The San Francisco call., 1898-05-27
OPPOSES THE
 BOND ISSUE White Talks on the New
 Revenue Bill. WOULD COIN SEIGNI0RAGE. SENATOR GoRMAN PRESENTS
 AN AMENDMENT. It Places a Tax of One-Half of One Per Cent on Certain Large Cor
 porations-No Progress
 on the Measure.
SENATOR GoRMAN PRESENTS
 AN AMENDMENT.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
Call Office, Riggs House,

Washington, May 26. No substantial progress was made by the Senate to-day toward the dispos1- tion of the war revenue measure, al-
 though it was under consideration for three hours. Speeches were delivered on the bill by White (D.) of California and Teller of Colorado. The former op- posed the issue of bonds and strongly advocated the coinage of the silver
 seigniorage and the tax upon corpora
 tions. In his discussion of the last feature Teller drew out the fact that an amendment was to be offered to the
 bill by German of Maryland placing tax of one-half of l per cent on certain large corporations. Teller dWelt largely upon the proposition to levy an income
 tax He had not concluded his argu- ment when the bill was laid aside Tn order that eulogies might be pro- nounced upon the late Senator Wal
 thall of Mississippi.
 White delivered an extended speech cov-- ering pretty fully the general features of the bili. especially those relating to the tax on corporations and on inher1tances: The consideration of the bill, he said, had enlisted the attention of the country, and many people were becoming restless be- cause a final vote had not been reached. He thought, however, that the delay was due to the peCultarity of the pending measure The revenue bill, upon which the tIvll war was conducted was com pllcated instrument, utterly lnappncabie to present conditions. The object Of the u.n challenged the attention and support of every member of both branches of Congress All are united to present solid front to the foreign foe. It was no longer question of doubt that all the money necessary for the prosecution of
 the war would be supplied, It was sim ply the method of raising the funds that was under debate here.
 Great as this nation is.' said he,
 mighty as are her resources, this coun- try is not now prepared to place before an opponent it's full strength, and all the
 material of war residing in it's bosom. But in time, and not very long time, either it will be ready to put forth it's
 full strength, and then this conflict Will be decided speedily.
 White said he deemed 1t essentially de- sirable that the taxation imposed by the bill should be spread over the country
 fairly and equitably. The burdens placed
 upon the country by the war ought to be White maintained that the placing by
 the House of Representatives of one
 third of the tax to be raised upon beer, one-third upon tobacco and one-thfrd on stamps was most unjustifable. Beer and tobacco, it was argued, said he, were luxuries which people did not have to use unless they chose to do so. He ad-
 mitted that tobacco and beer were legiti-
 mate articles of taxation, but said there could be no doubt that the burden of the
 tax would fall upon the poor men of the
 White denounced the stamp tax as an onerous burden, from which all would be l glad to escape. It was a nuisance and
 pie. ~ ''' ' ~ Concerning the inheritance tax, White
 maintained that notwithstanding the ob- jections urged against it by reason of it's being an invasion of the prerogatives of the State, it was perfectly justifable, and he expressed the hope and belief that the courts would sustain the action of Congress in enacting the proposition into national law.
 White then entered upon long dis cussion of the proposed corporation tax, which he earnestly supported He main tained that the corporations owed some thing to the country, not only for their creation, but also for the privilege of ex-
 istence. He maintained that the argu- ment of Senators that tax should not be laid against a corporation because it was not laid against a partnership en-
 gagged in the same line of business was not sound, as the corporation enjoyed more privileges than the partnership in business and before the law. If it were not so corporations would not be formed
 White said that German of Maryland had prepared an amendment to the meas ure which he would be willing to support if the general tax upon all corporations
 should not be deemed desirable by the Senate. At his request German sent to the desk and had read the amendment he
 proposed to offer at the proper time. It
 follows:
 s That from and after the passing of this act every person, firm, company or corporation
 owning or possessing, or having the care or
 management of any railroad, street railroad sleeping car, steamboat, ship other vessel engaged employed in the business of trans porting passengers or freight for hre or in transporting the mails of the United States carrying doing express business, or having the care or management of any tele- graphic or telephone line by which telegraphic telephone dispatches messages ceived transmitted carrying on doing the business of furnishing gas, electric light. electric power steam heat or steam power or
 
 ing or controlling any pipe line for transport raSooir,ts avcaad so5o onn sbaII ba snhtaotad ta pay annually special excise tax equivalent to F of per cent on the gross amount of all receipts of such persons, firms, corporations and companies oh their respective business; provided that the assessment hereby made shall not include any amount of the receipts for the transportation of persons, freight or mails between the United States and any for eign port; but this tax shall be rated for the transportation of persons, freight malls from a port within the United States through a foreign territory to port within the United States, and shall be assessed upon and col- lected from persons, firms, companies cor porations within the United States receiving hire pay for such transportation of persons, freight or mails
 White said it had been whispered that the great financial interests which had
 contributed largely to campaign fund were demanding compensation for
 their liberality that the burdens of the
 war should not be thrust upon them. He did not believe, however, that any Sen ator on any side of the chamber would be influenced by a demand so selfish. He objected to the issue of bonds at this time because bonds were unnecessary and be-
 cause a great majority of the people
 were opposed to them, believing they
 would increase too greatly the burdens of the country. In conclusion White de- clared that it would be the plain people
 who would not only offer up their lives
 in defense of the national honor, but who would also pay the bulk of the taxes for
 the conduct of the war. He appealed to Senators to permit the bill to pass in such form as would distribute with reasonable equity the burdens it imposed and to lay taxation that would be fair to the Amer ican people and would reflect honor upon the Senate.
 While the special order was pending a bill was reported by Sewell providing for
 the employment of retired army officers
 during the war. It was passed.
 At the conclusion of the eulogies the Senate, as a further mark of respect, ad- journed until Il a. m. tomorrow.