Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-05-24
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS
MONDAY, MAY %, 1870.
SENATE. H.4...

were presented and referred. Hs.U.ff
Mr.. Trumbull offered resolution request
Ing the Secretary Of War 10 Inform tho senntc
whether there Is not an unnecessary waste Of
water Of the Washington aqueduct and what
Ia the cause at certain periods Of the day
there Ia no water for the more elevated pOr-
lions Of the city, and what means are necos-
sary to secure a more adequate supply Of
water for the city Of Washington. Adopted.
The Legislative, executive and Judicial APP
preparation bill was then proceeded with, the
question being on the amendment OF Mr.. Cor
bett providing that malo clerks, counters
and cOpylsts shall be paid the same compen-
sation, and no more than females performing
the same duty.
Mr.. Corbett said the amendment Of Mr..
Trumbuu TO raise tho compensation Of the
female clerks to that Of males performing the
same duties, would involve an expenditure OF
$4,000 per annum, while his amendment
would reduce the annual expenditures about
s5Oo, 600, and he argued that his amendment
should be adopted. The effect Of his amend
ment would be to put females In the place Of
males, aud was therefore beneficial 10 the
former lie thought 1000, which the female
clerks got, 10 be very nice pay. II was much
more than female clerks In dry goods or mill
The amendment Of Mr.. Corbettwas rejected,
yeas o, nays 80. .I .T
The question then recurrcd on the substitute
Of Mr.. Morrill, Of Maine, for Mr.. Trumbull's
h1tuuintnt. Inc hunrhtule NutnOftNea inc
heads Of Departments 10 appoint female clerks
at the same compensation as male clerks Of
the same class. I.
Mr.. Trumbull hoped the substitute would
not be adopted, "a II accomplished nothing.
The law now authorized the employment OF
female clerks In the Departments.
DIR. Davis concurred In the Views OF Mr..
Corbctt as 70 the lnexpcdloncy Of raising the
salaries Of the female clerks. He thought
there was many poor woman In this country
that would DO glad to get $500 per annum,
and who was amply competent TO do the work
Mr. Pomcroy said there had been a great
deal Of talk about keeping women In their
sphere. Well, he thought woman was In her
sphere when occupying these clerkshlps he
thought men were entirely out OF their sphere
when occupying these positions. There Is no
law, no logic, no reason, no sense In keeping
women away from these positions when they
are qualified TO fu them, and able-bodled men
should be ashamed to seek positions which can
be flied by females. ...t.I. .tf
At the suggestion Of Mr.. TIumbpil, Mr..
Morrill, consented that his amendment should
be added to Mr.. Trumbpirs amendment, which
equallzes the pay Of the female clerks, cOun-
tiers and copylsts with that Of males perform
Ing the same duty.
The amendment as amended was then
agreed tc--yeas 30, nays IL.
Mr.. Sherman desired 10 cat the attention
and the receipts and expenditures Of the Gov
eminent, and the vote Just taken showed the
necessity Of II. We have added some four or
five hundred thousand dollars year 10 the
expenses Of the Government for the sake OF
ladies who are paid better than any ladies In
any other part Of tho country, who have
never asked for this increase, and who do not
need Il. II will make some ave or six hun
dred temporary clerks. He was In favor OF
putting ladies almost altogether into these
clerical positions, but that wasnot this amcud-
ment. . ..t....
Theirs arc eight appropriation bills that an
nually come before Congress for eonsldera-
tion, and these appropriations 10 be made are
connected intimately with the subject Of tax
alton. II there was no uncertainty as TO our
expenditures we might proceed with these
bills without any difficulty, but there arc so
many uncertain expenditures. and generally
by the action OF Congress. scarcely an APP
preparation blu comes from the House but
large additional appropriations are put on In
this body, and almost always against the
views OF the Finance Committee. The unex-
pended balances sometimes reaching from
nifty TO one hundred millions are carried over
from one year 10 another and do increase the
expenditures, although Il Is claimed that they
do not The estimates for public works are
always very uncertain. II WI cct f'om
thirty 10 nifty millions TO meet the demand II
we acknowledge the principle that we arc 10
pay for all damage done 10 loyal citizens dur
Ing the war
The Indian service Is also vast mine Of
uncertainty; we have robbed aud despoiled the
Indians Of our lands, Woneyer pay thcin for
their lands whom We have promised by treaty.
No man can ten whether the Indian service
will cost millions next year or % millions,
and there Ia another thing, tho House has Just
pas ed bounty bin which, In bis opinion,
will can for S9OO, slOCo,
II Is manifest that II Is impossible to toll be-
0AinftFtNa hat NVtII la
for the next fiscal year. But To take the esti-
mates Of the Secretary Of the Treasury, II the
appropriations can be kept down 10 that point,
we will need for the next year S3l6, 00), 00C.
In regard TO the surplus gold In the Treasury
he had looked at that as The basis Of the lund-
ing system and OF return 10 specie pas ments,
and therefore In any estimates we make we
cannot regard that surplus gold.
So then for all this expenditure of e3l5-
100000 the only means we have TO raise Is
through one or anosher species Of taxation.
There are four principal heads OF taxatlon---
nrst, $4,000, 600 for public lands; second, what
comes under the head OF miscellaneous, such
a. fines, penalties, United States consul fees,
premium on sales OF gold, &c, e3S c10,C-G
third, customs, Sl65, GOO; fourth, internal
revenue, sl75,cC1G-o, These arc the ostl-
mates OF the Secretary as the receipts for the
noxt fiscal year, amounting In the aggregate
TO s30:I, 10000, and leaving surplus over
the expenditures, as estimated for tile next
fiscal year, of S7S,Cs9OC9.
Now, the question Is, what shall be done as
to this surplus revenue and the opinion Is 10
reduce taxation. He (Mr. 81 believed the
best way was TO leave the whole system Of du-
ties on imported goods just as they are until
we can make general revision Of the laws,
and TO throw OF the internal taxes as soon a.
possible, and because this was a system new
TO our people, and taxes should be removed
first from those things which pressed most
heavily ON. thu Naaf.r.la ~ u sanfN
interest on the public debt all Internal taxa
ton might be done away with, as the revenue
from customs was sufficient 10 pay all the
expenses Of tho Government
The bill Of the Finance Committee proposed
70 take on at first the tax on sales, which
yielded last year eight millions; this was q
most oppressive tax, o tax ON industry; then
they proposed 10 take on the tax on gross To-
oelpts, which was anolher most onerous tax;
II yielded last year about 90, OO0 900. The tax
on legacles and succosslons was also most
lnvidious tax, generally falling on the widow
lained In the House blu was also left of. This
tax only yielded last year $50 000, 900, In fact
tho Seuate bill proposed 10 sweep away all the
special taxes, which bore so GENEROUSLY upon
the people, and by doing this, we would be
able 20 do away with q whole army Of tax
gatherers. Thus the taxation would be re-
ducod about go, 900, 900. The committee left
the taxes unchanged on spirits, tobacco, beer
stamps aAd income which would yield Ella.
1000, Tho tax on spirits yielded ESQ, 000,-
900, and he thought Il could be made to Yield
sixty millions. These taxes which were left
were paid In all parts Of the country without
muTmur.
Now, in regard 10 tho Income tax he had
said that this was the most just and equitable
tax levied, and he could prove H. Il WAS an
axiom well settled that every man should pay
according to his income. This tax was hrst
's'eyied In England In 1877, by William Pitt,
Imeet the eXigencies Of war, and no demon
tied lis propriety and Justice In an unAn-
jrable manner, That tax was levied At 10
cent, and paid at that rate until 1891.
dis was tax ON property and on wealth,
and those people whose property was saved
by the overthrow Of the rebellion could not
and would not object 70 lts payment Mr.. 3.
read from speeches Of many Engllsh states
men TO prove the justice aud the equity Of the
income tax. H.I
In 1919 Mr.. Robert Peel renewed, In par
llament which was composed entirely Of prop
erty, the proposition for an Income tax so
taE Oh hn al Nka al