The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-05-30
SENATORS VOTE.
democratic Amendment to the Revenue
Bill Lost.

revenue measure. The bill had boe,, nndsr
consideration four hours and half tofav
When Mr.. Aldrich of Rhode Island. ne
OF the Republican members of the financa
| committee entered a motion TO Law tho
corporation tax amendment proposed b,
the Democratic minority of the commit.
tee on the table. 1t was realized that this
was the first test of strength of the oppos-
ing elements in the Senate and the roll
call was followed with deep interest.
| The result was decisive. The amendment
was laid on the table IL to az.
Mr.. German of Maryland then pro-
posed his substitute, providing for tax
on corporations, but vote on that was
not reached.
After the transaction of some routine
business, the Senate resumed considera-
ton of the revenue measure.
Mr.. Allison said he hoped vote could
now be secured on the corporation tax
proposition. The question was on the
Maryland which provided for special
excise tax upon all corporations whose re-
ceipts are more than $3.50, 900 per annum
Of one.half of one per cent.
| Mr.. Faulkner of West Virginia sug-
gested to Mr.. German that he accept an
amendment making the tax ons-quarter
Of one per cent.
| Mr.. Turpie of Indiana while not espec-
tally objecting to the proposed amend
ment of Mr.. Faulkner, said Mr.. German g
amendment ought to provide for proper
penalty. He maintained that mere fines
would be of no avail in the circumstances
as the corporations would simply pay IN
cases where it was less than the tax. He
strongly urged that the penalty ought to
include not only fine but Imprisonment
for not less than six months
Mr.. Faulkner urged the acceptance of
his amendment.
Mr.. Jones of Arkansas, member of
the finance committee, said he would be
willing to accept Mr.. Germans amend
ment If it were made to apply only as a
substitute Tor that paragraph of the bill
taxing railroads, street railroads, and
other transportation companies. He OBJ
jected, however, to its substitution for the
paragraph levying tax upon all corpora
tions.
Mr.. German presented an argument in
favor of his amendment. Mr.. Lindsay of
Kentucky suggested that, as proposition
of law, it might be we'll for Mr.. German
entirely to exempt from taxation $3.50, 900
of the receipts of every corporation. II
the receipts did not reach $3.50, 900 they
would not be taxed and they would be
taxed only on receipts above that sum.
Mr.. German said he would be willing
to have Mr.. Lindsay's suggestions
adopted.
In reply to the suggestion that the rate
of tax he proposed should be reduced,
Mr.. German declared that the corpora
tions and their friends were making
great mistake in endeavoring to escape
from the proposed tax and to evade their
just and equitable share of the burdens of
the war.
| Mr.. Daniel of Virginia favored a tax
upon the gross receipts of corporations.
He made an elaborate presentation of his
views upon the respective state and federal
powers of taxation as put in question by
the bill, contending that the taxation up
on corporations was warranted fully BY
the law, as existing and interpreted by.
the courts.
| In the course of Mr.. Daniels speech the
Vice President laid before the Senate a
communication from the Ohio legislature
announcing the report of the Ohio Senate
committee on the Investigation of the
charges of bribery against the junior
Ohio Senator, Mr.. Hanna. The commune
cation was referred to the committee on
privileges and elections.
Mr.. Daniel presented an argument in
favor of an income tax.
Mr.. Wolcott of Colorado member of
the finance committee, advocated the
position taken by the Republican minori-
ty of the committee. He said that until
the Hawaiian annexation amendment had
| been ordered to the bill not one feature
had been suggested that was not perfectly
relevant to it.
Referring to the desirability of placing
| the government in excellent financial
condition at this time of exigenoy, he
said he was satisfied that, with the excep-
ton OF Great Britain, no European power
could conduct war with the United
States which would be so expensive as
would be the war with Spain. No other
foreign country except Great Britain had
colonies which, in time of war, it would
be necessary for the United States to o.
| cupy. No man could say that the war
would come to a speedy conclusion, and it
could not be said that it might result in
complications of the most serious nature.
1t would require but a spark to set the
whole of Europe flame and that spark
might be struck from the clashing swords
Of the United States and Spain at any
moment.
Referring to the suggested enmity of
France to the United States, Mr.. Wolcott
declared that he was personally familiar
with the situation in France and was sat
isfied that, excepting in the newspapers
and amono a fexy of tbo;r foI,oxro~.