Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-06-30
HOUSE PASSES LEVER BILL
His Measure Proposes to Regulate
Euture Gambling by Taxation.

Future SamDlinS pJ
The house on yesterday, substituted
the Lever bill for regulation OF cottol
exchanges through prohioltlVe taxes
for the senate measure proposiht
regulation by means of prohlbltlnt
the use of the mails ana the teleslapI
tor so-called gambling TRANSACTIONS
The house put the bill through un-
der suspension of the rules by vote
of "a TO p and sent II TO the senate
II the senate fails to agree 10 tne
substitute the differences VIII pe lah'
en- up in conference.
senator Smith, author of the SEN
ate bill, is now campaigning IN SoutN
Carolina and consideration OF the SUP
stitute may be delayed until ms re-
turn. though Senator Smith OF Geor'
gia, or some other southern senator
may call il up in the meantime.
Both the senate and house meas
ures aim to regulate alleged evil prac'
tIces on the cotton exchanges whlcr
the cotton producers contend keel
down the price of cotton. The sen
ate bill, through the postoihce ue'
partment and the interstate com
merce commissions jurisdiction over
the telegraph, would prohibit the
transmission of quotations and lists o.
sales of cotton that did not comply
with the requirements as TO stahuarui'
zation prescribed in the Dill. Botl
bills would regulate, though the9
would not prohibit transactions IL
futures.
The house bill relies on the gov
ernment taxing power instead OF lnhl'
bitions on the mail and the telegraph
proposing a tax of $5 a bale on con-
tracts that do not comply with the
requirements.
No tax would be imposed on wha'
are regarded as legitimate contracts
The measure would require that con
tracts must be in writing; mus
specify the quantity of cotton lnVoiV
ed in each transaction and give the
names and addresses of buyers anC
sellers, with the basis grade OF tn'
cotton involved. Other sections woulC
provide that the cotton must be OF
within the grades specifically estaD
lished by the secretary of agrlcul
ture. and that in case other than the
basis grade is delivered, the dlHer'
ences above or below the contrac
price must be the actual commercla
differences and not the diiterence:
arbitrarily fixed by the cotton eX
changes, the commercial dlfterence:
to be determined by the secretary o.
agriculture by comparison OF price:
of five spot cotton markets.
A lively debate preceded the vote
on the bill Democratic Leader I'm
derwood, favoring the measure, point
ed out that the whole proposition
rested on the proposal that congress
should either suppress or regulate tn'
cotton exchanges of the country.
Whatever particular power yol
use TO enforce law" he said, is
secondary proposition, but there Is NJ
better power in the government thai
the power to tax, which is in this Dill
The Scott bill was intended to wipe
out the cotton exchanges. The Leve
bill is intended to regulate them. II
two different congresses l have sup
ported legislation along the lines o
the Scott bill, and they have died II
committee in the senate. slmlla
bill at this time would meet slmlla
fate"
Il believe that the practices of tn
New York cotton exchange cost I'M
southern producers annually SlOO,
100000" declared Representative
Lever of South Carolina, chairman o
the agricultural committee, and au
thor of the bill The purpose of thl
bill is to eliminate the practices which
constitute such an enormous burden.
Representative Wingo of Arkansas
insisted upon legislation along tn
lines of the Scott bill.
Representative ASwell Of Louisiana
sought to introduce, as substitute
for the Lever bill, a measure of tn
National Farmers Union, but wa
ruled out of order The Aswell bill
would levy a tax of cents pound
Representative Hughes of Georgia
opposed the bill. because, he declared
certain features were detrimental L
cotton growers.
Progressive Leader Murdock ais
opposed the bill. He favored tn
smith bill.
Representative Sims of Tennessee
spoke against the measure.