Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-25
SPEECH OF SENATOR KANE

SPEECH OF SENATOR KANE.
Mr.. Kane said l.: Mr. President before a vote is
taken on this bill deem it a duty to the people
whom | represent, and to my self, to give the
reasons which induce to vote for it. 1t is we'll
known fact that at the last session voted for the
revenue bill now in force. L did so conscentiously
believing 1t to be in the interest the laborng man
and of the poor. did not set myself up as the
judge of such measure, nor did pretend to fore
cast the result. admit that followed the lead of
the Senator from Sonoma (Mr. Moreland.)
in his integrity. At this moment nv
faith is mistaken In the purity of his motives but
year OF hard experience to my people under the
bill in question convinces that he was mistaken
though honestly so, its effects The bill OF last
year, am now satisfied, resulted in double taxation
and imposed burdens upon the humble poor which
they ought not to bear. To this same conclusion 1
am sat SIZED every representative of the Wrking-
mans party on this floor has come. Take for illus
tration the instance which comes nearest home to
those who toll and save-rhat OF depositors in saw
ings banks When the hill in question was passed.
savings banks were making dividends to depositors
Of from eight to twelve per cent per annum and hut
one tax was levied upon the depositors money.
Under such state Of affairs industry was encour-
aged and frugality met its reward. But how is it
now? The savings bank, which is but the agent of
the depOsitor-the representative nearly always of
the poor, and often OF the widow and orphan-is
taxed every dollar of the depositors money that
its vaults contains and when this done the Asses
seeks the abode of labor and finds and the law
taxes the handbook, which is the evidence only
that the depositor has an interest in that which
has already been taxed and the result is that
instead of the poor receiving from 50 to
S12 free of taxes his 500 of hard earned
money, he now receives but So so per an
num- out of which he must pay a tax OF
at least 81 am satisfied this is double taxation
know j. = iei@-, v this knowledge and be-
lief would be faise CS the interests which here
represent did not vote for bill which will retore
to labor its just earnings. We told last year
and believed t-that under the present revenue
laws the rich would be made TO bear the burdens Of
government-would be made to pay the taxes. Our
experience III Sau Francisco has been that the rich
pay more e-perhaps pay less than befure-while
the poor dOubiy taxed. Mr. President,
| to the Senate not rich either in
purse or in legislative experience / trust that in
some degree have profit d by contact with my
fellow Senators, and learned many taings which |
did not know before. [ have ct least learned the
futility oil all laws directed against any great inter
est, and that every citizen is bound up in the gen.
eIal welfare OF the State and must find the reward
OF his labor in the universal prosperity of the whole
community have learned that under laws which
pretend to tax the rich only that the poor cannot
escape. That poverty and toll must bear to some
extent the burden of government SO long
as governments compelled TO impose
burdens but never understandiRgly will
| give my consent to measure which
doubles the burdens of the poor only to relieve
those whose wealth renders relief no necessity.
Good were the motives of the trainers OF the
present law, know it has oppressed the poor-re-
duced their incOmes-and thrown obstacles in the
way of their just efforts to achieve competency.
As understani the effects of the present law, so do
the people whom represent. In obedience to their
will and to the dictates OF M conscience will vote
for the bill under consideration to the end that they
may have the relief which their necessities require
and which justice demands.
REMARKS OF SENATOR CHAsE-AN ADVOCATE
OF DOUBLE TAXATION.
Mr.. Chase said Mr.. President, am opposed to
and shall vote against the bill under consideration
During the debate it has been said that the Consti-
tuition does not require double taxation that
it was under consideration by the peope its advo-
Gates declared that it did not impose double taxa
ton. care not what was said by its advocates.
read it, as did the people, and affirm that it per-
mts and does require double taxation. Moreover,
stand here and assert that am in favor of double
taxation. The rich have escaped taxation so long
that double taxation for a while will not be injus
tice Therefore, Mr. President, shall vote against
the bill under consideration