The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-15
STORY OF HAYS;
RESIGNATION. is
not BELIEVED.
Secretary viii Remain IN the Cabinet
For Present at Least-Many
Conflicting reports.
BEER MEN FIGHTING HARD
To Secure Reduction in House Tax
Bill-Express Companies Must
Bear the Brunt.

## .#.
Notwithstanding what amounted to
the authoritative.oe1ia1 that, the sec
retary Of state had resigned, the story
was persistently circulated during
the day, and finally reached the ears
Of some of Secretary Hays fellow
cabinet officers. These declared that
nothing whatever was snid at the
cabinet meeting to-day on this sub
ject and said even the treaty pro-
ceedings in the senate yesterday we're
not discussed. So, as before stated, it
is not to be expected that there viii
be any change in the head Of the
state department, for the present at
least.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 1.-THE
house to-day adjourned without dis
posing OF more than half OF the war
revenue reduction bill. General debate
closed at o'clock, after which the bill
was opened to amendments under the
five minute rule. a determined effort
was made to reduce still further the
tax on beer below the committee rate
OF 81 60 barrel, but the ways and
means committee overwhelmed the OPP
position. The committee. however sus-
tanned two signal defeats. In connec-
tlon with the beer tax. Mr.. Payne, Of
fered an amendment in the language OF
the bill passed by the house last sess-
ion designed to abolish the use OF small
beer packages. ona-sixth and one
eighth barrels. but 1t was defeated by
81 to IS, after charges that Its purpose
was to crush out the small brewers.
Another defeat occurred In connection
with the amendment offered by Mr..
Henry C. Smith. Of Michigan. The
bill abolished the one cent postage tax
on express receipts and telegraph mes
sages, but retained the tax on railroad
and steamship freight receipts. Nlr.
Smiths amendment restored the tax
on express receipts and altered the
form OF the section so as to compel the
company instead OF the shipper TO pay
the tax. @
Precipitated Lively Debate.
The amendment precipitated a lively
debate, in the course OF which Mr.
Smith made personal allusion to a
United States senator who is connected
with one of the express companies.
MIR. Payne vigorously fought the
amendment. but 1t was carried, 1e3 TO
los.
The text of the amendment is as fol-
lows:
Express and freight: 1t shall be the
duty of every railroad or steamboat
company. carrier, express company or
| corporation. or person whose occupa-
tion Is to act as such. to make within
the first flftren days OF ench month n
sworn statement 10 the collector of In
ternal revenue In each of the respective
| districts, stating the number Of ship
ments received for carriage and trans
portation. whether In bulk or in boxes.
bales. packages, bundles, or not so In
closed or Included, for which any
charges whatsoever have been made.
and for each Of such shipments recrIv-
eel for carriage and transportation, the
said railroad or steamboat company,
carrier. express company: or corpora
tion or person whose occupation IL Is to
act as such, shall pay n tax of one cent
on bundles or packages of newspapers
when inClosed In one general bundle at
the time of shipment"