Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-05-27
FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, May q,
SENATE.

SENATE.
A bill providing for second assist
ant Secretary of War to be named by
the President aud to receive salary of
$4,000 was placed on its passage, but
Mr.. Bate suggested the absence of
quorum, not more than eight or ten
Senators being in the chamber.
After q delay of fifteen minutes q
quorum was secured and the bill was
passed.
Mr.. Morgan then offered an amend
ment to the war revenue measure pro.
viding that when any of the islands of
the Atlantic or Pacific oceans are own
ed or occupied by the United States,
as a result of war with Spain, it shall
be lawful for the President to appoint
civil or military governor OF such ISL
anGs with authority to protect the lives
and property and the domestic peace
of the people thereof, and the tax and
currency laws of this country shall be
enforced there.
Consideration of the war revenue
measure was resumed, Mr.. Teller TAX
ing the floor to continue his speech be-
gun yesterday. He said that if the in
come tax were submitted to the Senate
he would feel bound to vote for il, de-
spite the decision of the Supreme Court
against the law of 1894. Such tax,
be said, was supported by five de-
cisions OF the Supreme Court prior to
that upon the law of 1894. 81 have no
reason to suppose" said he, THAT the
court may not yet return to its former
decisions indeed, 1 have every reason to
suppose that it will" He said the sill
YER seignorage could be coined without
detriment to the public service. 1t
amounts to $40 900, 900 and the people,
said he, need the money. 1t has been
paid for and the people have right to
us9 it. II could be issued as safely as
could $40 100000 of gold and by the
coinage of the seignorage the govern
ment would save interest on the full
amount coined. OF the proposed cor.
poration tax, he said that while he
hoped to have an opportunity to vote
for a tax that would apply to in
dividuals and firms as we'll as to cor.
porations, he would be glad to support
the corporation tax proposition in the
pending bill. He also favored the issue
of $3.50, 900 of legal tender notes.
He was opposed to the issue Of bones
as unne cessary and as dangerous. He
thought the bill did not raise revenue
enough. At least 5000 900, 900 more OF
revenue in his opinion ought to be rails
al from internal taxation. HWe shall
pay the pensions of both the last and
the existing war. These pension charges
are large, yet the government mas paid
since 1865 S312,000,000 more for
Interest upon the public debt than it
has paid for PENSIONS.
"Those who ought to know" said
Mr.. Teller, estimate that the present
war will cost $500, 600, 900 if it be pros
ecuted for one year. We ought TO take
every foot of Spanish soil, outside Of
Spain itself, whether it be IN this hem
ishere or in the other"
Mr.. Nelson said the proposed issue
OF legal tender notes was not called for
by any lack of money in circulation
and declared that in any way it might
be taken the view of the finance COM
mttee was wrong and could not be
safely followed.
Mr.. Cockrell contended that the coin
age of the seignorage the issuance of
treasury notes and the elimination of
the bonds would provide sufficient reve-
nue. for the conduct of the war. He
showed that of the notes issued none
ad been presented for redemption up
to October, 1891. The reason for this
was that no one had supposed prior to
that time that they would be necessari-
ly redeemed lie gold. Since then the
option of the government to redeem in
either gold or silver had not been sur
rendered. He traced the change to q
letter written by Secretary Foster on
October 10th saying the notes would
be redeemed in gold when gold was
called for. He said that position was
taken for political effect aud claimed
that up to that time the notes were
considered to be especially redeemsble
in silver.
HOUSE.
When the House met to-day q yea
duu LAY fOlO was tohCH 0POh Viz Diii
undisposed of when adjournment was
taken yesterday to amend the internal
revenue law relating Ito bondage and
outage periods of distilled spirits.
The bill was passed 1872 to 65.
The House then vent to the consider.
alton of the private calendar.
The House agreed to adjourn to-day
to Tuesday, Monday being Decoration
day.
The House passed the bill to pay the
heirs of John Roach, SOS, 160 for the
completion the dispatch boat Dolphin.
The Senate resolution authorizing
the Secretary of the NaYy to present q
Uo, ia nf honor to Commodore C4eorgs
Dewey, and cause &C Ia struck oronzs
medals concentrating the battle CT
Manila bay and to distribute them to
the officers and men of the Asiatic
squadron. was passed.