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The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, April 02, 1902, Image 2

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Persistent link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87062245/1902-04-02/ed-1/seq-2/

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PERSONAL TAX BILL
OFFERED IN SENATE
General Rate of l Per
Thousand Adopted by
District Committee
INDIVIDUALS EXEMPT ON 200
Two Appraisers Appointed Who With
Assessor Form Board cf Appeals
Statement to Be Made in Thirty Days
Tar Sales
The personal tax hill as it will become
a law or practically so was Introduced
In the Senate yesterday by Mr
Ian chairman of the Senate
JIcMil
Dlstrici
Committee
The bill prepared by Mr Larnelllc sev
eral months ago and introduced at that
time has been so greatly amended by the
committee that it was thought best to
introduce a new bill to avoid the friction
and cumbersomenesfa of amendments
Approved by Both Committees
The bill introduced esterday has re
ceived the approval of the comnittce and
its general provisions are also approved
by the House District Committee It was
referred back to the Senate committee
yesterday however after its Introduction
as a matter of formality It is to be re- 1
ported formally to the Senate In a lev J
days
Tnc bill is much more drastic than tlit
originally prepared It taxes all personal
property of every description above the
value of 5200 and gives the authorities the
right to examine property and -assess a
higher valuation than that given by the
o ncr
Punishable as Perjury
Any misstatement as lo the value of
property may be punished as perjury
The first provision of the bill is that
the Commissioners of the District are
authorized to appoint to take effect
on July X two assistant assessors at
annual salaries of 25C0 each
who with the Assessor as chair
man shall compose a board of personal-tax
appraisers These appraisers
shall have been residents of the District
of Columbia for at least live years
Section 2 provides that hereafter the
Assessor of the District of Columbia shall
annually cause to be prepared a printed
blank schedule of all tangible personal
property and all general merchandise or
stock in trade and of the classes of cor
porations and companies to be assessed
together with the rate of tax prescribed
to which shall be appended an affidavit
in blank setting forth that the forcaolng
presents a full and true statement of all
such personal property When this
fehedule is ready for delivery natice
shall be gien by the Assessor by adver
tisement in one or more of the daily
newspapers
Statements of Property
Every person association or corpora
tion liable to taxation shall within thirty
days fill out the proper blanks in the
schedule with a full and true statement
and make and sign an affidavit to its
truth-
The address of the person making affi
davit -shall in each case be given
It is provided that if any person or
corporation shall fall to make such a
hchedule of personal property the hoard
shall from the best Information it can
procure make an assessment to which
they shall add 5 per centum as penalty
Another provision is that if the board
is not satisfied as to lhe correctness of
the return of personal property made they
may reject the return and aEsess the same
in such amount as may seem just Notice
of the rejection of the sworn return shell
be given to the party interested by leaving
the same at the address given in the re
turn In all such cases there shall be a
right cf appeal from the action taken by
the appraisers to a board of personal tax
appeals within fifteen days after delivery
of the notice Any party making such a
false affidavit may he tried for perjury
Ths Individual Hate
All personal property assessed over
JlfO Including fold silver plated and
china ware Jewels watches pianos mu
sical instruments tools Implements
horses and other animals carriages
wagons and other vehicles shall be taxed
J15 per -thousand dollars
Dealers in general merchandise of every
description shall pay 15 per thousand
dollars on their average stock in trade
for the preceding rear
Hotels shall pay 15 per thousand dol
lars on the assessed valuation of their
furniture in lieu of license for rooms
Each national hank and all other Incor
porated banks and trust companies shall
make affidavit to the board of personal
tax appraisers on or before July 13 in
each year as to the amount of its or their
capital surplus and undivided profits if
any The real estate owned by each such
Institution shall be taxed as other real
estate and the residue of Its coital
together with its burplus and undivided
profits shall be taxed as personal prop
erty at the rate of 13 per thousand dol
lars
Savings banks paying interest to their
depositors shall make affidavit to the
board of personal tax appraisers as to the
amount of their deposits and shall pay
one half of one per centum on the average
amount of their deposits for the preced
ing year
The capital stock of all other corpora
tions except those exempted by law shall
be appraised in bulk at Its fair cash
value and the corporation issuing the
same 3hall pay fifteen dollars per thous
and dollars on Its assessed valuatiun
Jess the value of any real estate owned
which shall be separately taxed
A Provision
It is provided that nothing iu the act
Fhall affect the laws In relation to the tax
on street railroad companies or insur
ance companies It is also provided that
newspapers and real estate and mercantile
companies Incorporated for the purpose
of conducting business usually conducted
by individuals and which by reason of
incorporation receive no special franchise
or privilege shall he lain as individuals
Personal property not held for sale and
not over the value ot 200 thall he ex
empt and also personal property not in
the District and taxed elsewhere but
owned by persons in bald District
The next section provides that the two
nppraibers with the Assessor as chair
man shall compose a hoard of personal
tax appeals which Miall convene on the
first Monday ot September iu each year
Public notice of the time and place of
the meeting shall be given
It shall be the duty of this board be
tween the date of convening ard October
1st of each year to hear all appeals made
against lhe assessments It shall be em
powered to diminish or Increase the as
sessments and their action shall be final
It is provided that in case the ap
praisers shall fall to complete any of
tholr duties within the tlmo provided
thoy shall complete them as fcoon tz prac
ticable
When the taxes on personal piopcrty
phall not be paid on or hefora June 1 tho
Collector of Taxes or hit deputy may
distrain ruBlclcnt good and chattcli be
longing to the party taxed tQ pnv the
laxe3 ri malnlns due with the penalty of
Measuze lo Provide
Revenues fot District
The iei MHial tax bill ap
proximately in the form in
which if will eventually he
come a law was yesteiday pre
sented in ilie Senate It pio
vitlre a jieiieral rate of taxation
of JlJi on fvery thousand dol
lars Individual properly not
offired for sale up to 200 in
value is exempt
-
and the costs that may accrue If no such
gods are found the collector may levy
upen any real Estate found for said tax
The collector shall advertise either
real cr personal property stating the
tluiejwhen and place where such property
shall be said if the taxes penalty costs
nrrd expenses -shall not be paid before the
dav fixed for the sale the collector shall
sell the pioperty at public auction
Any surplus resulting from the sale
shall be paid Into the Treasury and upon
being claimed by the owner shall be paid
to him upon the certificate of the collec
tor
All taxes tdiall be due at the same time
as the general tax on real estate and
shall be subject to the same penaltlesfor
nonpayments
Private Banks and Bankers
Private banks cr bankers not incor
porated shall pay a tax of 1001 per an
num General and note brokers shall pay
300 per annum Violators of this sec
tion shall he liable to a penalty of 300
for each offence upon conviction in the
Police Court and with Imprisonment in
default of pavment at the discretion of
the court
The Commissioners of the District are
authori7ed to appoint a clerk and assist
ant clerk to the board of -personal tax
appraisers at annual salaries of 14C0
and 1000 respectively and three inspec
tors at annual salaries of 1000 each
The sum of 17000 is appropriated cne
half to be -paid by the United States and
the other half by the District for the first
years expenses of the board
Vote fcy Viva Voce and Division Result
in t Adoption of Proposal Mr Can-
nons Roll Call Demand Brings Ka-
jorityior Committee
The House yesterday resumed consid
eration of the sundry civil appropriation
bill -General debate upon the measure
was closed and the major portion of the
bill was read before the adjournment
The feature of the day was the effort
made by Representative Sulzer Dem X
Y to secure the incorporation of an
amendment to the bill providing for an
appropriation of SO000 or so much there
of as might be necessary to maintain a I
light in the Statue cf Liberty on Bed
lows Island The light was extinguished
on March 1 last by direction of the light
house board and In the pending bill there
is no provision for the light
Mr Sulzer made this the text of an elo
quent and patriotic speech duringthe
course of which he read an original poem
by Dr W A Croffutt of this city In
the poem Dr Croffutt saw by the ex- j
tingulshing of the light the coming down- I
tall of American institutions
Mr Cannons Queiy
Does the gentleman withdraw tho
amendment asked Mr Cannon when
Mr Sulzer had oncludcd
-No sir 1 do not replied Mr Sulzer
And if the gentleman from Illinois
stands for liberty and American institu
tions he would i ot object to It
Well my friend having made his
speech I think he ought to withdraw it
said Mr Cannon
During the colloquy which followed Mr
Sulzer insisted that the light was need
ed Mr Cannon denied tills and remind
ed the New York member that he had
better stick to poetry and leave facts
alone as he quotes the former beautiful
ly but he sometimes misrepresents the
latter Laughter
Mr Cannon said that the lighthouse
board in the exercise of Its plenary pow
ers had found the light unnecessary to
commerce
Mr Sulzer The Republican party does
not need it
Mr Lessler Rep N Y Oh yes it
does I want the Job of lighthouse man
for a constituent In my district Laugh
ter
Vote by Viva Voce and Division
Mr Cannon bald that New York made
enough legitimate demands upon tho
Treasury without taking 39000 for an
utterly uueless and unwarranted expendi
ture If any Secretary of War exercising
the discrimination in his power should
spend the money for this purpose ho
said he was In favor of passing a resolu
tion of censure On a viva voce vote tho
Sulzer amendment was carried but Mr
Cannon demanded a division and again
Mr Sulzer won 13 to 31
Youll have to carry this by tellers and
a roll call before this appropriation is
made said Mr Cannon to Mr Sulzer
Tellers were demanded and hurry calls
were bent to all of the committee rooms
to sumoii Republhans to come in and
vote against Hie amendment l ney causeu
a great deal of amusement by coining In
on a run and passing between tho tellers
without Knowing what they were voting
for nave that Mr Cannon desired them
to Aote asalnat roiuethuiE
Lost on Roll Call
Onl7 Messrs Tompkins and Nevin of
Ohio and Lessler and Drlscoll of New
York Republicans voted with the Demo
crats to maintain tho light The amend
ment was lost C7 to CI ani In conse
quence there will he no light burning in
the Statue of Liberty on Redlovvs Island
Before the dose of general debate upon
the appropriation bill Mr Grow Rep
Pa secured the floor for twenty minutes
and delivered a cpeech In support of his
resolution for n constitutional amendment
providing for the election of Senators by
a direct ot the people This he said
was a r tep in line vith changes that have
been made slncu the beginning of the Gov
ernment i i the nauucr o choslng offi
cials
Answering inquiries Ly Mr Ruckor
TUB TIME WAliNfrSi WEDNESDAY APRIL 2 1902
CONGRESS 4
COMMITTEES DO NOT MEET
Absence of Leading Senators Causes Two
Postponements
On acccunt of the absence of Senator
Aldrich there was no meeting ot the Sen
ate Committee on Finance yesterday
The conference committee on the bill
repealing the war taxes is still dead
locked over the question of the proposed
retention cf the tax en bucket shops The
House conferees insist that this tax
should he taken off with all the rest of
them because of the difficulty of distin
guishing between bucket shops and bona
fide brokerage business
The Privileges and Elections Commltlee
which has been considering the proposed
amendment to the Constitution providing
for election of Senators by popular vote
did not meet yesterday because of the ab
sence of Senator Hoar in Massachusetts
For Right of Appeal
The House Commltlee on the Judiciary
yesterday heard ex Secretary of the Navy
II A Herbert who urged passage of a
bill giving right of appeal to the Supremo
Court of the United States from the Span
ish Treaty Claims Commission
Dcm Mo Mr Grow said that the Leg
islature of Pennsylvania had several times
passed resolutions favoring an amendment
to the Constitution so that Senators
should be thus elected and the last Legis
lature had coupled with It a request to
other States to unite with it in calling a
convention to revise the Constitution and
insert that paragraph in tho instrument
Mr Robinson Dem Ind discussed
what he termed the passing of the
House as a deliberative body a topic
which Mr Dell Dem Col had consider
ed at some length In a speech the day be
lore Mr Robinson declared that the
Senate which nbw perfects legislation
was dominated by thirty- Senators repre
senting fifteen States with less population
than either New York or Pennsylvania
The present condition of affairs in the
House he said was due to the concentra
tion of arbitrary power In the bauds of
the Speaker and the Committee on Rules
me reading or tne Din win De Begun
today and it will then be passed
SENATOR DEB0E RILED
Charges That Commissioner Procter Is
Holding Up Appointment
Senator Deboe is of he opinjon that
John R Procter president of the Civil
Service Commission is holding tip the ap
pointment of J H Happy Senator Debocs
candidate for postmaster at Mayfield
Ky The Blue Grass State Solon put iu
an appearance at the White House yes
terday to sec about this patronage billet
Mr Procter has been running around
to the Postofflce Department In1 an effort
to kill my man said the Senator after
h had held his conference with the Presi
dent That man Procter hasheen doing
his best for ycarsto kill my appointments
and I am getting tired of It As a matter
of fact he is the most active politician In
Washington in spite of the position he
holds
REMEMBER THE MAINE
Relatives of Battleship Explosion Vic
tims Applying to Congress for Relief
A bill was introduced in the House of
Representatives yesterday to provide re
lief for the sufforers by the explosion of
the battleship Maine
It provides that the Spanish Treaty
Claims Commission shall examine and
ascertain the extent ot the injuries suf
fered and the amount that in equity and
justice would compensate the Injury or
loss sustained for the benefit of the suf
ferer or in cases of death for the next
of kin of those who were killed
It is accompanied by a petition signed
by Mrs Mary C Illandlii widow- of Lieu
tenant Ulandin by Harry S McCann and
Charles Adams for themselves and oth
ers and sets forth extracts from the
opinion of the majority of the Spanish
Treaty Claims Commission sustaining the
demurrers
One of the extracts quoted from the
opinion of the majority of the commis
sion after saying that the injury to the
sailor Is merged In the wrong done to
his Government and explaining the view
of the commission i
He the sailor has yielded the priv
ilege of making any personal demand
upon a foreign Government for money In
demnity for an Injury to him for which
the Government Is liable He has ac
quired the privilege of having his per
sonal injuries made an Incident of his
nations claim against the Govcrnmiut re
sponsible for the wrong done him and
he rests secure In the certainty that his
Government will recognize his Injuries
and recompense the Wrong In full and
liberal measure
Again th9 petition quoted from the
opinion
Nor does the commission undertake
to say that tho United States has fully
discharged it obligations to tho sur
vivors of the Maine catastrophe and to
tho families of tho lamented dead
The petition goes on to say
The United Stales has by act of Con
gress frequently compensated persons not
guilty of contributory negligence for In
juries received by them while in its em
ploy It did this in tho case of the Tord
Theatre disaster where compensation
was made in some twenty eight In
stances for loss of life and for Injuries
not resulting in death In some one hun
dred and more Instances
Representative Cummings 111
Representative Cummings Is confined to
hl3 room at 4G B Street boutheast suf
fering from an attack of Kidney trouble
Ills condition Is not regarded as serious
SND
ITS DOINGS
SENATE AND HOUSE WILL MEET AT NOON TODAY
Mf f ANTS CADAVERS
AS PERMITTED THE ARMY
Disposition of Citys Indigent
Dead at Issue
Bill Sent to President for Approval Re
turned at Senates Request to Cor
rect an Oversight
The bill recently passed by Congress
providing that medical schools In the Dis
trict be given the bodies which have here
tofore been interred in potters field has
been sent back to the Senate at the re
quest or that body by the President with
out liU signature
The bill ga vc to the army some of the
anatomical specimens but made no pro
visions for the navy -and the Secretary
of the Navy has requested that a change
be made n It to correct this oversight
GSMTING STATEHOOD I
5
51
AppIiCfinf Territories Are All
Democratic
i
10
OMNIBUS BILL REPORTED
Provides for Admission of Oklahoma
Arizona and New Mexico Committee
Able io Force Measure Overtures to
the Spcker
O -
jr
The House Committee on Territories
yesterday reported through its chair
man Representative Knox the omnibus
bill granting statehood to 4he Territories
of Oklahoma Arizona and New Mexico
Behind this action Mcs a talc of some
interest It has been Known for some time
that the friends of the Territories were
determined to put the bill through the
House this session if possible and that
the Speaker and the House leaders were
determined to prevent Its passage
It is generally believed that Arizona
and New Mexico will be Democratic and
that Oklahoma is more likely to go Demo
cratic than Republican Consequently tho
admission of these Territories at this
time is considered to mean an addition of
ccrUlnly four and probably six Democrat
ic Senators to the -Senate and from six to
nine Democratic votes to the next elec
toral college
A Combination Favored
Hut the Delegates from these Terri
tories each with his eve on a Senatorshlp
nnJ their friends from the West and else
where formed a combination and so con
fident are they in its strength that they
believe they can ik jts the bill over the
heads of the powers that rule
It was first agreed by the commlttoe
that an omnibus bill should be reported
Hut on objection being made it was de
cided to report the bills separately It
was then found that while all the bills
together could command a majority of
the House none of the bills separately
could be assured of passage So the com
mittee returned to the omnibus bill again
It has been said the Speaker sent for
Chairman Knox and roughly demanded
to know what he had made him chairman
of the committee for if it was not to
prevent undesirable legislation and that
he would hold him responsible if the bill
was reported from the committee Tills
Is authoritative denied The Speaker
did however consult many of the chair
men of the leading committees whom he
regards in the light of his cabinet and
they were almost unanimous in their opin
ion that it would he a most undesirable
and unwise thing to do to add four or
six Democrats to the Senate
Yestcrday a group of Republican mem
bers of the Committee on Territories
headed by Representative Knox and Delo
gate Flynn 9 Oklahoma held an Inter
view with Speaker Henderson from which
they emerged Iu high feather
The delegation said they were certain
they had enough votes to pass he bill
and that unless he gave them a rule for
consecration they would call it up and
try to passiil In the House The Speak
er said he would let them know in a few
days if they could have the rule or not
anil thejdelegntlon departed
1 - Home Rule
The rejiort filed yesterday Is a very
lengthly ion and in addition to enumer
ating tho other claims of the 1 erritorles
to stateliest If points out that our ter
ritorial -possessions In different quarters
are clamoring for home rule and that
It has already been given to Porto Rico
and Is substantially promised to the Phil
ippines
From the islands of the sea new pos
sessions of the United States It says
coincs the cry for home rule The Amer
ican people hasten to announce to the
world their purpose lo grant it
There is but one Kind of rule possible
In tho United States It is that of sov
ereign States What we readily grant to
the land but lately foreign and to the
alien race let us not withhold from omr
own
Under the bill the constitutional con
vention ot Oklahoma i lo adopt an ir
revocable ordnance lo permit Congress
to add part or all of Indian Territory to
It whenever Congress shall bee fit to do
so
10 ClTllI cmi fl DAYS
Lixatlvc Ilroino quinine remtnea Hie caitsc E
V CIIOVES isnatuc on ever box
Will
BEET SUGAR PLANS
Not Resort to Dilatory Tactics
Against Cuban Reciprocity
The beet sugar Republicans of the
House hive decided to make their fight
against the Cuban reciprocity bill on the
floor of the House but will not resort to
dilatory tactics nor will they endeavor
to amend the bill
Ihey will content themselves with ex
plaining their position and voting against
tho bill They claim to command about
thirty votes so that a few Democratic
votes will be required to pass the hill
Enough Democrats arc ready to support
tho measure to assure Its passage
MR RHEA SEATED
General Walker His Opponent Died Be
fore Congress Met
The House Committee on Elections No
3 yesterday reported the election contest
of Walker vs Ithca from the Ninth Vir
ginia district in favor of Mr Rhea tho
sitting Democrat
General Walker the contestant died
some time before the meeting of this
Congress
ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL
UNIVERSITY FAVORABLY REPORTED
Senate Committee Advocated Bill To Be Elected on tfye Obsezvaory Grounds
Defined to Advance Knowledge Especially Witty Regard lo
Matters Wfych Concern Government
Senator Daboe Chairman of the Com
mittee on the University of the United
States yesterday reported favorably the
hill to cstptjlish such a university in
Washington introduced by him in Feb
ruary
The Lill gives to tho university the
grounds recently occupied by the Naval
LIBERTY STATUE WILL
NOT BE ILLUMINATED
Amendment to Sundry
Civil Bill Lost After Two
Favorable Votes
REPUBLICANS RUSH TO RESCUE
Observatory and which were designated
by President Washington as -a site for a
national Institution of learning
It provides that the university shall
have for Its object the advancement of
knowledge particularly with regard to all
matters -ninth eoncern the Government
Original research is especially to be
fostered and encouraged
-Object as
The government of the Institution shall
be vested In a board of regents to bo com
posed of the President of the United
States the Chief Justice the Commis
sioner of Education the president of the
university and the heads of all scientific
institutions and institutions of learning
with six other persons to be chosen by
the President of the United States
G RONS STORY OF THE
DANISH ISLES SCANDAL
Niels Grons Purpose to
Defeat Completion of Sale
Testifying yesterday in re
gard to his motives for making
public the text of Captain
Christinas report the first wit
ness IVids Gron stated that he
was the representative of the
Xo saleparty and his object
was fo defeat the completion
of the sale of the Danish West
Indies
TERRITORIAL BILL OFFERED
Measure Affecting Philippines Submitted
to Full House Committee
The Republican members of the House
Committee on Insular Affairs yesterday
submitted the Cooper Philippine territo
rial bill to the full committee
The bill differs In several particulars
from the measure reported to the Senate
The bill will now be taken Up by the
full committee section by section Chair
man Cooper expects to have It ready to
report to the House early next week
The Democrats of the Commltecc will
It is understood make a minority report
FOR BUREAU OF INSURANCE
Wants It Made Part of New Department
of Commerce
Mr Charles T Lewis of New York a
representative of insurance interests and
Mr O P Austin Chief ot the Treasury
Bureau of Statistics -appeared before the
House Committee on Interstate and For
eign Commerce yesterday in the Interest
of the bill to establish a Department of
Commerce
Mr Lewis argued In favor ot a Bureau
of Insurance as a branch or the new de
partment
The committee has nearly completed Its
consideration of the bill and it is expect
ed that it will be reported to the House
the latter part of this week
CONSTITUTIONALITY OF
OLEO BILL DISCUSSED
LABOR AHIAGOMZES
A SENATE AMENDMENT
Would Destroy All Desired
in Trades Conspiracy Bill
Comments of Labor Leaders Would
Rather Have No Legislation
Than as Amended
Organized labor is In arms against the
action of the Senate Committee on the
Judiciary in so amending the Hoar bill
limiting the use of restraining orders and
injunctions as to permit the courts to
issue Injunctions in certain cases of
trades disputes
Tho amendment against which protests
are being made prohibits the issuance of
injunctions unless the purpose or ef
fect cf such conspiracy shall be to cre
ate Intimidation by a show of physical
force or the court shall find that the
combination has for its purpose the oc
casioning of injury to the property or
business of the complainant cr is likely
to result in such injury
Petition Presented
Senator Blackburn yesterday presented
in the Senate a petition from R H Ful
ler legislative -representative ot the
Brotherhoods of Locomotive Engineers and
Firemen and Railroad Trainmen and the
Orders of Railway Conductors and Teleg
raphers Mr Fuller has referred the
amended bill to these organizations with
the request that their attorneys be asked
for their opinion upon the effect of the
proposed amendment The attorneys
opinions are forwarded together with let
ters from the chiefs of several of the or
ganizations
First Crand Hnglneer T S Ingraham
of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi
neers says in part
The amendment destroys everything in
the bill that Is favorable to organized
labor I would suggest if you cannot have
the amendment disagreed to that it would
be better not to have any bill at all than
to have it as it will stand after the
amendment is made
Better to Have No Bill
F P Sirgeht grand master of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen says
in forwarding his attorneys opinion If
the bill is to be construed as stated by
Brother Murphy then it would be better
that It be killed
II n Clark grand chief conductor of
the Order of Railway Conductors says
It Is impossible for a large number of
employes to withdraw from employment
In concert without injuring the business
The Injury Is however incidental and It
seems to mo that the language of the hill
as now proposed would be tantamount to
enacting into law- the substance of the
famous JenKins injunction I am cordial
ly iii favor of strongly opposing the bill
on the ground that It would make mat
ters even worse than they are at pres
ent
P II Morrissey grand master of the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen says
I fully agreo with our attorneys that In
Its present form the bill is of no ad
vantage whatever to labor
Against the Interest of Labor
II B Perliam president of the Order
of Railroad Telegraphers says It is
entirely against tho interests of the or
ganized telegraphers It gives to the
couits absolutely the power to Issue in
junctions In trades disputes a proceed
ing which has been considered an abuse
In the past
Mr Fuller concludes by saying We
cannot now afford to accept such a mis
chievous subterfuge mischievous because
It will not only furnish no relief but on
the other hand will give Federal Judges
affirmative and new grounds upon which
to base their objectlc cable writs And
rather thall take Senats bill toM wo would
prefer none at all for it is only a mat
ter of time until public opinion will set
tle this question and settle it right
local Monument Approved
The joint resolution for a monument In
the District In honor of tho lato Benjamin
F Stephenson founder of tho Grnnfl
Army of tho Republic was reported fav
orably to the Senate yesterday by Senator
Wotmore chairman of tho Committee on
the Library u u aj
enator Bailey Says Meas
ure Could Not Be Up
held by the Courts
SENATOR SFOONERS ARGUMENT
Declares Measure Does Not Interfere
With Legitimate Manufacture of
TrodncfBut Is Aimed Against a Pal
pable Deception
Senators Spooner and Bailey two of
the leading constitutional lawyers ot the
Senate yesterday discussed the oleo bill
from the legal standpoint Mr Spooner
in its favor and Mr Bailey in opposition
Both Senators were listened to attentive
ly by cod audiences on the floor though
the galleries were not very well filled
Mr Bailey will conclude his speech to
morrow Mr Wellington announced last
night that he might make a speech Ex
cept for this possibility Mr Bailey will
conclude the argument
Vote on Bill Tomorrow
An agreement was reached yesterday
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Its amendments shall begin tomorrow at
3 oclock
Mr Heitfeld opened the debate yester
day He said thst being a farmer himself
his sjmpathics were naturally with the
dairy Interests but all his constituents
were not farmers and these bad Inter
ests which deserved attention He did
not see where the farmer Was to dcrlvo
any benefit from the pending bill
Butter Industry Safe
He expressed the 1 pinion that oleomar
garine ran never greatly Injure the but
ter industry
Mr Heitfeld said further that in his
opinion the hill Is Intended to kill the
oleomargaine business
Mr Galllngcr made an argument in
favor of the bill which he represented as
a protest against fraud and a vindica
tion of one of the simplest principles of
common integrity Thirty of the forty
five States he said have anti color laws
and the proposition is to incorporate the
same principle in a Federal statute the
better to regulate the manufacture and
sale of oleomargarine
The hill proposes to legislate against
a palpable and brazen fraud It threatens
no harm to the oleomargarine industry It
honestly conducted r but It does lay the
strong hand of the law on a business car
ried on along tho line of deceit misrepre
sentation and fraudulent device
The Flag of Fair Play
Mr Spooner admitted that oleomarga
rine was a healthful product and there
fore a legitimate article ot commerce If
the bill were enacted into law he believed
that the production of oleomargarine
under the flag of fair play would In
crease rather than diminish He main
tained In the course of a legal and con
stitutional argument that Congress was
justified in the enactment of tho proposed
legislation
He maintained that Congress had the
constitutional right to tax oleomargarine
and he supported the measure because he
believed such a tax was in the interest
of the people
Discussing the coloring of oleomarga
rine he said
The most Impudent proposition I ever
heard is that of the hog and steer butter
makers that they discovered the butter
color You may color butter as ou please
fand It Is still butter and you may color
oleomargarine as you please and It is
still not butter
A Palpatio Deception
In a discussion with Mr Money he de
clared that It was so plain that the coloring-was
with cole reference to the sale
ot oleomargarine for butter that he was
amazed that any Senator could ques
tion It
Mr Teller asked Mr Spooner whethei
ho believed that with a tax Qt 10 cents a
pound on colored oleomargarine its manu
facturers would cease to color It
I thluk they will cease to color it Mr
Spooner replied They are proclaiming
everyvhcre that If this bill Is passed their
business is killed No one can tell pre
cisely the effect of legislation will
CciJhucd on Third raze
Testifies Before the Special
House Committee
of Enquiry
KNOWS NO CASE OF BRF ERY
Represents the No Sale Patt4De
nies Complicity With Christmas
General Grosvenor Relates the Appea
Made by- Gron to Him
The special committee of the House ap
pointed to investigate the charges of al
leged bribery in connection with thepur
chase of the Danish West Indies mado
by Captain Christmas In his report to the
Danish Government began its hearings
yesterday morning
The committee of seven occupied tho
room of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
Mr Niels Gron who is responsible tor
the publication in this country ot the
statements made by Christmas was tho
principal witness before the committee
It was he who furnished the information
to Representative Richardson tipon wtlch
he Introduced his resolution asking
an investigation
Mr Gron a Dane
Mr Gron is a young man of good ap
pearance and education He is a native
cf Denmark but a citizen of the United
States since 1805 He was examined at
some length by Mr Dalzcll the chair
man of the cnmmlttee and by Mr Rich
ardson
Mr Gron brought with him and ex
hibited to the committee a mass of news
papers published In Denmark containing
articles relating to the Christmas state
ments and various other documents Ho
told at some length of the methods he
employed In securing publicity in this
country and in bringing the matter to the
attention of Congress
He stated that he had approached Gen
eral Grosvenor In this connection but
that the latter had declined to take up
the case Gron then laid the matter be
fore Representatives Richardson and Un
derwood the former taking the matter
into the House
Do jrou represent the Danish Govern
ment enquired Mr Dalzell
No
Do you represent any party or par
ties
Xo
Any organization -- -
No -
No one then but private Individuals
continued 3Ir Dalzell
I represent the No sale party said
the witness those men who do notwlsh
the Islands sold to the United States
under any circumstances and thbSe who
do not want the Islands sold under the
present circumstances
The No sale Patty
In substantiation oi his statement
Gron read a cablegram from Von Dessen
whom he styled the secretaryof thVNo
sale1 arty sayfng that thepetttTon to
the Danish Government against the sale
of the islands had been signed by bank
ers admirals merchants and many other
prominent persons It was this class qt
people the witness said he represented
Representative Dalzell attempted to as
certain exactly why Mr Gron took such
an interest In the matter His efforts met
with no marked success
Mr Gron made a statement in which he
denied the reports which had placed him
in the light of stirring up the Christma3
matter because he was not to participate
In the commission
The chairman asked the witness about a
claim in Christmas statement that H H
Rogers of New York had said he cou
trolled twenty six votes in the Senate
and dont you forget Gron said hewas
never with Christmas and Rogers at the
same time
The witness denied ever having made a
contract with Christmas and denied ho
had ever offered Christmas 25000 to re
tire from the field He had no idea what
press associations were referred to by
Christmas in his statement ot having ar
ranged to subsidize them
A great deal of Mr Grons testimony
the statements made
was a repetition of
bv Mr Richardson on the floor of the
House when Introducing the resolution
and of those contained in his Gron s
affidavit which Mr Richardson at that
time read
Mr Gron showed from the translation
ot tho reports and the newspaper publica
tions that Captain Christmas in his re
port and his Interviews had stated that
he had used a large sum of money In In
ducing this Government to agree to the
purchase of the islands
Mr Gron was Interrupted during the
and Repre
course of his examination
sentative Alexander was allowed to take
the stand- Mr Alexander desired to make
a denial of any knowledge of Christmas
or of the Danish transaction
He said that he had never seen Christ
mas had never spoken to anyone either
In or out ot Congress as to the Danish
treaty and never heard it discussed at
any time or place by anyone until tho
matter was presented to the House by
Mr Richardson
At the afternoon session of tho jcorfl
mittce Gen Charles II Grosvenor of
Continued on Third
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J WILLIAM LEE
UNDERTAKER AND LIVERY
S32 Penn Ave V Washington D C
DIED
COWSILL raised away peacefully at 330 p
in Tuesday April 1 10ui7VTIIEKINI itlovol
wife of Samuel Covvsill ased seventy one years
Residence S II Seventh street ncrtheaat
Good true wife mother iricnJ Loved bj all
Euncral roticc later
ml
OLIVE Departed thU life on Tuesday April 1
190i at 5 a m ItOHUVT II OUE in the
My seventh 3 ear of lib ace
He dint In full faith of Christ as his Redwmer
Kuncral oa Tlicrsdaj at 2 oclock fron Ilia
residence of hU eldest daughter Mrs S E
Velcuh at 1112 Street south
west Friends and relatives respectfully iniitrt
o attend el
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