The times., 1898-05-19
MERE MAT TER Of DE- TAIL
The Difference of Opinion on
the War Revenue Bill.
MORE TAXES AND LESS MONEY
senator Turpie Delivers an EIo-
quent Criticism on the Proposed
War Measure Ths Administra-
tion's Cuban Policy RfdicuIed and
the Bond Issue Denounced.

AtI:30 o'clock yesterday the Senate pro-
ceeded to the consideration of the war
revenue bill.
Senator Turpie of Indiana Immediately
took the floor. He declared that the diff
ference of opinion on the measure was
only in reference to details and he main
tained that it was an advantage TO the
country that such differences existed, as
they resulted in investigation and sift-
ing of propositions to secure the best.
The tariff bill, commonly called the
Dingley bill" said Mr.. Turpie, was not
intended nor claimed by its promoters TO
be a revenue measure. 1t was intended as
a measure of protection"
Mr.. Turpie then declared that that
measure had proved to be entirely in
operative and that it was very timely TO
ask the large majority if this Congress 10
refer once more to the Constitution as
to its power to levy and collect taxes.
The cost of the war had been officially
estimated, said the speaker, at $500, ,o0o 600.
and the only question now was how this
amount should be raised. The committee
had agreed that one-half of it should be
IdiStu BS ldAdllOl Jul hNAI NAN ANOo O. ~
the method of raising the other half. He
referred briefly to the tax on corporations
of Is cents on the 500 imposed by the bill,
and said ii was a very light tax and would
not work the least hardship, as ii would
be distributed between the manufacturer
and wholesale dealer.
More taxes and less money is very
inferior policy on which to prosecute the
war"
Mr.. Turpie said that the proposition to
coin the silver reserve and the issuance of
legal tender notes would save the country
millions of dollars in interest, which would
have to be paid if bonds were issued He
cited the beneficial results of greenbacks
during the last war, and said those notes
were at par long before the resumption
which claimed the honor of restoring them
was passed. No one had ever questioned
but that the currency thus provided was
an ideal war measure, and Mr.. Turpie
wanted to know who should forbid a repe-
ution OF that wise policy of the present
time.
THE five-dollar note and the $500 bond
are payable in the same coin and have
the same security back of them, viz, the
integrity of the Government of the United
States. The system of issuing bonds for
war purposes is the most usual way of
obtaining war revenue. 1t is, however,
lht iiOSl SApSISlNG anu Oppressive.
Mr.. Turpie then referred to the methods
so successfully used by the Republic of
France in providing methods whereby the
entire national debt is held by the tax
payers of that country. The construction
of the bill was then referred to. 1t was
held by the speaker that the part of the
bill relating to the issuance of bonds was
simply rider on the revenue bill, and he
suspected 1t was put there by the franz
ior Of t,o HI tn orda to ba
bers of both houses to consider and vote
on that proposition. 1t was well known
he said, that bond issue could not stand
on two legs, that there was no war ne
cessity for such a bond issue.
Mr.. Turpie said no one would excel him
in advocating every means of comfort
and aid that should be given to those
fighting the battle of the nation.
The Administrators Policy.
In referring to the policy of the present
Administration as respects the war he
said it still remained in the mist.
I'VE have had communication with the
| insurgents, but that communication is an
| Illicit intercourse In the eyes of inter-
national lawit is an irregular proceeding -
| He then read the words of Senator Davis
| Chairman of the Foreign Relations Com
mittee, just before war was declared, that
recognition of Cuban independence would
| Immediately follow intervention. 1t is
| now three weeks since interference began
and we have had no recognition and no
sign of it's coming.
'Who believes that Cuba is now a de-
pendent colony of Spain, or has been
since February, 1896? 1 would just as
soon recede to Great Britain Staten ISL
and as to agree to recede to Spain any
portion of the Island of Cuba
| Mr.. Turpie declared that there could be
only one termination of this war and that