The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-11


mittee ROoms-SenatOr stewart
Wants to Increase the Public Rev.
enues by Doubling the Tax on
Beer.
BY r. NJ. Larner.
Washington. Dec. Deuteronomy
in the public expenditures is
the Republicai slogan at both ends
of the Capitol, and the friends of river
and harbor Improvements, public build
ings, good roads. pure food, and the
cotton claim are alarmed for fear these
measures will be pushed to the rear
and smothered to death at the close of
the session. In the House these meas
ures and similar bills, can only receive
consideration through the courtesy of
the Committee on Rules, which is
dominated by Speaker Cannon. In the
Senate unanimous consent is required
to get any of these propositions before
that body, so there is trouble all along
the line for all legislation during the
present session, which does not pass
muster before the steering committees
of the two Houses.
Disposed to Resent the "Gag" Rule.
Some of the less conspicuous mem
bers of the Republican party in the
House and Senate, who are not allow
ed to have much to do with shaping
party legislation, are disposed to re-
sent what they call the ''gag" rule of
the steering committees. The point is
made that in spite of the deficit in the
Treasury, this sudden spasm of econo-
\
and the House had involved the gov
eminent in an outlay of several million
dollars to provide additional commit
tee rooms for individual senators and
representatives in the immediate vi
entity of the Capitol.
Two valuable squares fronting the
Capitol were purchased under condem-
nation proceedings during last year,
and the work is being pushed forward
as though the fate of the government
depended upon each congressman being
provided with a private committee
ROOM Along the same line the PROPOSE
ton is under consideration to increase
the salary of the President, Vice Presi-
dent cabinet and members of Con-
gress. In the executive departments
the annual estimates bristle with rec
concentrations for increases in the sal
aries of the high officials, while the
pruning knife is vigorously employed
among the lower salaried employees.
Plenty of Views on Economy.
There are so many conflicting views
in Congress on the subject of ''econo-
my that it is difficult to separate the
economical sheep from the grating
goats. For instance, here are two bills
recently introduced in the House. One
proposes to grant fifteen days leave
of absence, each year. without loss of
pay to rural free delivery letter car
riers. The other bill appropriates $15-
900 to enable an agent of the Depart
ment of Agriculture to visit Europe
and Asia to study the foreign natural
enemies or means of control of the
gypsy moth and the brown tail moth,
and for the introduction of such of
these as promise to be useful in con-
trolling the two insects named in
America. Now, the chances are that
the leave of absence to the rural deliv-
cry letter carriers will be denied on
the ground that the provisions for the
rural delivery service is already excess
sively large. On the other hand, past
experience justifies the presumption
that the gypsy moth" and the drown
tail moth will be provided for in a
snug little corner of the agricultural
appropriation bill.
Wants Tax on Beer.
is heard the voice of Senator Stewart,
of Nevada, crying aloud for an in
crease in the revenues by placing an
additional tax on beer. The venerable
Senator declares that the present tax
on beer is too small and should be
doubled. He claims that the govern
ment needs more money to meet the
demand made upon it, and as there APP
pears to be no intention of revising
the tariff, the easiest way to raise
additional revenue is to double the tax
on beer.
The Senator is very severe on the
brewers. He not only contends that
they do not pay sufficient tax, but he
also charges that they do not brew
nealth-giving beverage. He asserts
That If statistics were obtainable on
the subject it would be shown that
the beer brewed in this country kills
one-half of the people who drink it.
can 1t be possible that the ancient
Senator from Nevada, who goes into
retirement on March 4, next, has lost
his thirst?