The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-07
LONG SESSION OF THE SENATE.
Bills Passed During the Day and ships
Discussed at Night.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 1.-TWO important
measures were disposed of by the Senate
to-day. the Military Academy appropriation
bill and the war revenue reduction measure.
The former was under consideration less
than an hour. The only change made in it
was the strengthening OF the provision
against hazing at West Point by adoption
OF the following amendment:
THAT the superintendent Of the Military
Academy shall make such rules, TO be ap-
proved by tire secretary o. war, as VIII
effectUally prevent the p-a ,tice OF hazlng
and any caaet found guilty Of participating
In, or encouraging or cOun financing sucn
practice shall be summaTily expelled from
the academy, and shall not thereafter be
reapp0inted 10 the corps Of cadets or DC
eligible for appointment as a commissioned
officer in the army or navy.
During the remainder Of the afternoon
session the war revenue reduction bill was
before the Senate. A determined. but IN
successful. effort was made TO reduce the
tax on bank checks and to provide that
telegraph and express companies should
bear the burden OF the tax messages and
packages sent. The finance committees
amendment levying tax on transactions
in so-called bucket shops, modifying the
tax upon cigars and cigarettes. and provid-
ing for a rebate on unbroken packages Of
tobacco. in addition TO several others of a
minor character, were adopted. An amend
ment substituting an income tax for the
war revenue measure, offered by Mr. Nor
gan, was rejected by party vote, Il TO 3S
When the bill was taken UP to-day Mr..
Aldrich said written report had been
submitted. but he would explain the COM
mittees action after he had perfected the
measure The first amendment added to
the words ''promissory notes" providing
for the repeal of the stamp tax on such in
struments) the words "and any renewals
thereof. The second modified the para
graph removing the stamp tax on bonds,
making IL read as follows: Bonds OF
every description. not including, however.
the bonds provided for in the first para
graph Of Scheduled of said act, or bonds
for indemnifying any person or persons,
frm or. corporation who shall have become
bound or engaged as surety for the pay
due execution or performance of the duties
OF any Office or position, and to account
for money received by virtue thereof" The
amendments were agreed to.
The next amendment included per
fumeries and cosmetics in the section pro-
yidinS for a penalty for failure to affix
stamps to medicinal and proprietary prepa-
rations- 1t agreed to, as were other
amendments, as follows.
Providing for a rebate upon unbroken
packages or cigars and tobacco; authoriz-
ing the cancellation OF stamps on fermented
liquors by perfOration; reducing by one
haif the tax upon foreign bills of exchange;
Tor the appointment OF competent per-
son TO secure the enforcement of the tax
Imposed upon legacies and distributive
shares or personal property; providing that
the purchase OF an incorporated me-
dicinal drug upon which the tax already
has been paid shall not be required to pay
further tax.
The amendment of the committee fixing
the tax upon transactions in stocks through
so-called bucket shops" was agreed TO,
with an amendment offered by Mr.. Mason
Provlding that tax of cents instead Of
cent on each 500 in value Of the mer-
ehandise covered or pretended TO be COW
ered-'
A committee amendment modifying the
tax on cigars and cigarettes in accordance
with the proposition made previously by
Mr.. Platt, of Connecticut was agreed to.
Mr.. Allison offered an amendment ex-
empting from the tax levied upon life in
surance companies ANY post norton as
sessment association organized and con-
Quoted solely for the members thereof"
In response to an inquiry BY Mr. Jones,
of Arkansas. Mr.. Allison said the amend
nent would not apply to any of the recog-
nfzed life insurance companies, mutual or
otherwise. The amendment was agreed to.
Mr.. Allison, explaining the effect of the
bill, said that according TO calculations of
the committee the reductions OF the reve-
nues made by the bill would amount TO
IS, 10000 This calculation did not, how
ever, take into account the effect of the
amendment for taxing bucket shops
which the Senate to-day had Incorporated
in the bill. He had been informed that
there are 5000 Of these bucket shops in
the United States. IL each one should pay
500 the government would derive SO, 600
from that source.
An amendment was agreed to providing
that the tax on new banks shall be COM
puted from the time the institutions begin
business
An amendment offered by Mr.. McComas,
OF Maryland, was agreed to providing that
the internal revenue commissioner should
place the stamps provided for I'm the bill
on sale at the postoffices of the country.
After the rejection OF several amend
ulerlts the bill was passed without division
and a recess taken until d. m.
When the Senate reconvened at s o'clock,
with Mr.. Chandler IN. H.) in the chair. Mr..
Jones, OF Arkansas, remarked: by actual
count there are just twelve Republican sem
ators present l suggest the absence of a
quorum" At that time eleven Democratic
senators were present.
One at time senator's hurriedly entered
the chamber, but when the result of the roll
call was announced only forty-two had re-
sponded to their names. Mr.. Frye demand
ed that the roll of absent senator's be called.
While the call was In progress several SEN
ators entered the chamber. among them
MIR. Hanna, who had risen from a sick bed
in order to be present. Finally the chair
announced that quorum was present. Mr..
Frye then called up the shipping bill and II
was laid before the Senate.
The entire night session was devoted to
continuous round OF intellectual pyrOtecn-
mics. Practically every question that has
been. or Is likely soon to be before the
Senate, was discussed. but very little time
dovofQd N tho pandfpr N0f