The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-20
LIBERTY IS At STAKE
Silent Influence Of the Money
Power Forcing a Bond Issue.
ANOTHER WAR Is COMING
senator Teller Predicts It and II VIII
Burn Up More Taxes Than the Pres
ent One With spain-war Rev
enue Bill Considered.

Washington. May 1s.-The death of
Mr.. Gladstone was made the theme of
the ~chaplain's invocation at the opening
Of the senate to-day. At the conclusion
Of the morning business consideration
of the war revenue bill was resumed.
Mr.. McLaurin OF South Carolina deliv-
cred a set speech. Speaking Of the war
In which we are now engaged, he said
Spain had supposed that commercial
greed had stifed patriotism. Thus. to
her sorrow. she had learned at Manila
that this was not the fact. She had
realized that Dewey was a worthy sue
cessor to Decatur and Perry.
He was prepared. he said, TO vote for
any measure that would tend to bring
the war to a successful conclusion. Peo-
pie on the island of Cuba are dying ev-
cry hour. This condition Is beyond the
power of description. Every day now
means the loss Of hundreds, perhaps
thousands, OF lives i'm Cuba, Mr.. Nc
Laurin declared. Liberty on the island
is at stake and the war has placed our
own national prestige at stake.
Concerning the proposed issue of
bonds. he said that there was an in
fluence at work in this country more
powerful a the president, more po-
tent than congress II was the silent,
secret influence of the money power,
which was ~endeavoring to force an issue
OF bonds. Once the senate, the forum
of the people. yields to this clamor. Mr..
McLaurin declared, and becomes en-
tangled i'm the meshes Of the money &C.
topus, the people will suffer indeed.
There Is an army In this country said
he, Just as anxious to raid the United
States treasury as our volunteers are 10
raid the island OF Cuba. To the army /
refer to no volunteers are needed. These
jobbers and spectators form a greater
n to us than the war with Spain"
Mr.. McLaurin defended the bill as re-
ported by the majority of the finance
committee and hoped that with the pos
sible exception OF the stamp tax, which
he deemed necessary, the bill would pass
as reported.
1t the conclusion of Mr.. McLaurin's
speech the clerk proceeded with the
reading of the bill. When the para
graph providing for a stamp tax upon
all transfers should be established
that agreement to SELL should not bear
stamps unless an actual transfer OF
stock took place, agreements might be
made and then a settlement effected be-
tween the parties without an actual
transfer of stock. The paragraph was
amended so as TO clearly cover all agree
Ill W < stotn Nv ttCNN
actually was transferred or not.
Mr.. German thought the transfer Of
small ought not TO be required
TO bear stamps. Mr.. Aldrich, In reply,
said that the elimination of checks for
small amounts would reduce the revenue
from this source about SO, 600. 900. The
tax. he said, did not bear upon small
depositors heavily and upon savings
bank depositors. who drew money on
their books. IL bore not at all.
Mr.. Clay OF Georgia moved to strike
out the requirement of a tax of 2 cents
upon each promissory note OF 800 or
less. 1t was rejected.
Mr.. Bacon moved to so modify the
provision for a tax on inland bills of ex-
change as to relieve bills of less than
500 in value from the requirement and
10 liz the rate at 2 cents where the value
is between 500 and 5000. Mr.. Wplcott
objected to the change. saying that
there was no real foundation for the
objection to the proposed tax except
upon the stamp. Mr.. German suggested
that If the bill was to pass as reported
II would carry too much revenue. and
that taxes such as these now under con-
sideration could be eliminated. He
urged that the democratic amendments
be taken UP now.
Mr.. Allison suggested that II the
democratic amendments were to be in
cluded in the bill as it should become a
law, 1t would carry more revenue than
was needed. but there was no way yet
of knowing how this would be. but II
they were included in the final action
of the senate. IL would be easy enough
TO return to other Items. Mr.. Aldrich
opposed any change In the order o1
proceeding with the bill.
Mr.. Teller said the difficulty was that
the committee was divided as to the
sum that should be raised as revenut
under the bill. He did not believe the
bill would produce as much as Mr.. Al.
lison had estimated. but as for himself
he wanted $500, 900. 900 In taxes. Contin
uing. he said he thought the bill should
not only provide revenue for the pres
ent war but also for the next. Mr.
Teller said that the indications were
that Spain would not long continue
but to him the signs were equal.
strong that within q few years W,
would be involved In a war which
might and probably would be Of ia
more serious consequence h tn
contest with the "seven by nine coun
try with which we are now contend
ing"
Upon a roll call the amendment wa
lost by a vote of IL to II.
Mr.. Mallory of Florida believed tha
the tax on telephone messages woul'
be difficult to collect. Mr.. Allison eN
planned that the requirements of a re
ceipt for messages did not apply &
residence telephones, but to a sta
tions, of which there were thousand
in all large cities. on all other tele
phone transactions the books of tn
company would exhibit the facts an
secure payment of a tax to the govern
ment.
At the suggestion of Mr.. Wolcott tn
entire amendment relating To express
freight and telephone taxes was lai'
over for future consideration. TIL
committee amendment relating 10 tn
taxes upon life insurance policies wa
passed over at the suggestion OF MI
White of California.
The other committee amendments re
lating to marine. inland. fire, casualty
fidelity and guarantee insurance wer
agreed to. Referring TO the tax o
druggists supplies now on hand. MI
Allison said that all senator's had re