The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-12-18
TAX REDUCTION BILL
NOW UNDER CONSIDERATION BY HOUSE
FOR AMENDMENTS.
THE COMMITTEE MEETS DEFEAT
In Two Propositions for Amendment.
II Fails to c q Change In the
Beer schedule-The Bill Amended 50
as to Reinstate the q ON Express
Receipts and Requiring the Conn
uby t~he:Senate In Open Session.
SENATE.

SENATE.
Washington. December H.-Through-
out nearly the entire Legislative day the
senate was in secret session. discussing
the Hay-Pauncefote treaty. No bust
the brief open session, except the adop-
ton Of he house resolution providing
for a holiday recess to extend from FRI
day. December 2lst. to Thursday,
January 3rd.
The president pro tenn announced
h appointment OF Senators Hanna.
of Ohio; Spooner. OF Wisconsin. and
sary arrangements for the Inauguration
Of the president Of the United States
OIL Ethe 4th Of March next.
A resolution to pay the expense of
an investigation of h claims Of VIII
liam A. Clark and Martin Maginnis
to a seat in the senate under appoint
ment Of the governor Of Montana was
referred to the committee ON privileges
and elections. as it had not come from
a standing committee.
Senator Chandler. h chairman of
that committee. Immediately reported
1t back to senate and askd for its
adoption. This was objected to on
technical grounds. but the resolution
finally was referred to the committee
on contingent expenses.
The senate then at 2:25 O'Clock p.
m. went into executive session, upon
the Hay-Pauncefote treaty, and at 1850
o'clock. adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The house today adjourned without
diSpOSing of more than half the war
revenue reduction bill. General debate
closed at 2 O'Clock. after which the bill
was opened to amendment under the
5-minute rule.
A determined effort was made to re-
luce still further the tax on beer, but
the ways and means committee over
whelmed the opposition. Originally
the tax had been fixed in h bill at 81
per barrel, with a rebate of 20 per
cent. This was changed by the COM
mittee to SIS fat. Mr.. NewaInds. OF
Nevada, altered an amendment to re-
duce it to s1.20 and Mr.. Bartholdt, Of
Missouri. to 81 so, but both propositions
were badly beaten.
The committee. however, sustained
'" al >iNL1 Ia Will
the beer tax Mr.. Payne offered an
amendment in the language of the bill
passed by the house last session. do
signed to abolish the use of small beer
packages; 18th and 18th barrels, but
it 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 offered by Mr..
| Henry c.. Smith. of Michigan. The
bill abolished the one cent stamp tax
on express receipts and telegraph
| messages. but retained the tax on 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 month
ly statements of the number of pack
ages carried and "a thereon a tax OF
one cent per package. The object was
to compel the company instead of the
shipper to pay the tax. The amend
ment precipitated a lively debate q
the curse of which Mr.. Smith made
a 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 106.
Mr. Barney, of Wisconsin,, from the
committee IN appropriations, reported
the pension appropriation bill.
Mr.. Maddox, of Georgia, sought tt
refute statements made by Mr.. Grosve'
nor regarding the preparation Of plates
for the issue of bonds just prior to thu
advent of the Cleveland administratio
in 1893. He produced figures to show
that the sss, oOo. 600 surplus which exist
ed when Mr.. Harrison came n ofic'
in 1889 was dissipated during the lat
ter's term and a deficit confronted tn
second Cleveland administration whel
it resumed control in 1893.
Mr.. Otey, Virginia, appealed for
further reduction Of the ~"oppressiv
tax on tobacco" He said that $50. 00o.
900 people used tobacco; 400, 000,00
used coffee; $50, 000, 900 used opium an
100, 000. 900 used ca. Exact statistic
on the users Of whiskey he said he di
not have. But 1t was beyond contro
the world. Nothing, he said, starve
off hunger and thirst like "a chew O
tobacco"
Mr.. Newlands offered an amendmen
providing that every person. corpora
ton or firm engaged m manufactur
whose gross receipts exceed $500 600 sha
a an excise tax OF one-tenth OF 1 pc
cent. on such receipts above $500, 900 an
. that such persons, corporations. etc
shall make true and accurate return
annually to the commissioner Of int!
nal revenue as in the case OF refners {
sugar n petroleum. The purpose {
the tax, Mr.. Newlands said, was I
make the great trusts and combina
tons pay a portion of h war revenu'
: The amendment was lost.
: Mr.. Kitchin. of North Carolina, onel
: ed and amendment to reduce the Ia
: on manufactured tobacco and snu
! from u to 6 cents per pound, the ia
{ before the war revenue act went int
! ~effect-lost.
I Without completing the bill the hou
D at SIS d. m. adjourned.