Evening star., 1902-03-20
Measure Reported to the Sen
ate.
VERBAL CHANGES MADE
WILL BE CALLED UP IN A DAY
OR TWO.
Debate on Bill for Protection of the
President-Army Appropria-
tions Reported.

Soon after the Senate convened today Mr.
Aldrch. chairman of the committee on
finance, reported the bill to repeal war
revenue taxes.
He made known the amendments to the
bill suggested by the committee. There are
many changes in the language of the bill,
but except In one instance, the intention
of the House bill of repeating the entire
act is respected. The exception is the pro-
vision in the existing law providing for the
taxation of bucket shops, which pro-
vision IS left intact and the tax continued
in effect.
Senator Aldrfch said. before presenting
the report that he expected to call it up
within day or two and ask the Senate to
act Ii is understood that there will be no
effort on either side of the Senate to amend
the bill. and it is not expected that there
will be any prolonged debate upon it.
The House provision authorizing the ap-
pontment of ten additional internal reVe-
nue. agents in connection with the rebate
on tobacco on hand when the law shall go
into effect is eliminated, but the commits
soner of internal revenue is authorized 10
adopt such regulations as may be neces-
sary to carry the provision into effect
The entire section Of the House Dill re-
Iating to the collection of taxes on inhert-
tances between now and July 1. when the
provision will be repealed. is rewritten.
The changes relate only to minor details
OF the administration OF the law IoF tAe
next three months.
The committee also recommends the ad-
dition of the following section: THAT the
repeal of existing laws or notifications
thereof embraced i'll this act SHAH not al
feet any act done, or any right accrulng
or accrued. or any suit or proceeding had
or commenced in any civil cause before the
said repeal or notifications; but all rights
and liabilities under said laws shall con-
tinue and may be enforced in the same
manner as if said repeal or notifications
had not been made. Any offenSes commit
ted and all penalties or forfeitures or liza
bilities incurred prior to the passage of this
act under any statute embraced In or
changed. modified or repealed by this act
may be prosecuted or punished in the same
manner and with the same effect as If this
act had not been passed
Protection of the President.
Consideration then was resumed Of the
bill for the protection of the President of
the United States
Mr. Rawlins Utah> said he was not in
opposition to the main results to be accom-
plished by the pending bill, but it fell short,
in his opinion, of affording that complete
protection to the President which he ought
to have.
MIR. Mallory Fla) said the proposed leg
isla ation most important. 1t was novel
and practically without precedent in the
history of the country. He said there was
no doubt of the power of Congress to pro-
vide protection for federal officers. but he
held that the punishment should not be in
fiicted except when it was established that
the Offense was committed against the
President or other official, only when he
was in the performance of his duties as
such officer.
He held that 1t was not within the power
OF Congress to throw the mantle of pro-
lection around an official Of the United
States merely because he was such an Off
cial. He believed, however. that Congress
had the right to enact legislation for the
protection of the President and Vice Presi-
dent at all times, but he thought that such
power did not extend to the protection Of
anybody else
Proposed Military Guard.
Mr.. Mallory gave notice Of an amendment
which he probably would offer providing,
as substitute for section Z OF the bill,
which arranges for military guard for the
President. that the Secretary of the Treas
ury employ competent and discreet men to
guard the President and to prevent the
consummation Of conspiracy against him.
MIR. Spooner CWis) said that that very
plan was in force now and in the instance
OF President McKinley's assassination, 1t
had proved inefficacious.
Mr.. Pettus {Ala) thought that 1t was be-
meath the dignity Of the President to be
guarded by secret service officials.
In his opinion. If President Mckinley had
had a proper military guard he would not
have been assasSnated The guard was
not. provided for pomp or for display, but
for the safety and security of the President.
Such proper guard could be furnished
only by the army.
Mr.. Mallory doubted whether a military
or any other sort of guard could have pre-
vented President McKinley's assassination
ct Buffalo He believed that competent
guard of civilians was better and more in
line with our institutions than a military
guard.
Splitting Hairs.
Mr.. Hawley Comm, in supporting the
BILL expressed his astonishment that some
senators should persist in misrepresenting
the measure. in misunderstanding the Con-
stitution and in splitting hairs over 1nconse-
QCential matters. He saw no reason why
the Senate should hesitate for five minutes
to pass the pending bill. In his opinion It
was well considered and thoroughly ma
tured. In conclusion, after an appeal for
the passage of the measure, he said: II
have an utter adherence Of anarchy and
would give a thousand dollars to get a
good shot at an anarchist"
% MIR Nelson tMinn.) vigorously supported
the pending bill In defense of the provi-
Sion for the protection not only Of the
President but of all those WHO by law are
In line of succession to the presidency, he
said. there might be a conspiracy to assas-
sfnate every one OF those men. Indeed at
the time President Lincoln was murdered
there was project involving the assassi-
nation OF several members of his cabinet
conspiracy might be formed at any time
for the wrecking of the entire executive
branch OF the government. To guard
against such contingency the government
ought to be equipped with power to protect
not only the President and the succession
to the presidency. but the very life of the
government through them.