The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-15
EXPRESS PACKAGE TAX
The Bill Amended to Make the Com
panies Pay.
NO HOPE OF TRUSTS PAYING THEIR PART
Amendment by Newlands Aimed at Them De-
feated. Mr.. Kitchiu vainIy Seeks to Have
the Tax on Manufactured Tobacco
and Snuff Reduced.
and Snuff Reduced.
(By the Associated Press.)

Washington, Dec. 1.-THE House today
adjourned without disposing OF more than
half the War Revenue Reduction Bill,
General debate closed at two o'clock, after
which the bill was opened to amendment
under the FIVE minute rule. A determined
effort was made to reduce still further
the tax on beer. but the Ways and Means
committee overwhelmed the opposition.
Originally the tax had been fixed in the
bill at 50 per barrel with rebate OF
twenty per cent. This was changed by
the committee to $3.50 fiat. Mr.. New
lands, of Nevada, offered an amendment
to reduce it to $1.20 and Mr.. Batholdt, OF
Missouri, to $3.50 but both propositions
were badly beaten. The committee, how
ever, 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: 18th and 18th barrels but -
was defeated by IS TO "a after charges
that its purpose was to crush out the
small brewers Another defeat occurred
in connection with the amendment of
fercd BY Mr. Henry C. Smith, of rIichigan.
The bill abolished the one cent stamp
tax on express receipts and telegraph
messages but retained the tax IN rail-
road and steamship freight receipts. Mr..
Smiths amendment restored the tax on
express receipts but altered the form OF
the section SO as to provide that the
companies should make monthly state
ments of the number of packages carried
and pay thereon a tax of one cent per
package. The object was to compel the
company instead of the shipper to pay
the tax The amendment precipitated
lively debate in the course of which Mr..
Smith made a personal alluslon to
United States Senator who is connected
with one of the express companies. Mr.
Payne vigorously fought the amendment
but It was carried, 123 to 106. The text
of the amendment is as follows:
Express and freight: 1t shall be the
duty of every railroad or steamboat com
panv. carrier. express company, or corpo-
ration. or person whose occupation is to
act as such to make within the first tf-
teen days Of each month a sworn state
ment to the collector of internal revenue
fYf~each of their respective districts,
stating the number of shipments re-
ceiyed for carriage and transportation,
whether in bulk or in boxes, bales, pack
ages bundles, or not so inclosed or in
cluded for which any charges whatso-
ever has been made, and for each OF
such shipments received for carriage ana
transportation the said railroad or steam
boat company, carrier, express company,
or corporation or person whose occupation
it is to act as such shall pay tax OF
one cent on bundles or packages of news
papers when inciosed in one general bun
die at the time of shipment.
Mr.. Barney (Wis) from the Commit
tee on. Appropriations reported the Pen
sion Appropriation Bill.
Mr.. Maddox (Ga.), sought to refute
statements made by Mr.. Grosvenor re-
garding the preparation of plates for the
issue of bonds just prior to the advent
of the Cleveland Administration in 1893
He produced figures to show that the
$SS. 900 900 surplus which existed when
Mr.. Harrison came into office in 1889 was
dissipated during the latter's term and
deficit confronted the second Cleveland
Administration when it resumed control
in 1893
Mr. Otey (Va.). appealed for further
reduction of 1.-The oppressive tax on to-
bacco"
He said that $50 900 900 people used to-
bacco: 400, 900 900 used coffee; $50, 000,0 600
used opium and 00000,000 used tea. Ex-
act statistics on the users of whiskey
he said he did not have. But 1t was
beyond controversy that tobacco was the
solace of the world. Nothing, he said,
STAYED off hunger and thirst like "a chew
of tobacco"
Mr. Lewis (Ga.), said he approved of
the..bslf but protested that it did not go
tSr enough.
When in reading the bill for amendment
under the five minute rule. the beer sec
tion was reached half dozen members