Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-07-03
Sixty-first Congress.
Washington, July 3.
SENATE.

pending. When the Senate met today
Mr.. Brown ssked for an immediate vote
upon his resolution. Mr.. Aldrich said
he was willing TO have vote II there
would be little discussion or none ct oil.
Mr.. McLsuriu said he did not believe q
constitutional amendment necessary to
suthorzs an income tax law and he
feared that three quarters Of tie states
would not vote in favor OF such an
amer dmeDt. He preferred that some
time be allowed for discussion. he as
serted that Mr.. Brown voted yesterday
to substitute the corporation tax for 40
income tax.
Mr.. Brown answered;
81 voted for an income lax tbai The
Supreme Court has held to be constltu-
tiCnal snd against an income tax bat
the court has held TO be unconsiiEu-
tioual."
Mr.. McLsurin said that without de-
string TO be discourteous he did not
think that Congress ought to zig-zag
around the conflicting decisions OF the
Supreme Court. 1t ought to pass law
taxing uniformly all incomes instead Of
taxing only those derived from corpora
tions.
At the suggestion Of Mr.. OGrter, 1t
was then decided to vote on the resolu-
ton Monday afternoon.
When Senator Aldrich called up this
maximum and minimum feature IN the
Senate today he said that he regarded 1t
as the most important part of the bill
Oft is essential" said he, "for the pro-
lection of American industry. / assume
that senators are sdvis ID as TO conditions
in other countries which make this &C.
ton necessary" he thereupon sent 10
the clerks desk and had read memo
randum prepared by the Treasury De-
partment showing which countries OF
the world have maximum aud minimum
duties, preferential duties or only one
general tariff. He declared that since
that memorandum had been prepared
France had adopted changes which made
the difference between her maximum
and minimum duties so per cent ad
valorem.
Senator Daniel at once led off with an
attack upon the proposed amendment
He moved to strike out that part OF Its
provisions which provide for the impo-
stion of duty on coffee and tea when
imported from countries which dis
criminate against United States pro-
ducts. He also a Onounced that he
! would offer an ame ndment to that por'
ton of the proposition which authorizes
the president to appoint persons to
gather information regarding the tariff
| of foreign countries. He said that this
commission ought to be limited IN nam"
Der, non-partisan, and that Congress
should fix the salaries, all the things be-
ing left indefinite In the committee
amendment.
Mr.. Daniel then went on to say that
the maximum and minimum feature iD'
voIved three kinds of tariff. First, the
dutiable list of the bill; secOud, a general
tariff which, by the stroke OF pen,
added to the rates of the dutiable list
twenty-five per cent ad valorem; and a
third tariff which might be called the
presidential tariff, ambulatory In chsrac'
ter which went and came at the will OF
the president under certain conditions
Mr.. Daniel said thai his first objection
to the proposition Was that it left the
question of the American tariff on for
T.. a-.iolaa IN M ind a6 nila condition
he insisted that Congress was tbs only
body that could either levy or repeal
taxation and that it could not transfer TO
the president or any one else that right.
Mr.. Daniel denounced the republican
members of the finance committee for
having refused to permit the democratic
members to take part in the drafting OF
the tariff bill. He said he had called
attention to the matter before aud not
one senator had lifted his little finger 10
defend the constitution, not one had
raised a whisper against wrong conf
mitted in his presence. Should not oil
of them, he said, arise and ask, els thy
servant q dog that he should do this
thing?" Aud yet the Senate remained
silent.
Mr.. Money offered an amendment
making the maximum duty 20 per cent
of the minimum duty instead of twenty
five per cent sd valorem.
Mr.. Gallinger, stated that IL tea and
coffee we're named in the section, he
would move to add cocoa with duty
Of three cents pound.
"UolesS the president should issue
q proclamation. said Mr.. Nelson,
"under the provisions of this section,
we should have a tax on tea and coffee.
To that | sm opposed. l hope the
chsirman of the finance committee,
(Mr. Aldricb) will strike out tes and
coffee. Unless he does 50 | cannot sup.
port this section"
II join 10 the request OF the senator
from Minnesota" said Mr.. Curtis.
Senator Boot, of New York, made a
strong Argument along the same lines.
Mr.. AIdrich announced that he would
accept the suggestions made and lea
and coffee we're eliminated from the
maximum and minimum section of the
bill. Senator Hepburn, of Idaho, gave
notice that at the proper time be would
offer sn amendment providing that The
government. from January ], 1910, to
July 1st. 1915, pay bounty of 10 cents
a pound on all tea prLduced'in The
United States.
Mr.. Money then withdrew his amend
ment but may present 1t again when The
bill comes up 10 the Senate.
A sharp criticism of the last provision
of the section which authorized the
n,aaidant m amnlov exnerta IN Oet in