Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 67, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 April 1898 — THE WAR BILL. [ARTICLE]

THE WAR BILL.

The House Enters Upon a Three-Days’ Debate of the Proposed Revenue Measure. Washington, April 28.—The general debate upon the measure framed by the ways and means committee to meet the extraordinary expenditures of the war with Spain opened In the house Wednesday. It will continue through to-day, and Friday at four o’clock the vote will be taken. There was a signal absence of that partisan rancor which has always heretofore characterised debates on revenue measures. Both sides, speaking through their respective leaders. Messrs. Dlngley and Bailey, concurred In the necessity which existed for Immediately raising of hundreds of millions to prosecuts the war, but the opposing doctrines which they hold clashed at the first onset over the methods by which the revenue should be raised. The section providlng-for 8600,000,000 ol bonds became the target of the democratic and populistic opposition, and Mr. Bailey, In an hour’s speech, argued for an Income tax which would raise 1100,000,000 a year, the coinage of the silver seigniorage and the Issue of (68,000,000 of legal tender notes as an alternative proposition. Mr. Dlngley declared that It was almost Incredible that anyone could seriously propose In such a crisis that the government should rely tor funds upon the proceeds ol another lawsuit over a proposition which ths supreme court had already decided against ths government. Mr. Sayers (Tax.), the ranking minority member of the appropriations committee, devoted hla time to an argument to dem-, onstrate that the money to be raised by the hill was excessive and would breed reckless profligacy. The expenses of the civil war in 1864, when the government maintained 2,000,000 men in the field and had four times as many ships as it had to-day, were only (1,100,000,000. In view of that fact, he contended that to raise (890,000,000 to carry on a war, insignificant in comparison, must result in useless waste and extravagance. The populists all vigorously opposed the bond proposition. Mr. DolMver (la.). In by far the most notable speech of the day, added to his reputation as a brilliant orator. He assailed the position of the opposition in the early portion of his speech, but its partisan flavor disappeared toward the close and he aroused the house and galleries to cheers as with eloquent words he touched the high, unselfish cause of humanity In which the United States had drawn the sword, and then melted his audience to tears as be referred to the blowing up of the Maine and the new commonwealth we would rear as a monument to guard the memory of the unforgotten dead. The evening session was devoted to brief speeches by members unable to secure time at the ashfngt on, April 28.—Soon after the senate convened Wednesday, Senator Stewart (Nev.) Introduced the following resolution for which he asked Immediate consideration:

“That the secretary ol war be, and he li hereby directed to furnish the senate with an estimate ot the amount of appropriation necessary to arm, equip, subsist and furnish with munitions of war, the Cuban army, now at war with Spain, and such additions as may be made thereto frqm the people of Cuba until the Spanish army shall be expelled from the Island of Cuba, or until the next session of congress.” Senator Hale (Me.) suggested that the resolution would better go to the committee on military affairs, and after a statement by Senator Allison (la.) that tbs whole subject covered by the resolution was now being considered by proper committees of congress, and that there would be no delay In (he matter, Senator Stewart agreed that the resolution should go to the military affairs committee. The senate adjourned early Wednesday without transacting any Important businesa 1