The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-08-29

The Republicans ssy yes. Wesay no.
Choose between us.
But we have q record upon the sub
ject to which attention should be
! called.
Z. We passed bill exempting
matches and reducing the taxes on to.
bacco and cigars. On this bill, no inn
portant to the people of Ohio, and
particularly of this District. the yeas
were 13l, the nays 1O8. The yeas were
all Democrats but 10, and the nays all
Republicans except Z. AL the DEM
ocrats from Ohio voted yes, not one
Republican voting with Us. The pre-
text for this hostility to our interests
was the necessity of revenue to the
government. But two measures were
pending in Congress, either Of which
would have amply supplied the def.
cheney.
8. We propoaed an income tax as
one expedient. It had been in opera.
tion eight years, and had yielded in
that time $346, ,OOO. 600 of revenue. On
the 4th day of February I introduced
resolution to test the sense of the
House as follows:
WHEREAS, In the present condition
of public Distress it is important that
the wealth of the country should bear
fair proportion of the burdens of
taxation therefore
h1esO.ved, That the Committee Of
Ways and Means be and are hereby
instructed to report bill imposing
graduate tax upon the excess of in
come above reasonable minimum to
be fixed by law. aud that said bill be
reported 1T the earliest practicable
moment.
This resolution received 165 votes
to 80 nays. OF the 80 nays only 81
were Democrats, aud OF the 165 yeas
only 50 were Republicans. All Ohio
Democrats present voted for the reso-
luton. Only two Republicans from
Ohio, Jones sand Van Vorhes, voted
with US. Cox. Danford. Fostor. Gar
field, Keifer, Mckinley. Monroe, Neal
and Townssnd voted no.
This record is important. The res
olution committed no one to any par
ticnlar bill, but only to the principle
of . graduated tax.
9. But another proposition was
pending perfectly legal aud proper.
The sinking fund has been very large
ly oyerpaid. Mr.. Goode moved TO
suspend further payments for the peri
cd of five years. The vote stood:
yeas 122, nays 112, yeas principally
Democrats, nays nearly all Republi-
cans. The Ohio Democrats all voted
yea all the Ohio Republicans present
voting nay.
Thus, upon the proposition TO re-
lieve the productions and industries Of
the West and the luxuries and necess-
lties of the poor, and to impose an in.
come tax upon the overgrown incomes
of the great corporations and million
aires of the land, our Republican
friends, true to their instincts, have
made most unfortunate record. No
tax is fairer than an income tax. The
countries of England, Prussia, Italy
impose it upon their rich subjects.
Why should not we? Yet in this
land of the people, ct the dictatiOn of
the rich, it was allowed to expire un-
der Republican rule, and its reimpo-
sition is fiercely resisted.
10. We steadily voted for reduction
of the army, your Republican friends
voting unanimously against it. The
saving we proposed to make amount
ed to millions. But we were COM
PEELED to yield, This is reform
which was much needed.
But cannot 60 to much into detail
A few brief illusions and I will be
done.
We passed q constitutional amend
ment prohibiting the payment Of
claims to disloyal persons. No patent
monopolies were extended. No sub
sides were granted. No lands were
given to railroads, nor was time ex-
tended in the case of forfeited grants.
A bill was passed to compel the OBJ
servance of the eight hour law. Un-
der the leadership of Senator Thur.
man. we compelled the Pacific Rail-
road Companies 10 make provision
for the payment of their enormous
debt to the government, the security
for which had become almost worth
less under Republican tenderness for
the corporations.
But the House was unusually liber-
al in the passage Of bills for the relief
of the soldier. A multitude of pri.
vate bills were passed. Conspicuous
among these was that increasing the
pension of General Shields to q hum
dred dollars per month. This was a
worthy tribute not only to the hero
himself but to the nation 90 proud of
him, which had furnished so many
gallant soldiers to the cause and so
many good citizens of the country.
We pensioned all the soldiers of the
war Of 1872. We struggled hard to
do the same for the Mexican veterans.
But solid Republican resistance pre-
vented the final consideration and
passage of the bill. 1t is still pending
and may become law when our
friends grow weary of waving the
bloody shirt. We will push it at II Q
next session. We passed q bill fo.'
the repeal of the act of limitatio 5s
against pensions and TO pay all pei.
sions from the death or discharge of
the soldier. Some bill of this sort
will be agreed upon at the next session.
The House passed number of geaer-
al bills, to which need not now refer,