The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-14
ENDORSES HILL.
Senator Scott Asks That a Re-
cent Interview
With Great Northern President
Re Read to Senate.
HIS ADVICE is GOOD
Is: Stop Talking and Pass the
Tariff Bill.
Beveridge Illustrates How To-
bacco Users Are Held Up.

Washington, May 14-Asking that
an interview with j. j. Hill be read to
the senate Immediately after that body
convened today. Senator Scott endorsed
its advice to congress that oratory be
suspended and that congress promptly
pass the tariff bill. This" said Mr..
Scott, ''is in line with letters 1 am
daily receiving begging and praying
that these gentlemen (waving his hand
over the senate chamber,) get through
with their wind jamming and let the
country go ahead with its business. "
Senator Beveridge spoke in support
of an amendment offered by him rel
ative to the internal revenue tax on to-
bacco and its products.
Contending that the government has
lost $1S4,000,000 in the last eight
years through the repeal of the war
time tax of 1898, Mr.. Beveridge under
took by his amendment to increase the
present rate of national taxes on to-
bacco, snuff cigarettes and cigars
worth more than % cents. Mr.. Bever-
idge declared that the tobacco trust,
which he said, was the American To-
baoco company, had derived great ben
eft from the enormous loss of revenue
which, he said, was due to the law re-
pealing the increased rates of 1898.
The law providing for the high rates
of 1898, permitted the manufacturer
to reduce the size of the packages in
which the tobacco is sold to the peo-
pie, according to Mr.. Beveridge. In
1901 this increased tobacco tax was
removed said he, but the short
weight packages of tobacco We're con-
tinued by the very law that removed
the tax. The manufacturer still col
lects the war time tax from the peo-
pie, but instead of paying it to the gov
ernment, he keeps it for himself"
Mr.. Beveridge declared that his
amendment would not affect the cigar
makers of the country. because he
said, it does not enhance the tax on
any cigars except those which sell for
10 cents or more.
Would Bring in $2f ,OOO.O 900.
Claiming that his amendment would
increase the revenues to the extent of
over $4,000, Mr.. Beveridge asserted
that the toba Geo trust is now reap
ing vast benefit through failure to
enact such legislation as he proposed.
Mr.. Beveridge controverted the idea
that the continuation by law of short
weight war time packages after the
war tax had been removed did not af-
feet the plug tobacco business.
1.-THE law" he said, docs not fix
the size of the cut that is sold, but the
manufacturer of plug tobacco got the
war tax this article out of the
people by selling a smaller cut than
the plug and this practice still contin-
ues When a box of plug tobacco is
sold by the trust to the retail dealer
there is marked upon each plug a
place for the cut. By decreasing the
size of these cuts very slightly the to-
bacco trust through the retailer gets
the war time price for cut from d
plug of tobacco by marking the cut
a little smaller"
Upon ia king up the iron and steel
sections of the tariff bill. Mr. Aldrich
asked that the senate pass over the
paragraph relating to pig iron as the
90, finance wished tn
slider an amendment affecting the duty
on cast scrap iron.