New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-17
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.
THE REGULAR REPORT.
SENATE
CONSIDERATION OF THE WAR REVENUE
RIII. REGIrN

SENATE.
CONSIDERATION OF THE WAR REVENUE
BILL BEGUN.
Washington. May 1.-THE chaplain OF the Senate
in his prayer to-day made touching reference 10
the death Of Mrs Morr. wife OF the venerable
Senator from Vermont
Mr. MORGAN Dem. Ala introduced resou-
ton calling on the Secretary Of the Interior Tor
Information in his possession concerning the prog
ress OF work on the Nicaragua Canal and the
financial affairs OF the Maritime Canal Company
The rest luton adopted
Consideration was resumed Of a bill amending the
charter OF the lexington and Soldiers Home Rail-
way Company. OF this rity. the pending question
being on MI Pettisrews amendment providing
that the Government might purchase the road
AT It's cash value at any time after ten years the
amendment was defeated-35 to II.
EXPLAINED BY MR. ALLISON
II being evident that the bill could not he COM
pleted and passed within reasonable time. Mr
ALLISON (Rep.. Iowa. called up the War Revenue
bill. and made statement OF Its features to the
Senate. He said that as the bill came from the
House OF Representatives 1t was an internal reve-
nue. measure and reported to the Senate it was
still an internal revenue bill. Comparatively. he
said. there no provisions In II for Increase OF
customs duties. Mr. Allison then analysed the BILL
as It came from the House presenting its salient
features and the reasons why they were incor-
pOrated by the House. lie sald tnat the
Committee had carefully examined all the sched-
u.es. and had been led believe that Schedules y
STAMP taxes) and proprietary artices) were TOO
general In their scope. Consequently they had
been amended. On practically all the provisions OF
the bill the committee had not seriously divided
On the beer and tobacco taxes on Schedules and
u. and on the tonnage tax. the committee was sub
s,antally a unit.
Mr. Allison said further that In the committee
there differences OF opinion as 10 the neces-
sy for the bill 1t purely war revenue
measure. II there were no war there would be no
necessity for the bill. with view to ascertaining
how much money would be required 10 run the war
In the fiscal year although he hoped that IL
would last only few weeks or few months at
most. Mr.. Allison said that the committee had OBJ
,aincd the best possible estimates from the Secre
tary OF War and the Secretary OF the Navy. The
estimate OF the former had been based on the
mastering IN Of the rs oco volunteers. and did not
include provision for the 1900 additional men
thorized by Congress 10 be enlisted since the esti-
mate was made Secretary Alger estimated that
his Department would need slj0s25521. To this sum
must be added at least SIS ooo 800 TO pay expenses
authorized by Congress after the estimate was
made The estimate by the Secretary OF the Navy
OF tho expenses OF his Department for the same
period was s75.65s250. but In addition to this sum
bill must be considered part OF the expenses
Of the Navy In addition TO the s50fo0np already
appropriated as n war fund-wh!ch Mr. Allison
nounced paren ,hetlcslly. had been practically ex-
ponded-the forthcoming General Deficiency bill
would carry a deficiency appropriation for the cur
rent year Of about s3jr0To0. and there is naval
deficiency OF about 271