Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-07-20
The Reduction of Taxes.
TIE REPUBLICAN SHAN BILL TO AMEND THE
REVENUE AND TARIFF CONSIDERED IN
THE SENATE

Special Dispatch to the World
WASHINGTON, July 1.-THE Republi.
cans and the taxes, this is the political
topic at this moment. "The stone
which the builders rejected the same is
become the head OF the corner" A
Republican House caucus, many weeks
ago, decided that there should be no re-
duction of taxation during this session.
The people were heard from and it was
discovered that the walls of wrath were
about to be poured upon the head of the
dominant political party. Thea another
House Republican caucus decided TO re.
duce internal revenue taxes where re.
duction would do least good, and bill
was passed to that effect. A Republ.
can Senate caucus met and in still great.
er alarm resolved to add to this Intern.
al Revenue bill some tariff provisions,
and thus yesterday the subject of taxa.
ton was thrust upon the Senate for dis.
cussion which is warmly welcomed by
Democrats. The issue is joined. 1t is
not an issue between protection and free
trade, not for or against tariff for reve-
nue. only, not for or against an internal
revenue tax system, 1t is not an argu.
mentative contest between methods of
imports or methods of direct taxes, it is
none of these things, but it is taxation
issue. Shall there be or shall there not
be reduction of taxation =? Shall the
reduction be such as TO relieve the peo.
pie? The millions or the half dozen
The legitimate purpose Of a reduction
OF taxation should be to lift the burdens
from those who feel the burdens, not
with conspicuous partiality to lessen
the taxes of those who grow rich Just in
proportion as they are paving taxes and
and to whom taxes, thel e'ore, are not
burden. Shall the reduction be limited
to two or three articles, monopolst re.
duction, or shall it be broad, philosoph.
ic, democratic, extending to articles
where it will be quickly and gratefully
felt by the many? This is the issue
which the debate in the Senate yester.
day and to-day has flung upon the
thought of the country and upon the
Congress for action. The elaborate and
effective speech of Mr.. Bayard to-day
was broad enough and still sufficiently
attentive to details to give the Republi-
cans much uneasiness and to indicate
the scope the debate will take on the
Democratic,s side of the Senate. 1t was no.
ticeable, at the closeof Senator Btyard's
speech, that Mr.. Morrill,, who has
charge of this bill, rose and was immedi.
ately approached by such politicians as
John Sherman and Mr.. Allison, and
thereupon for some reason he abandon.
ed the floor. This seems to corroborate
the report that the Republican Senators
have agreed generally not to discuss
this bill, but 10 try to pass it. As the
bill is n caucus measure this statement
is not unworthy of belief. But it will
not be possible for the Republican side
of the Chamber to sit in silence under
such speeches as Mr.. Bayard made to.
day, or such as Mr.. Beck and Others
will make hereafter. Mr.. Bayard closed
his speech with happy and forcible al.
lusion to fundamental law of taxation.
He said, substantially, that while our
Constitution and laws sanction the tax.
ing of private property for public pur.
poses, neither the Constitution of the
United States nor the Constitution of
any State in this Union, nor the Consti.
tuition of any civilized State, written or
unwritten, authorizes the taking of pub,
lie property for private purposes.
Moneys gained by taxation become pub.
lie property, and this terse argument of
the Senator was aimed at fragrant and
alarming evils IN our public expenbi-
lures.
These two days have named the tow.
ering issue in the elections of this year
and the Democratic motto taxation, its
judicious reductions" reduction which
will not too much cripple the revenues
"a reduction which will afford real re.
lief to the masses. Upon this question,
so far as | can learn, the Democrats of
the Senate are substantially unit, and
in their arguments and action will be
harmonious. They will consistently
vote against the sham reductions and in
favor of the real reductions. The dis.
cussion thus unexpectedly begun will
not improbably extend to our entire tax.
alton systems, tariff and internal, and,
it being warm at present, the Democrat
ic Senators express their willingness to
remain here until it is cooler for the
purpose of arguing this question of tax.
alton with the Republican party. No
Republican suggestion has been made
either branch OF Congress looking to q
genuine dimiuution of taxes. The Dem.
ocrats on the Ways and Means Commit.
tee of the House and the Finance Com.
mittee of the Senate have made sugges.
tions only to have them defeated. The
votes in the Senate on the various phras.
es of the taxation question, as they arise,
will be analogous to the Committee
votes, and the Republican votes will be
in harmony with the Republican eau
Gus action.
The Republicans are frightened and
ioundering. Their caucus decided not
to reduce taxation, and this edict was
obeyed. The tariff Comm ssion bill
passed and the House determined not
to reduce internal revenue taxation.
The note of alarm was sounded and the
House caucus decreed that some mono.
poles should be relieved, and on June
27 the House passed this fraudulent In.
ternal Revenue bill, having on June "a,
three days before, resolved that Congress
should adjonrn July 10. How much in