New-York tribune., 1878-02-06
THAT VOTE ON THE INCOME TAX.

WUIskEY AND TOBACCO MEN hN1o' ha"'-D =" -'N -
FOR A REDUCTION OF THEIR TAXES
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.1
yv,su,xcrox Feb 5-lf 1t was the habit OF the
rreson. House of Representatives to be governed by
reason or common sense, or even to be consistent,
the vote on the income tax resolution yesterday
yonh be a very significant one. This Congress,
bovever. is not likely to be guided by any definite
or sensible rules of action. Its whims may lead 1t
IN one direction to-day and in another exactly OPP
poste tomorrow.
Certain Democrats have, from the beginning, adj
yocated q reduction of the rates OF duty on I'M
ported goods and cutting down the TAX on disIiheu
spirits and tobacco and to make up for the loss OF
revenue which would result from these reductions
and for the deficiency that would have TO lie pro-
yided for if no reductions at all were maze, tncy
have proposed to suspend the purchase OF OohdS of
the sinking fund, to levy duty on tea ana cOhce'
aud 70 re1noct the income tax. The House last
week by q decided majority put its foot down on
ore importapt portion of this programme and
declared that the tax on distilled spirits ought not
TO be reduced This vote was supposed to be some
thing more than an expression OF opinion on thiS
ouestion of taxing whskey. 1t was believed that
II also meant that the whole plan OF changing the
tariff and internal revenue laws did not meet with
the approval of the House. and that Mr.. Fernando
hills agreed to- But in less than week the same
House turns around and gives an overwhelin-
ing majority in favor of another feature
of the Democratic plank, and that the
most unpopular feature of it all. Stranger than
this even, the Representatives from some OF these
very sections that would suffer most severely if the
Wood Tariff Bill should become law, voted almost
unanimously for the income tax resolution. II the
income tax or some other new tax like that on tea
and coffee cannot be agreed to- the reductions in the
rates of duty must be postponed II is therefore,
70 say the least surprising to see the Representatives
of Michigan, for instance State so largely inter-
ested in the lumber trade, voting almost unan-
mously for this tax and thus giving the Democrats
the chance to carry into effect the almost unheard
of reductions in the duty on all kinds Of lumber:
The votes for the income tax resolution may be
divided into two classes; those cast by men who
favor reductions in the taxes on whlskey ana TO-
bacco and those cast by dcmagognes who hoped 10
gain a little cheap political caPtal by voting 70
tax rich people. To these may be added small
class of Republicans who have always honestly be-
heved in an income tax, and who voted against It's
repeal when it last stood on the statute books.
The first class does not attempt 10 hide Its mOtVes
and the whiskey and tobacco lobby, that has
been little discouraged since last week,
has been hopeful to-day. Members, OF it
now predict that in spite of the vote
of the House last week the tax whskey will GER
tany be reduced. OF this there is very great doubt
1t is hardly possible that the House wi reverse the
vote of last week. but the hope that has been IN
spred by the vote of yesterday must cause uncer-
tanty in business and thus prove mischeyous IN Its
effect. The advocates of reduction OF the tax on
tobacco are also very hopeful
The Committee on Ways and Means held ITS first
meeting to-day since the Tariff Bill was reported
from the subcommittee. The hour was spent IN
general conversation about the bill with no definite
day when the bill will be taken up and discussed
section by section. a.