The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-15
Stamp on Express Receipts Restored,
with a Provision that the Conn
pany Pay the Tax.
CARRIED BY VOTE OF 1913 TO los
THE USE OF SMALL BEER PACKAGES
NOT TO BE ABOLISHED.
Tax on Lager, However, VIII Remain
at S1.6O Al Barrel, as Proposed
by Payne's Committee.

than half the war revenue reduction bill.
General debate closed at o'clock, after
which the bill was opened to amendments
under the fve-minute rule. A determined
effort was maze to reduce still further the
tax on beer below the committee rate of
SLIGO a barrel, but the ways and means
committee overwhelmed the opposition.
The committee, however, suffered two sig
nal 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-s sixteenth
and one-eighth barrels-but it was defeated
by IS to 81, after charges that its purpose
was to crush out the small brewers. An
other defeat occurred I'M connection with
the amendment offered by Mr.. Henry c.
Smith, of Michigan. The bill abolishes the
1-cent stamA tax on express receipts and
telegraph messages, but retained the tax
on railroad and steamship freight receipts.
Mr.. Smiths amendment restored the tax
express receipts and altered the form Of
the section to compel the company,
instead of the shipper, TO pay the tax.
The amendment precipitated lively de-
bate, in the course of which Mr.. Smith
made personal allusion 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 log. The text of the amendment
follows:
Express and Freight.-It shall be the
duty of every railroad or steamboat COM
pany,. carrier. express company or cor
poration, person whose occupation is
to act as such, TO make within the first
fifteen days of each month a sworn state
ment to the collector of internal revenue
In each of their respective districts, stat
ing the number of shipments received for
carriage and transportation. whether in
bulk in boxes, bales, packages bundles
or not so inclosed or included, for which
any charges whatsoever have been made.
and for each of such shipments received
for carriage and transportation the said
railroad or steamboat company, carrier,
express company or corporation or person
whose occupation Ii is to act such shall
pay tax of 1 cent, provided that but one
payment of such tax shall be required.
on bundles or packages of newspapers when
inclosed in one general bundle at the time
of shipment.
THE BEER SECTION.
When general debate closed the bill was
read for amendment under the five-minute
rule. AS soon as the beer section had been
reached a half dozen members were on the
chairman of the ways and means commit
tee. from the committee, offered an amend
ment to make the tax s1.6O barrel fiat, in
stead of discount of 20 per cent, as orig
inally drawn.
Mr.. Newlands, of Nevada, offered an
amendment to reduce the tax TO s1.2O per
barrel. He urged that the tax on beer
could be reduced and the taxes on the ac-
cumulated wealth of the country, for the
first time placed under contribution, could
be retained.
Mr.. Payne opposed the Newlands amend
rGent. which, he said, would make a re-
duction of S26,000000 on beer, or total re-
duction of $56O00,0O0. Such a reduction,
he said. would necessarily create a deficit.
Mr. Newlands's amendment was lost, GO
to 1877
Mr.. Bartholdt offered an amendment
making the rate S1.50.
Mr.. Allen, of Mississippi, made a short
and witty speech, closing, he said, his
great legislative career" He referred
ironically to the need of keeping up taxa
ton and spending more money. He raised
a laugh by describing a walk in the fash
icnable quarters of Washington and finding
the palatial residences occupied by brew
ers. He opposed any further reduction of
the beer tax.
Mr.. Bartholdt and Mr.. Fitzgerald, of Mas
sachusetts, spoke in favor of the amend
ment. which was defeated-6O to 1Sl.
Mr. Sulzer, of New York. charged that
the Republicans had obtained large cam
paign fund from the brewers on a pledge
to repeal the 81 additional on beer. They
had been false TO their promise. and he
predicted that the brewers would repudiate
at the next election.
The Payne amendment fixing the tax
at 81. per barrel was then Adopted with
out division.
Mr.. Stewart. of New York offered an
amendment providing that unless the beer
sold was made exclusively of malt ard
hops, so pronounced by treasury inspect
ors, the tax upon it should be 81 per barrel,
and accepted an amendment by AIR. Taw-
ney, OF Minnesota, TO include barley in
the ingredients of pure beer. The whole
amendment was then defeated.
TO PREVENT FRAUD.
Mr.. Corliss. of Michigan, offered an
amendment to require the cancellation of
stamps by perforation. Adopted-123 to %.
It's stated purpose is to prevent frauds
Mr.. Payne then offered as an amend
ment the bill passed by the House at the
last session fixing the size of beer pack
ages He said ii abolished one-sixth and
one-eighth barrels.
The amendment was vigorously opposed
by Mr.. Fletcher of Minnesota. who &C.
clared that il was a COMPROMISE liy which
tie big brewers agreed I'D accept she re-
duction to SLIGO per barrel provided tins
amendment was placed IN the bill The
amendment, he SAID, would crush out the
sms IL brewers.
Mr.. Payne denied that the amendment
was I'm the interest of the large brewers.
The amendment defeated-S5 20 Of.
Mr.. Newlands offered an amendment
providing that every person, corporation
or firm engaged in manufacture, whose
gross receipts exceed $500, GOO. shall pay an
excise tax of one-tenth of l per cent. on
such receipts above 500. 600. and that such
persons, corporations, etc, shall make true
and accurate returns annually TO the CON-
missioner of internal revenue, as in the
case of refiners of. sugar and petroleum.
The purpose OF the tax Mr.. Newlands said.
was to make the great trusts and con-
binations pay portion of the war revenu-.
1T was lost-90 TO ll9.
Mr. Kitchen. of North Carolina. offered
ufactured tobacco and snuff from II. to 6
cents per pound. the tax before the war
revenue act went into effect Lost-79 to
ia6.
Mr. H. c. Smith, of Michigan. offered an
amendment TO require tax of cert upon
express receipts, with provision designed
TO compel the express companies 10 pay the
tax Mr.. Smith charged that the express
and telegraph companies had been un-
patriotic In refusing TO bear their share of
the war taxes by compelling their custom