Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-12-08
TO REDUCE WAR TAXES.
The New Measure VIII Take Off
Over Forty Million Dollars.
URGE ACTION BEFORE HOLIDAYS.

Chairman Payne VIII Seek TO Have
OIeomargarine and Legislative
Bills Are Disposed OF.
Washington. Dec. g. Chairman
Payne, of the ways and means com
mittee, yesterday introduced the bill
reducing the taxation under the war
revenue act, after the Republican mem
bers of the committee had agreed on
the form of the measure and the ar
ticles to receive the reduction of tax.
The bill provides an aggregate reduc-
tion estimated at $40,000,34S.
The bill provides a discount OF 20
per cent in the tax of 81 per barrel on
beer, in lieu of the present 719 per cent
reduction, making the new rate SLIGO
per barrel.
The sections of the war revenue act
taxing commercial brokers, custom
house brokers, circuses, theaters and
other exhibitions are stricken out.
The rate on cigars is made So in
stead of $3.50 per 1000, weighing more
than three pounds per 1000.
Schedule A retains the stamp tax
on corporate stock, bonds, sales, etc,
at exchanges or boards of trade,
freight receipts, certificates of profit,
entry of goods at custom houses, and
entry for withdrawal of goods from
customs bonded warehouse. With
these exceptions the stamp taxes un-
der schedule A are struck out. Chair
man Payne's statement gives in de-
tail the stamp taxes omitted under
schedule A.
Schedule B. which required stamps
on proprietary medicines and prepare
lions, perfumery and cosmetics, chew
ing gum, etc, is amended SO that spar
king or other wines are the only pro-
ducts requiring stamps.
Section 20 of the war revenue act,
relating to taxes on legacies, is amend
ed by adding at the end of said section
the following. Provided, that nothing
in this section shall be continued to APP
ply to requests or legacies for uses of
a religious, literary, charitable or edu-
cational character, including works or
art
Section 80 of the act is amended as
to administrative features and sections
10, IL, IS, 10 and 20 are repealed, as
they relate to administrative features
no longer necessary.
Section 80 of the act is amended to
read as follows: THAT for the purposes
of this act the word mixed -four shall
be taken and construed To mean the
food product resulting from the grind
ing or mixing together of wheat or
whe9t Hopr as the principal constitu-
ent with any other grain, or the pro-
quot Vi any other grain. or other ma
terial, except such material not the
product of any grain, as is commonly
used for baking purposes. provided,
that when the product resulting from
the grinding or mixing together of
wheat or wheat -four with any other
grain, or the product of any other
grain of which wheat or wheat flour
is not the principal constituent, as
specified in the foregoing definition, is
intended for sale, or is sold, or Of
ferred for sale, as wheat flour, such
product shall be held to be mixed flour
within the meaning of the act
The bill provides for redeeming rev.
enue stamps heretofore issued and not
used.
The concluding section provides that
the act shall take effect 80 days after
its passage.
Chairman Payne will seek to have
the bill considered after the army,
oleomarsarine and legislative bills are
disposed of, with view to securing ac-
ton before the holidays.