The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-05-24
NOTHING But TALK.
Senators Discuss the War Revenue
Measure.
NO ACTION OF ANY KIND WAS
TAKEN UPON THE BILL.

Mr. o5oe Discusses the Proposed Tax on
Corporation and Bank Deposits
Messrs. Chiffon and Turley Devote
Themselves to General Features of the
Bill.
Washington, May 23.--For ivehours to-
day the Senate had the war revenue meas
ure under discussion. The entire time
was occupied by Mr.. Chiffon, Democrat
of Texas, MIR. Lodge, Republican of
Massachusetts, and Mr.. Turley, Democrat
of Tennessee, while Mr.. Lodge confined
himself to discussion Of the proposed
tax on corporations and bank deposits,
strongly urging that such taxes be not
imposed, Mr.. Chiffon and Mr.. Turley
covered pretty fully the general features
of the bill Their speeches dealt compre-
hensively with the theories of taxation
and were therefore in the very nature of
things legal ana tech nicaI dissertations
upon the subject. No action of any kind
was taken upon the bill.
Washington, May 23.-At the opening
of todsy's session of the Senate, /. COM
munication was received from Secretary
of War Alger together with a draft of
bill providing for gradual increase In
the number Of officers of the corps of
engineers. The bill provides that the
corps of engineers of the army shall here
after consist of one chief of engineer with
rank of brigadier general; seven colonies,
fourteen lieutenant colonies, twenty-eight
majors, thirty-fve captains, thirty first
twelve second leutenants
and battalion of engineers. All promo
tions shall be made by seniority. The
communication and bill were referred to
the military affairs committee.
After the transaction of some routine
business, Mr.. Allison called up the war
revenue measure. He announced that
when the Senate adjourned on Friday the
pending question was upon the amend
ment offered by Mr.. McEnery of Louisi-
ana, removing the proposed corporation
tax from the certain classes of corpora
tions, which were such in name only. He
added that the reading of the bill had
been completed and that an agreement
had been reached for the convenience of
the Senate. first to consider the amend
ment providing for excise taxes on per-
sons, firms, companies and corporations.
That amendment, Mr.. Allison thought,
ought to be disposed Of before the remain
ing parts of the bill were taken up.
Mr.. Chiffon of Texas delivered an ex-
fanHQd ar afuIl1y Unit tor,
the general feature of the war revenue
bill. He expressed the opinion that the
vast amount Of money proposed to be
raised by the pending bill would not be
needed for the naval and military opera
tions before Congress should convene next
December. He expressed his willingness,
however, to join with others in furnish
war until July i, 1889. He thought it
would be a mistake to appropriate an
amount greater than $685. 600, 900 a month
for war purposes.
Entering upon discussion of the al
legged failure Of tine Dingley law TO pro-
vide sufficient revenue to meet the ordi-
nary expenses of the government, Mr..
Chiffon was interrupted by MIR. Wilson Of
Washington, who said he was Just In re-
eeipt OF letter from O collector of GUS
toms at an important port in which the
statement was made that the present war
had made serious in-road upon customs
receipts. lmportations bad fallen off
materially since the war began. Mr..
Chiffon thought all such statements pure
~ conjoctural. 1t was notorious he said,
that the Dingley law had failed of expee-
tlons as rev enue producer.
WE'LL, inquired Mr.. Spooner of Wis
consin, what has the Dingley law to do
with the passage by the Senate of the war
revenue measured"
Mr. Chiffon replied that the Dingley
law and the psnding bill had a very near
relationship. He desired to show that
the receipts from the Dingley law were
not sufficient to meet the governments
demands.
"Then you are making q speech purely
Tor political effectf" suggested Mr..
Spooner.
cannot foretell what it's effect may
be, " replied Mr.. Chiffon.
He tnen entered upon a review of that
part OF Mr.. Allison's opening statement
winch dealt with the amounts likely to
ne raised by the measure as reported to
the senate. He believed that MIR. ALI
son SO eseinates We're generally too high.
He presented estimates of his own upon
tne various schedules of the bill, the total
OF the probable receipts being, according
to Mr.. Chiffon $l71 $50, $50. He thought
gh1s EQUAL sum was not too large for he
Deneveo every generation ought to pay its
In the course of Mr.. Chilton's dis
cusslon OF the proposed corporation tax.
Mr.. Spooner inquired if Mr.. Chiffon pro-
posed to tax the business of the CORPORA
ton itself. WI p'Ae'
the tax Ak we propose" replied Mr..
ShiiSon, - rs "a an occupation tax on the
business OF the corporation. If, however.
the Senator desired to call it franchise
tax, I'll defend it as SUCH"
Sin other Words" said Mr.. Snooner
"you do not tax the business. Int 1o', ta1
the corporation doing the business sm ,.l1
because it is a corporation. or conrsa piy
admit the right OF Congress to law
business or occupation tax
Mr., Spooner also said it was nnfo4,
nate that in response to the goyernn,ent,s
req uest for funds to conduct tha ,.,o .
operations, propositions were BEING n mdl
by Congress to tender not ready m ,~au
but q batch of law suits. 'S
In the course of his remarks upon tho
inheritance tax, Mr.. Chiffon expressly aS
the opinion that next to a tax on incomes
and upon corporations, the succession taY
contained more elements of justice thar
any other feature of the pending bill
Mr.. Chiffon defended the proposition of
the majority Of the finance COMMITTEES to
issue certificates against the silver seig.