Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-07-27

too closely into their justice We have
given Sl0O,000000 to pensions, but that,
| sir, could not be refused. The Forty
fifth Congress, by solemn enactment,
acknowledged q debt due to the sol.
diers of the Republic and accompanied
it with promise to pay.
The amount has been ascertained
this year, and this Congress did no
more than to accept the obligation and
redeem the promise made by the United
States and as the mel to whom the
promise was made are growing old and
are most Of them poor and as the deht
has been due Il long time, it Is our duty
! to pay it as promptly as possible and TO
give all the necessary appliances tor the
! speedy settlement OF their claims. 1t
is too late to question the wisdom or the
| justice OF that law. 1t is on our statute.
books, the debt is acknowledged. and
you might as well 20 before the Ameri-
can people and attempt TO repeal the
! fourteenth and fifteenth amendments
TO the Constitution Of the United
States, which contains the lessons ard
| logic OF the war, or you might as well
expect the passage of bill to restore
the wages Of the members OF this House,
either of which would be quite impossi.
BILE.
The legislation of this Government
must be in the spirit of even. handed
justice to all interests; labor demands
nothing more; it will be content with
nothing less and we are Offering it
bread. We should leglslate for Il e uni.
ty of all interests, for all legitimate
pursuits and interests are in harmony :;
and that is what this body has persist.
emily refused TO do by rejecting all
amendments designed to afford relief
to the most important but least favored
industrial class. Not being member
of any committee charged with the
preparation OF business tor the conside-
ration of the House, have waited tor
seven months the action Of the Com.
mittee of Ways and Means with the ex.
pectation that bill would be offered
giving reasonable ana just relief to all
| interests now oppressvely taxed and
that would largely reduce the surplus
in the Treasury; but the measure now
| before us caused me no little surprise
| because OF its failure To meet the most
pressing necessities of the country.
! | have been connected all my life
with the industrial interests of the
people of my State, and at times, in the
discharge of official duties, have had
somewhat to do with the promotion OF
the prosperity and happiness of our
great producing population and must
say that this measure will be Justly and
greatly disappointing to the intelligent
people OF all pursuits, and must disturb
rather than tranquilize existing class
disputes. Recognizing the few mcri.
torlous features of the bill, ! see them
unjustly overbalanced by errors Of
omission and commission, and the meas
ure as whole being au unjust discrmi.
nation against the producing interests
rf the country, | must oppose its pass.
age.
RELIEVING CAPITAL, NOT INDUSTRY.
This till reduces the income of the
| Government, as have said, about Sl7.
! 600, 600. True, the tax on matches is,
taken oil, whatever it amounts to. The
bill removes the tax on patent mcdi
cineS, and am not sure that in reach.
ing for luxuries that iniure and in tax.
ing those which please the appetite the
poor man might not, in many instances,
be as we'll OFF if this tax were retained.
for patent med .cincs as often iuiure as
they give relief. The bill takes the tax
off bank checks, banking capital, aud
| bank deposits, perlumery, &c. am
not here TO question the wisdom of this.
nor am | here TO complain OF any reii5l
that may be given to any Of the inter.
ests or business pursuits of the people
of this country; but do say, sir, as it
is just and right to declare, that there
is no substantial change or modification
of existing laws in the bill now upon
passage which offers any relief TO the
producers or to the labor of this country.
If we are to reduce the income of tbs
Government so as to compel its econom.
lcal administration, then we should
make our relief fall upon all classes
alike. There should be no partality
in our legislation; there should be no
discrimination against the industries of
any claeg OF our people. We should as
far as possible, redpce the expenses of
the Government, and take special care
to reduce the revenues of the Govern.
ment in such manner as TO afford the
greatest measure OF relief to the one
great fountain Of our wealth, the indus.
trial classes. Removing taxes on bank
checks, bank deposits, perfumery, &c,
does not relieve industry. 1t does afford
needed relief to capital, for some of the
war taxes on capital are needlessly OPP
pressive now, but the supreme want of
the country to-day is the utmost relief
from taxation on the necessaries of life,
Of the lpxuries which have become nee
essaires by habits, WHICH enter into the
daily consumption of our indnstrisr
The whole wealth, the honor, the hope
Of the Republic are in the producing
classes. They are the source of our
prosperity in peace and our safety in
war, and the first duty OF the Govern.
ment is to be generously just TO our in.
dustrieG in the reduction Of needless
taxes,
OUR DANGEROUS pENqB4m2Ep WEALTH.
1t must not be forgotten, Mr.. Speak