The age-herald., 1898-04-27

Washington, April 26.-Chairman D.ngley, of the ways and means committee, today reported the war revenue bill to the house. He gave notice that the bill would be called up tomorrow at noon general debate to continue tomorrow, Thursday and Fri day, the bill to be considered for amend ment under the five minute rule until o'clock when a vote should be taken. The minority had agreed to this arrangement.
 The war revenue bill as reported contains three changes from the bill originally drafted, as follows:
 A discount of per cent. on beer stamps is allowed after the passage of the act. Telephone messages are subject to tax of cent on messages transmitted thirty miles or more, the cost of which does not exceed 25 cents; between 25 cents and S1.50, cents; between $150 and $5, cents; in excess of $5 10 cents Official telephonic and tele- graphic messages of the government are exempt from taxation
 The differential of one-half cent on mineral waters and beverages, domestic or imported, not otherwise subject to internal taxation i'll half-pint bottles, is eliminated so that the dividing line is pints, bottles containing one pint or less to pay 1 cent, more than one pint cents
 DingIey's Report
 Chairman Dingley submitted to the house with the war revenue bill the following re- port:
 'The precipitation on the United States of war with Spain has rendered it necessary to immediately provide ways and means to meet war expenditures on the scale de- manded by modern naval and military op- erations.
 Such an unwelcome demand on our re- sources comes at a time when under the workings of the tariff act of July 24 1S97 we had begun to overcome in large meas ure the injurious effect of anticipatory im- portations and had already received in the months of February and March revenue more than three millions in excess of ordi- nary peace expenditures for these months -four millions of the expenditures appear ing in the March statement having been made on the account of preparations for national defense under authority of the joint resolution of March), and that. too with large falling off of customs revenue the last ten days of March in consequence Of the disturbance of trade arising from threatened war.
 Estimates Realized
 'Ihere is no doubt that if peace con- ditions had continued the estimate Of the secretary of the treasury that the revenue for the next fiscal year would reach $S90- 000,oOO-exciusive of postal receipts-S69 OOO,-
 
 year 1896, and more than that sum in excess of what the revenue for the next fiscal year 1887 would have been if it had not been for anticipatory mportatons in the last four months of the latter year to avoid the increased duties of the new tariff-would have been more than realized; and these receipts would have fully met the expend- itures for the next fiscal year if 1t had not been for the increase caused by the dif- faculties with Spain, inasmuch IS the ex- penditures for the fiscal year 1896, exclu- sive of postal expenditures paid by postal revenue, were only $S52,000,000 and for the fiscal year 1897 only $365, ,O00, GOO.
 Increased Appropriations
 "These difficulties, even before war con ditions arose, had so stirred the public mind as to demand largely increased ap- propriations for enlarging the navy and for national defenses The destruction of the United States battleship Maine in the harbor of Havana on Feb. 15 last, so n- tensifed the situation that congress a few weeks thereafter realized the necessity of taking prompt measures to prepare for any exigency, and by joint resolution appro- priated s5O,000,000 for national defense.
 'sUpon the authority of this joint resolu- tion about s35 ,000 of this appropriation have already been practically used, al- though payments have as yet been mas for only part of this sum and liabilities for the remainder of the appropriation would have incurred within two weeks.
 An explanation of the condition of the treasury will make it apparent that no time should be lost in. providing. amp'e ways and means for carrying to success full conclusion the war in which we are now engaged.
 '.The apparent cash balance in the treas- ury when the joint resolution appropriat- ing $50 900 900 for national defense was passed, was about $225 l00,0 900 including the rfn n m 900 excluding that fund. But this balance was only apparent, inasmuch as S130os,0J0 consisted of fractional silver, largely un- current and minor coins, leaving only $112, 000,00o But of this amount $14,0O0 900 con- sisted of receipts from sale of Pacific rail- roads held in the treasury for the pay ment of that amount of Pacific railroad bonds due January next and $33 00,00o of the bank redemption fund held for the payment of the notes of national banks failed, in liquidation or reducing circula- ton Deductng these amounts and the actual available cash in the treasury at that time belonging to the government exclusive of the greenback redemption fund was only s65.000
 Only Half Available
 'Inasmuch as working balance of about $40 900 900 is required to properly carry on the operations of the government there re- mained only $25,0 900 900 belonging to the gov ernment available for use in meeting the fifty million appropriated. It will be neces- sary in order to meet all the expenditures under the s5OOOo,0O0 appropriation, all of which will have been expended within few weeks to use $25 100000 of the bank redemp- tion fund, part of which must be replaced before the close of the present calendar year.
 ..Inasmuch as the difficulties with Spain have plunged the country into war, whose magnitude and length cannot now be intelligently forecasted it is necessary that measures should be immediately taken to improve ways and means to carry on naval and military operations on scale and with a promptness which will exert