The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-23

tempt on the part of the gentleman from Illinois
TO avoid the responsibility of the defeat OF PEN
sion legislation by direct vote. When pension
bills were reported here, and the gentleman de-
sired that he and his friends should escape the
responsibility Of direct vote against the bills,
he would move amendment levying tax.
and the result would bs that the whole
system, either Of internal taxation or
Of customs taxation, would be forced into the
House and an endless debate would ensue. The
result would be that all pension legislation would
be defeated, and gentlemen who opposed such
legislation would avoid the responsibility OF vot
ing directly against it. Mr. Hiscock then went
on to quote from the Democratic platform.
which, he said, had been framed by MIR. Morri-
son in favor of dedcating the internal revenue
to the relief of persons disabled IN the line OF
duty in the wars of the Republic and in payment
of such pensions as Congress may from time to
time grant TO the soldiers hundred and ff-
teen million dollars had been received from in
ternal taxes, and the pledge OF the Democracy
was that this hundred md fifteen millions should
be devoted to the s.; ort of all soldiers. Yet,
in the first Congress since the adoption of that
platform the same distinguished gentleman who
reported the plank in the platform was found
saying to the soldiers, I'VE have not money
enough to pay your pensions and to carry out
our pledge. We repudiate the obligation that
war taxes shall be devoted TO this holy pur-
posen
Mr. Randall conceded to the other side full
measure of patriotism in this Congress, and he
claimed for his side like spirit in every par
ticular, both individually and collectively 80
far as he knew. there no gentleman on the
floor who was not ready to do entire justice to
the soldier. Some might differ as to the method
or the extent to which Congress would go; none
would differ on the proposition that ii Congress
did grant pensions it ought honestly to provide
the money to pay them The probable revenue
aud the amount of appropriations approached
equality. The pension list already required $780,
100000. and this proposition merely said that II
Congress added to that eighty million it should,
at the same time, provide way or payment
That was the manly, the courageous way to do
it. Let not the House pettifog about this mat
ter or venture in the least upon the realms OF
demagogy. There had been enough of this
heretofore and now let the House say deliber-
ately that when it voted pensions 1t would also
vote taxation to meet them.
Mr. Mckinley, of Ohio. thought that the propo-
stion, if it meant anything, meant that the gov
eminent had not revenue enough now to pay the
pensions of deserving soldiers If 1T meant any
thing it was q confession before the House and
the country that the revenues were inadequate
TO meet the just demands OF the soldiers OF the
Republic. If it means that, then the conduct of
certain members of this House was quite unex-
piainable. Within the last ten days effort
had been made on the part of the majority OF
the leading committee of the House to reduce
the revenue of the government $26, 100000, and
Immediately after The failure of that committee
even to have accorded the courtesy of a consid
Grafton of its measure, the chairman of that
committee, acting as a member OF the committee
on rules, came in with proposition which was
confession that the government had not enough
revenue in the treasury that it would not have
within the next twelve month enough to meet the
honest and just demands of the soldiers OF the
Republic. If the government had not revenue
enough to meet these demands, in Gods name.
why did gentlemen want to reduce the revenues
| $26 000 O00s Not only that, but If the newspa
per reports could DE believed, Mr.. Randall (who
seemed, on this occasion at least. to be in har
mony with his partly himself had bill which he
was about to Introduce into the House, reducing
internal taxation $40, 000,0 900 and tariff taxes
about $6000 000 Yet these two leading gentle
men. each proposing to reduce the annual in
come of the government, came in here and said:
1--WE have not money enough to pay our pen
sioners, and if you intend to give then pensions.
you must provide q way to get the money"
That was not fair; that was not manly; that was
not honest. If there was not enough money in
the Treasury to pay the soldiers let taxation be
| increased, and if the government had to resort
to an income tax in order to give the soldiers of
| the Republic what was pledged TO them, then he
| was in favor of an income tax for general pur-
poses
Mr.. jackson, of Pennsylvania, regarded the
proposition a confession that the gentleman
from Illinois had learned. to his sorrow. that, for
the last time he had made successful canvass
before the people on the issue of attack on
the industries of the country. He believed that
the proposition emanated from the highest
tnority in the country and was an attempt to
throw dlscredit upon pension legislation. He
had heard with sorrow veto messages read from
the desk in which not one patriotic expression
was made of.
Mr.. Matson of Indiana, said that yesterday,
when gentlemen on the other side got knowledge
of the fact that the committee invalid pen
sions had determined TO pass two great Senate
bills, with provision attached for an income
tax, every one of them voted to 60 into commit
tee of the whole, because they were afraid to
meet the question He was In favor of reducing
the tariff taxes aud taking burden off the labor
of the people, but he was in favor of paying the
pensions and claims of soldiers, aud he wanted
to levy tax on the wealthy of the country-on
the men who got rich when the war was going
on. Applause on the Democratic side.
Mr.. Hewitt, of New York, said that the Re-
publican party had pledged the revenue of the
government to the bondholders. The Demo
cratic party proposed to pledge portion of the
revenue to pensions. That was the object of
the measure and for one, he would not cease
until a fund was definitely appropriated out of
the internal revenue tax, or an income tax,
some other just method of taxation, by which
the pension holder should be assured that an
annual income would come to him with much
certainty as the money taken out of the
| Treasury in gold was given to the bondholders.
Justice to the pensioner, honest treatment to
the bondhoders, was the motto of the Demo
cratic party Applause.
Mr.. Burrows, of Michigan, said the sole pur
pose of the proposition under discussion was to
prevent action on pension measures.
Mr.. Henderson, of Iowa. characterized the
proposition as deadly. cowardly blow at the
hearts and homes of the best blood of the coun-
try.
Mr. Hiscock, of New York, said that the Dem
ocratic party had not redeemed single pledge it
had made, but had stood covering before the
country admitting that twas powerless to lift
any burden from the people; that it had spent all
the money, and that empty treasury vaults were
the fruit of Democratic victory. Applause or
the Republican side. He wished to emphasize
that Democratic Congress had been in session
for six months, that it had accomplished moth
ing, and that in these last days of the session it
stood confessing that it had known nothing about
the receipts of the government and was incompe-
tent to carry out any of its promises and pledges
Applause on the Republican side.
Dir. Laird, of Nebraska, opposed the PROPOSE
ton.