The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-05-26
D0InGS OF CONGRESS
Abstract Of the Important Pro
ceedings.

The war revenue bill was taken up in the
Senate on May IS.
Mr.. Allison, in explaining the bill, said
that with view to ascertain how much
money would be required to run the war
during the next fiscal year, although he
expressed the hope that it would last
only few weeks or a few months at most,
| the Committee had obtained the best pos
sible estimates from the Secretary of War
and the Secretary of the Navy. The esti-
| mate of the former had been based upon
the mastering in of 125 900 volunteers, and
did not include provisions for the $4,000
| additional men authorized by Congress to
be enlisted since the estimate was made.
! Secretary Alger estimated that his Depart
ment would need $3.50 925, 527. To this sum
must be added at least $4,000, 900 to pay
! expenses authorized by Congress after the
estimate was made.
| The estimate of the Secretary of the
Navy of the expenses of his Department
| for the same period was SIS, $50, 250; but,
| IN addition to this sum- the amount car
ried by the Naval appropriation bill must
be considered as a part of the expenses
| of the Navy. In addition to the $50, ZOO, 900
| aready appropriated as war fund, which,
| Mr.. Allison announced, parentheticaly, had
| been practically expended the forthcoming
! general deficiency bill would carry de-
! fiency appropriation for the current year
of about S35 600 600, and. there is naval
| deficiency of about So, 2T5 600
| The Senate Finance Committee therefore
| figured that it would require a total OF
at least 1919 1872, 600 to pay the expenses
of the war from the present time until
| July 1, 1899, not taking into account any
| emergency expenses that might arise at
| any moment. The total amount, Mr.. ALI
| son thought, would be rather above than
| below the sum he had indicated.
In conclusion Mr.. Allison said that 1T
| was one purpose OF the Senate to authorize
| the Secretary of the Treasury to borrow
| from time to time $500 900, 900, or so much
thereof as might be needed for war pur-
poses exclusively, and to issue per cent.
| bonds therefor.
| 1t was also the purpose to authorize the
| Secretary to issue certificates OF indebted
ness for 500 0O0,0 900 to meet any deficit
in the running expenses OF the Govern
| ment.
| In the House, Mr. Marsh presented the
| conference report upon the bill authorizing
| the Army officers to furnish food to the
| Cuban people and arms and equipments
| to CubanS to increase their fighting Ell
| fectiveness against Spain during the pres
| ent war The report was adopted without
| objection.
The House Joint resolution appointing
| VIM. j. Seweil, of New Jersey; Martin I.
| Mcmahon, of New York; John l.. Mitchell,
of Wisconsin, and VIM. FL. Bonsall, OF
California, members OF the Board OF Mana
gers of the National Homes for Disabled
Volunteer Soldiers, was passed.
In the Senate, on May IT, the war bill be-
ing taken up, Mr.. Jones, of Arkansas,
said he doubted whether there was man
in the Senate who was not ready to vote
all the money and taxes necessary to
carry on the present war. He would not
perform his duty, however, II he should
vote for too much money. The problem
presented
needed.
Mr.. Jones called attention to the state
ment of Secretary OF the Treasury Gage
that the additional expenses OF the war,
over and above the current expenses OF
| the Government, would be about SIS 900 600
q mo 1th, a total of perhaps $500, 900 900 a
tyear. Secretary Alger had informed the
| Finance Committee that the extraordinary
war expenses of his Department would be
| about $3.50 900 coo. He thought this amount
| sufficiently liberal Secretary Long had
| presented to the Committee a carefully
prepared statement showing that the war
! expenses of his Department would be
| about SIS 900 900. Allowing SIS 900 900 for
| extra expenses, the full amount needed by
| the estimates OF Cabinet officers was, dc
| cording to his figures, in the neighbOrhoOd
] of S240, 00O, goo. This amount was, of
| course, in addition to the ordinary ex-
| penseS of the Government,
| Mr.. Hale challenged this statement, de-
I
| the statement OF Secretary Long did not
| include the amount carried by the Naval
! appropriation bill or $50 coo 600, which would
| BE- Incorporated in the general deficiency
| bill. He was satisfied that the amount
the war would cost the Navy DEPARTMENT
would not be far from $50 GOO 600 from
| the present time until July 1, 1899
| Mr.. Jones maintained that it was en-
| TREY unnecessary for all the expenses Of
the existing war to be provided Tor in the
pending bill. Congress would return here
| III December next. and II the emergency
| required It's presence it could be called to-
| gether by the President sooner than that.
| Mr.. Jones said he did not approve OF the
! bill as it came from the House. His figures,
| based upon the best estimates, indicated
| that the expenses of the war durIng the
next year would not be more than S240,-
| 900 eco, yet advocates OF the pending bill
! proposed to place at the disposal of the
| Government more than three times that
| sum through taxation and the issue OF
bonds.
! Mr.. Jones declared that every feature
| of the bill was a tax on consumption.
| Mr. Allison presented tables showing the
amounts of the ordinary appropriations for
the next fiscal year. They aggregate less
S51 900, 600 for the sinking fund.- S4S2, S74,-
6i7, an increase of 81 024, 1875 over the eSti-
mated ordinary appropriations. The ap-
propriations for the war MIR. Allison gave
as follows:
National defense, fact of March 8, 1881
$50 600 600; Army notifications and Navy,
(act of May A. S35, 600; Notifications,
$1,000, O00; naval act, increase over 1898
for war purposes S23, 100, 600; naval de-
iiciencieS, 1885, S22 275, 600; naval establish
ment for 1899, additional, S75, GOO, GOO; naval
auxiliary bill, 81 eco eco; immune bill and
engineer BILL SIS 600 coo; army for 1899,
additional, $3.50, goo, coo. Total appropria-
tons on account of the war, 1878, 1872 600.
In the Senate, on May 20, the reading of
the war revenue measure was completed |
Seven eighths of the amendments pro
posed by the Senate Committee have been
agreed to. Those remaining are the most |
important in the bill, and will provoke |
long discussion.
The principal amendments to be passed |
upon are those relating to the issue of !
bonds and certificates of Indebtedness the |
tobacco tax, the tax of proprietary articles, |
the issue of greenbacks, the coinage of |
silver seigniorage, the issue of silver ccrtifi- |
Gates, the inheritance tax, and the tax on |
corporations. The action upon some of |
the amendments will be dependent upon |
that on others.
In the House, Mr.. Davenport, of Pennsyl- |
vania, presented the unanimous report of |
Elections Committee No. in the contested |
election case of w. Godfrey Hunter against |
John S. Rhea from the Third District of |
Kentucky, that Mr.. Rhea was entitled to