes. Mr.. Hoar dealt with the
general provisions Of the bill from Demo-
cratic standpoint.
FOR HOMESTEADERS' RELIEF.
! At the opening of the session a bill for the
protection of homestead settlers who enter
the military or naval service of the United
States in time of war was passed. The
bill provides that the service in the war with
Spain shall be considered as residence and
work upon the land, and that by enlistment
the claim shall not be forfeited.
Consideration of the committee amend
ments to the revenue bill was resumed
after speeches by Messrs. Chandler and
Hear. The proviso allowing discount Of
| ~ per cent. on sales of beer stamps was
modified by inserting the words: by col
lectors to brewers" The special taxes were
made to take effect ION and after July /.
1898"
The paragraph relating to tax on bank
ers is so changed as to reduce the tax from
$50 to SIS on banks employing capital not
exceeding $4,000. when using or employ
ing capital exceeding 1000 for every adj
ditional thousand dollars in excess of $25, 900.
81, and in estimating capital surplus shall
| be included. The amount of such capital
| tax shall be computed on the basis of capi-
1 n
/ year.
The paragraph relating to the tax on in
| surance agents was made to read: ''Jnsur-
| ance agents shall pay $12. Every person.
| firm or corporation having an office or place
| of business and acting as agent, etc, shall
be regarded as an insurance agent"
| The tobacco taxes were modified, as here
| tofore announced to have been agreed upon
! by the committee. The proviso of the para
! graph levying taxes on tobacco was modi-
| fled so as to read: THAT in addition to the
| quantity of tobacco and snuff, in packages,
now authorized by law, there may be pack
| ages thereof containing ia ounces and 31a
| ounces"
For the paragraph placing a tax, upon
| dealers in leaf tobacco whose annual sales
| shall not exceed $1,000 pounds shall each
pay Sc; where the annual sales exceed $1,000
| pounds and do not exceed 100000 pounds, $12;
over 100000 pounds, $24. The substitute was
| adopted.
In the remaining paragraphs relating to
| the tobacco tax the tax was levied upon
| the number of pounds handled instead Of
upon the aggregate price of the tobacco.
| ana upon the nuUDGT OF cigars ndnuIdC-
| tured Instead of on the cost of the cigars
| The change was made, 1t was explained in
| order to facilitate the work of collection OF
| the tax.
Section II of the bill providing for the
cancellation Of stamps was eliminated.
| The provision requiring a stamp to be
| placed on certain medicines was. amended so
as to exempt receipts or prescriptions writ
| ten by practicing physicians and surgeons,
or which may be put up or compounded
| by druggist or pharmacist"
The tax on money orders was restricted to
| original domestic money orders issued by
| the government.
GORMANS AMENDMENT.
Mr. German then offered his amendment
taxing corporations upon their gross re-
| ceipts as a substitute for the committee
amendment levying tax upon express and
freight packages and upon all telephone
messages upon which toll is paid AS
] finally proposed Mr. Germans amend
ment provided that the tax upon the gross
receipts of corporations doing business ex-
ceeding $4,000 a year should be one-quarter
of per cent, The amendment was defeated
~ to 34-as follows:
| Cockrell, Daniel, Faulkner, German. Gray,
| Harris, Jones of Arkansas, Kyle, McLaurin,
Mallory Mallory Martin Murphy Nelson PI,aseo
| Turley Turpie and White-27.
| Nays-Aldrlch, Allison. Baker. Burrows.
DAVIS DAVIS Deboe' Fairbanks. Foraker. Frye,
| Gallinger. Gear Hale, Hanna, Hansbrough,
| Hawley, Lindsay, McEnery, Mcmillan. Man.
| tie, Mitchell. Pettgrew. Plat of Con-
necticut, Pritchard, Proctor Sewell. Shoup,
| Spooner. Wetmore, Wolcott-N
| Mr.. Pettigrew then offered the original
| German amendment with the Zoo exemp-
| ton stricken out as an additional section
| of the bill. 1t was amended so as 10 reduce
| the tax from one-half to CHe-quarter OF
| per cent. 1t was defeated IS to 81.
Mr.. White (Dem., CALI offered as sub
| stitute for the committee amendment levy
mo f1C ions 10 N
| amendment with all corporations eliminated
| except those engaged in the refining OF
| sugar and petroleum, the amount OF the tax
| being one-quarter of per cent. Mr.. White
expressed his desire to lay tax upon the
Standard Oil Company and the Sugar
&c. Following is the detailed vote:
Yeas-Bacori. Baker. Bate Berry, Butler.
Cannon, Garter Chiffon. Cockrel. Cullom,
Daniel. Faulkner, German, Gray Harris.
Jones of Arkansas. Kyle Lindsay. Mallory.
| Mantle. Martin Mitchell, Murphy. Pasco.
Perkins. Pettigrew. Roach. Stewart. Sulli-
van. Tillman. TIrpie and White. Total, S3.
| Nays-Aldrich, Allison Burrows. Caffery.
Chandler Clark. navis, Deboe, Fair
banks, Foraker, Frye, Gallinger, Gear Hale,
Hanna Hansbrough, Hawley, McEnery,
Mcmillan. Plat of Connecticut, Proctor.
Sewall. Shoup, Spooner and Wetmore To-
! Mr. Gray (DelD strongly opposed the
stamp tax as onerous and odiOus to the
people, He did rot think il necessary at
this time He had particularly regarded
the stamp tax upon express packages and
/ freight bills OF lading as an invasion OF
State methods of taxation. The afnend-
tax upon express and freight packages. bills
of iading and teleDhOne messages was