The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-15
CTlgGE IN STAMP PgOVISI0y
AMENDMENT ADOPTED RETAINING
ONE-CENT TAX ON EX-
PRESS RECEIPTS
BEER TAX TO REMAIN AT $1.eo
But an Amendment of the Commit
tee to Abolish Sfxteenths
and Eighths Was
Defeated.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE house
today adjourned without disposing of
more than half the war revenue reduc-
ton bill. General debate closed at 2
clock, after which the bill was opened
to amendments under the tive-minute
rule determined effort was made to
reduce still further the tax on beer be-
low the committee rate of $160 per bar
rel, but the ways and means committee
overwhelmed the opposition. The COM
mittee, however, sustained two signal
defeats
In connection with the beer tax Mr.
Payne offered an amendment in the
language Of the bill passed by the house
last session. designed to abolish the use
of small beer packages one-sixteenth
and one-eighth barrels, but it was de-
feated by S5 10 a., after charges that its
purpose was to crush out the small
brewers.
Another defeat occurred in connection
with the amendment offered by Mr.. Hen
ry c. Smith, of Michigan The bill aboI-
ished the 1-cent stamp tax on express
receipts and telegraph messages but re-
tanned the tax on railroad and steamship
freight receipts. Mr.. Smiths amend
ment restored the tax on express re-
ceipts and altered the form of the sec
ton so as to compel the company in
stead of the shipper, to pay the tax.
The amendment precipitated a lively de-
bate, in the coures of which Mr. Smith
made personal allusion to a United
States senator who is connected with one
of the express companies. Mr. Payne
vigorously fought the amendment but
it was carried, 123 to JOG.
The text Of the amendment is as fol-
lows:
TO TAX EXPRESS RECEIPTS.
Express and freight: 1t shall be the
duty Of every railroad or steamboat COM
pany, carrier, express company, or cor
pOfauon, or person whose occupation is
t. act as such, to make within the nrst
fifteen days Of each month a sworn
statement to the collector of internal
revenue in each of their respective dis
trlcts, stating the number of shipments
received Tor carriage and transportation,
hethef in bulk or in boxes. bales, pack
ages, handles, or not so inclOSed or in
cluded, for which any. charges whatso-
ever has been made, and for each of Sucn
shipments received for carriage and
transportation the said railroad or steam
boat company, carrier, express company
or corporation or person whose occupa-
tiOn it is tc act as such shall pay tax
of one cent
HOUSE REAPPORTIONMEN
Chairman Hopkins, of the house COM
mittee on census, today called a meeting
Of that committee for tomorrow morn
ing to consider the question of reappor-
uonment of the representation of states
in the. house. AT the same time Mr.
Hopkins consulted with a number of
members of the house as to the advi-
stability of a conference or caucus of
Republican members tonight to discuss
the general subject to reapportionment.
Whether the caucus will be held will
be determined later, but in any event
the committee will proceed with the
subject tomorrow. Numerous state
delegations have caucused on the re-
appointment question, and Mr Hopkins
says the conference if held will be to
get the general concensus of members on
the subject.
Mr.. Hopkins stated later that there
would be a conference tonight. During
the day he introduced a reapportionment
bill, making the house membership 257
He said that the bill has no special sig
nificance as coming from him as chair
man of the census committee and will
take it's chances with other PROPOSE
tions The changes it makes are:
Losses, ore each Indiana, Kentucky,
Maine, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina,
Virginia.
Gains, one each Louisiana, Minnesota.