The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-09
VICTORY FOR THE SENATE
PRACTICALLY ALL IT'S AMEND
1uENTS AGREED TO.
SENATE BOND PROVISION MODIFIED
The Tobacco Schedule is Proving one Of the
Knottiest Problems with Which the
Homr,iFFea hae IN TloaI
Committee has to Deal.

Washington, d. c., June Sunless
most carefully arranged plans fail of
realization, the cOnferees of the two
houses of Congress on the War Revenue
bill will make their report to the Senate
tomorrow soon after the beginning of the
days session. With the exception of
brief intervals, for meals, the conferees
were in session for more than twelve
hours today. \ meeting is to be held at
IL o'clock tomorrow and if the details
still unsettled are then arranged as now
seems probable, there will be no diff
Guilty in completing the work at tomor-
row mornings meeting.
When the meeting came to a close,
practically all the differences between
the two houses had been adjusted except
those on the tobacco schedule and the
coinage of the silver seign0rage, though
there were some points still to be set
tied with reference to the proposed IS
sue of bonds and certificates of indebted
ness. The settlement so far obtained is
Il substantial victory for the Senate.
Practically all OF the Senate amendments
in phraseOlogy and penalties have been
retained,as have also Il large majority Of
the Senate's more material changes.
Among the most important Of these
which the report will show have been
agreed to by the cOnferees are those pro-
viding for tax on Inheritance for Il
duty ON tea, and for taxes on sleeping
and palace cars petroleum and sugar re-
timing. on mixed flour, and OH bankers,
brokers, theatres, circuses, etc. All these
provisions which were inserted by the
Senate are retained in practically the
language Of the Senate amendments.
The Senate bond provision has been
modified so as to constitute a compromise
with the House The most material al
teratiOn made in this amendment is one
fixing the amount Of bonds at $400 000,-
600 instead of $300O00,000 as agreed
upon by the Senate and S500000,0 900 rs
proposed by the House. There has also
been some change in the general phrase
ol0gy of this provision. The provision in
regard to time certificates also will be
amended. hut the amount which was
$l00,000000 in both the Senate and
House bills will remain at that figure.
The changes will be of a character max
ing the proposed loan more Immediately
available by doing away with the re-
quirements for advertising. 1t will also
be made clear that this loan is intended
for merely temporary purposes.
Among the Senate amendments which
probably will go out are those provid-
ing for tax upon receipts above five
dollars and for Il tax on insurance ag-
ents rs well as the Chiffon amendment
extending the provisions of the medi-
cine schedule to all the manufactured ar
ticleS.
The tobacco schedule is proving to he
one Of the most difficult with which the
committee has to deal. The two points
in dispute are the size Of packages Of
manufactured tobacco, and the House
provision making the tax of II cents per
pound agreed upon by both houses APP
ply to stock in hand. When the confer
ence adjourned tonight it looked as If
the Senate would win in its contention
striking out the retroactive clause and
as if the provision in regard to the size
of the packages would be compromised
and a medium size agreed upon. The beer
tax will be in al probability. as fixed by
the Senate, that is Il tax of So per barrel
with ~ per cent, rebate will be inn
posed.
As to the silver provision it now looks
as If something in the line Of the Senate
amendment would be Inserted but a
majority of the committee are opposed
to this provision, and if it is retained
this will be done only for the sake of So
curing the speedy adoption of the re-
port by the Senate.
The conferees have agreed to substi-
tutc the Tawney pure flour bill for the
Mason amendment to the revenue bill.
The Ways and Means committee of the
House today unanimously agreed ON tho
Fawney bill. 1t defines mixed -four ana
imposes special tax of $40 per annum
ON those engaged in its manufacture ami
sale.