The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-25
WAR TAX UNTOUCHED.

DNSii leihCil Oll lllCID, now ever.
WAR TAX UNTOUCHED.
The revenue legislation of the congress
has been confined to an effort to reduce
the taxation imposed when the war with
Spain began. Prior to the opening of
the present session, a comprehensive plan
of revenue reduction was framed by the
Republican members of the ways and
means committee. This plan was intro
duced on the opening of the session, and
passed before the holidays. 1t aroused
little party opposition as the minority
supported the proposed reduction ana
urged also an income tax The bill as it
passed the house reduced revenue about
COCO co., the CHIEF reductions being on
beer, and in the removal of the stamp
on bank checks, kilograms, commercial
papers. life insurance policies, proprie>
tary medicines, and many other articles.
In the senate an entirely new Substi-
tute was passed This, however, retained
the main features of the house bill but
materially changed the rates throughout,
adding reductions onto tobacco in various
forms and restoring the tax on bank
checks This revenue reduction measure
is still in controversy between the two
honses, the conference committee not
having reached an agreement
The act apportioning to the several
states, their representation in the house
Of representatives, followed as a result
of the twelfth census. AS finally enacted
the total representation is fixed at 3S6
members, or % more than in the present
house.
Hazing at West Point has received at
tention at the present session, with the
prospect that strong restrictive legisla-
ticn will be enacted
Government participation and aid in the
Louisiana purchase exposition seems as
sured during this congress. At the first
session, senate amendment to the sun
dry civil bill, pledged the government to
appropriate $5.00OOO0 when ST Louis had
raised $4,000 COO. The bill is now pending
and is likely to become a law, making the
appropriation S5,000,00O and providing gen,
oral plans for the exposition
OTHER LEGISLATION
Among the many other measures enact
ed during this congress are those giving
free homes on the public lands ac-
Quired from the Indians, and known as
the Free homes act" providing a sys-
tenn of eXtradition for insular possess
sions, under which c. F. w Nicely was
eXtradited to Cuba for alleged postal
frauds; authorizing the "aggregating'' of
pension liabilities and increasing to $3.50
the allowance to widows in certain cases
on the lines of recommendations by the
G. A. R.. authorizing the appointment of
Charles A. BOutelle, a veteran member
Of congress, as captain on the retired
list of the navy; providing for the CEN
tennial celebration of the establishment
of the permanent seat of government aat
Washington; extending the mining laws
to saline lands; providing a criminal
code of laws for Alaska; allowing en-
ployes of navy yards, arsenals, etc. fif-
teen days annual leave.
At the first session, Brigham H. Rob-
erts, Of Utah, was expelled from the
house after an exciting contest; Secre-
tary Quay of Pennsylvania, was refused
a seat in the senate on the appointment
of Gov. Stone; sensational charges against
Senator Clark. of Montana, were investi-
gated by a senate committee; the excit-
ing mining riots in the Occur dAlene
district of Idaho We're investigated by a
committee of the house. The senate also
appointed a Cuban inquiring commission
but little has been accomplished on that
line.
BILLS HUNG UP.
The Nicaraguan canal bill was passed
in the house of representative and au-
thorized expenditures of $140G00,00O with
a present appropriation of $4,000, COO The
measure was favorably reported to the
senate, but owing to the complications
arising over the Hay-Pauncefote treaty
the senate has not considered the Dill,
and it is likely to be one of the meas
ures to die with this congress.
The house has taken no action on the
ship subsidy bill pending the contest in
the senate, so that according to present
indications, the bill will not have a par
liamentary status as having passed either
branch of congress.
The Pacific cable bill passed the senate
at the first session, and has been pending
in the house since. 1t provides for a
cable to Hawaii and the Philippines under
government mana cement.
The oleomargarine bill was passed by
the house early in the present session
Its chief feature is that placing tax of
ten cents per pound on Oleomargarne
when cOlOred in imitation of butter the
stated purpose being to prevent alleged
fraudulent practices in placing this
article on the market, The bill has met
sharp opposition in the senate, and in
these closing days of the session, its
passage is still in doubt.
Quite a number of other measures of
general legislation, more or less i'm
pOrtant, will expire with the end of the
congress after having secured certain
degree of consideration and success in
one branch or the other. These include
the joint resolution proposing consti-
tut1onal amendment for the election of
United States senators by the vote of
tho people which was passed in the
house, but has remained Enacted upon bv
the senate and bills to establish the de-
partment of commerce and industry, to
endOw state schools of mining with a
portion of the proceeds of public land
sales, authorizing the president to an
point a commission to study the CONNER
cial and industrial conditions Of China
and Japan, and to regulate trusts ana
ether organizations in restraint of trade
DEFEATED OR DELAYED.
Besides the antitrust bill passed by
the house and not acted upon by the
senate, Il resolution proposing a consti~
tutlonal amendment, giving congress-
more ample power to deal with trusts,
was defeated in the house Another
measure defeated in the branch where it
originated, was that defining the power
of injunction and limiting the authority
of the federal courts to issue this proc ass.
Much of the time of the senate has been
occupied on the important treaties con-
Sidered behind closed doors These in
Glide the Hay-Pauncefote treaty neutral
izing the Nicaraguan canal; treaties with
Great Britain and Germany dissolvine
the tripartite agreement on Samoa and
dividing the islands; commercial reel
procity treaties with France, Germany
Argentine Republic Nicaragua, and with
Great Britain respecting the various
British colonies of the West Indies.
WASHINGTON NOTES.