Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 March 1888 — THE NATIONAL CAPITAL. [ARTICLE]

THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

The new internal-revenue bill was submitted by tho majority of the Ways and Means Committee to the full committee on the 6th inst The following is a brief outline of the measure: It begins by removing the tax from tobacco on July 1, 1888, alter which date manufacturers oi cigars will pay a special tax of $3 annually each, and dealers in tobacoo shall each pay $1 annually as a special tax. Drawbacks and rebates to the full amount of the tax will be allowed on original and unbroken packages held by manufacturers and dealers on July 1. The statute and all the laws Imposing restrictions upon the salo of leaf tobaooo are repealed. Wherever minimum punishments are laid down for infractions of internal-revenue laws in the statutes thor are abolished, and it is left in the discretion of the court to fix the punishment, not exceeding the maximum limit fixed by the statutes. Warrants under the internalrevenue laws, upon affidavit making charges upon information and belief, shall only issue when tho affidavit is made by a collector or deputy collector; with this exception warrants will only be issued on a sworn complaint setting forth the facts and alleging them to be within the personal knowledge of the affiant Fees to court officers in prosecutions under tho internal-revenue laws shall only be paid in cases whore a conviction is secured, or wherein the district approves of the prosecution, or wherein the prosecution began with informatton or indictment. Persons arrested upon warrants under the internal revenue laws must be taken before a designated judicial officer in the county of arrest, or if there be none, in another county nearest the county of arrest, and this judicial officer shall have power to make the preliminary examination and discharge, admit to bail, or commit to prison the person arrested. This section does not apply to the Indian Territory. The Commissioner of Internal Revenue with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury may compromise civil or criminal oases and reduce or remit fines.lpanalties, or assessments under the internal-revenue laws. When the returns are- not made, or are made fraudulently, the Collector may enter the premises of any one having taxable property and prepare a tax return upon which the tax shall be assessed with a penalty of twenty-five per cent, and interest at ten per cent. All fruit brandies made from any fruit are brought under the provisions of the act ot March 3, 1887. When a distillery is seized the macni ,ery and apparatus must be sold without being mutilated or destroyed. Distilleries which mash less than twenty-five bushels of grain per day shall be taxed upon their capacity, and may be operated without storekeeper or gauger, Special warehouses may be establisheu where the product of any designated number of these dist.lieries mav be deposited, which product shall then become subject to the customary laws. All special taxes on manufacturers'of stills, retail dealers in liquors, and retail dealers in malt liquors are repealed. The act provides that it shall ga into effect July, 1888. The total reduction in revenue made by the act is about $25,000,000, made up of $20,000,000 on tobacco and $5,000,000 on the special taxes removed.

The Deinoerauc members of the Ways and Moans Committee have resolved to add this bill to the Mills lariff bill, making it an integral part of the schema for revenue reduction. - A Washington dispatch says: “The House Committee on Elections unanimously confirmed the decision of the sub-committee in favor Of Gen. Post’s title to the seat as Representative of the Tenth District of Illinois. Before beginning the tedious examination of the ninety pages of printed record it was

agreed by the sab-committee that their guide upon disputed points of law should be the statutes of Illinois, as construed by the Supreme Court of the State The disputed votes were taken np one by one, and it was found that irregular and illegal votes had been cast for both parties to the contest, bnt after giving Mr. Worthington the benefit of all donbte the net result of the sifting was about fiftynine majority for Offn. Post The Democratic members of the Committee on Ways and Means are standing like a stone wall between their tariff bill aud criticism, says a Washington special to the Chicago Daily Xews.

They are determined that the bill shall be reported to the House, and, if possible, pasted just as it is, without a change in punctuation or the additional dotting of an “i.” The majority of the committee have had great tribulation in the preparation of the bill. They have toiled long and late, and with immense difficulty have finally secured an agreement among themselves upon such a narrow majority that they dare not risk any further consideration leet an entering wedge shall split the whole measure in pieces. They have ail sworn holy oaths to stand and If need be fall by their bill, and all attempts to amend are to be resisted and voted down if possible. When the committee met on Wednesday Mr. Reed presented a petition from a cement company in Louisville, asking to be heard. That petition was denied by a strict party vote. Then Mr. Reed presented a similar petition from a New York cement company, which was denied also. Several other petitions representing various interests were presented, one after another, but ail met the same fate. Then Mr. Breckinridge, of Kentucky, made a motion that all applications be denied, and that the different interests Involved be requested to submit statements in writing. This was carried by a . party vote. Judge Kelley then moved that statements so presented be read to the committee by the clerk. This was voted down.

The swords in the possession of Mrs. Shields belonging to her late husband, Gen. James Shields, are to be purchased by Congress for SIO,OOO. Efforts are being made to have locomotive engineers, like marine engineers, licensed and controlled by the Government It is said that a bill has been prepared on the subject, and will be submitted to Congress. The Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds has agreed to make a favorable report on Judge Hayes’ bill appropriating $75,000 for a Government building m Davenport

An investigation designed to cover the general subject of combinations and monopolies was begun Thursday by the House Committee on Manufactures. The sugar trust was the first to be investigated. John E. Parsons, a New York lawyer, was the only witness examined, and his testimony did not throw much light ou the subject.

The United States Minister at Pekin has informed the Department of State that the ports of China at which foreigners have the right to reside, to procure property, and to do business are as follows: Shanghai, Newckwang, Tientsin, Chefoo, Ickang, Hankow, Kinkiang, Wukee, Ohinkiang, Ningpo, Wonchow, Foo Chow, Famsin, Takow, Amoy, Swatow, Canton, Kiung-Cliow, and Pakkoi. In the death of Thomas J. Polter, Vice President and General Managor of the Union Pacific system, that companv loses an executive officer whose services were almost invaluable, aud from the list of the really great railroad magnates of Amorica one of the most conspicuous names will be missed. Mr. Potter died in Washington.