Rensselaer Democrat, Volume 1, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 May 1898 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONGRESS

Considerable progress was made in ths Senate on Wednesday in the reading of the war revenue bill, which included, naturally, the consideration of the amendments proposed by the committee. Through the influence of Mr. Gorman (Dem., Md.) the imprisonment penalty was stricken out of some of the sections relating to violatioiih of the stamp tax. After an extended Rebate, part of which occupied the secret legislative session, the conference report on the bill suspending certain parts of the existing law relating to the purchase of supplies by the war department was adopted., The.billpermittihg officers of the regular army to accept staff appointments in the volunteer army without losing their rank or place in the regular service was also passed. An urgent deficiency bill, carrying $8,437,032, mostly for pensions, was agreed on by the House Commitee on Appropriations, and immediately reported to the House, which passed it without debate. The bill carries $8,070,872 for payment of pensions and other items of small amounts, including expenses of United States courts and clerical force and printing for the war and navy departments. While several important paragraphs in the war revenue measure were passed over on Thursday for future consideration, excellent progress was made by the Senate in the consideration'of the bill. Two-thirds of the measure has been read, the committee amendments generally having been agreed to. The proposition to place a stump tax upon proprietary articles and perfumeries now in stock aroused a lively discussion. It was regarded as retroactive legislation and as such was opposed by many Senators. After debate, confined to the proposition to send the labor arbitration bill to conference, in which many members participated, a roll call of the House upon agreeing to the Senate amendments, thereby affecting the bill’s passage, was ordered, resulting in yeas 219, nays 4. After experiencing a brief political tilt, precipitated by a personal political explanation from Mr. Tongue (Rep., Ore.), the House adjourned until Monday. Soon after the Senate convened on Friday Mr. Hale (Maine), chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, favorably reported from the committee the House joint resolution providing for the organization and enrollment of an auxiliary naval force which shall form an inner line of defense. An amendment by the Senate committee provides that the force shall not exceed 3,000 men. The resolution was passed. The Senate resumed consideration of the war revenue bill, and Mr. Daniel of Virginia spoke for two hours on the measure. He supported the bill, but opposed the bond feature and stamp tax, and said the corporations should bear a larger share of the taxation. Mr. McEnery (La.) proposed an amendment to the paragraph of the bill plneing a tax upon all corporations not specifically designated, providing that the law should not apply to “limited liability commercial partnerships or corporations and companies or corporations.of limited liability conducting planting or farming business or preparing for market products of the soil.” For five hours on Monday the Senate had the war revenue measure under discussion. The entire time was occupied by Mr. Chilton (Dem., Tex.), Mr. Lodge (Rep., Mass.) and Mr. Turley (Dem., Tenn.). While Mr. Lodge confined himself to a discussion of the proposed tax on corporations and bank deposits, strongly urging that such taxes be not imposed, Mr. Chilton and Mr. Turley covered pretty fully the general features of the bilk No action of any kind was taken upon the bill. The day in the House was devoted chiefly to the consideration of District of Columbia legislation. Two bills of minor importance affecting the volunteer military was passed. A bill authorizing the construction of a railway bridge across the Missonri river at Quindaro, Kan., by the Kansas City, Northeastern and Gulf Railway Company was passed. The Senate spent most of the day Tuesday in discussion of the war revenue measure. Paragraphs relating to corporation taxes were under consideration, Speeches were made by Mr. Frye of Maine, Mr. Platt of Couneslicut, and Mr, Lindsey of Kentucky.