The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-27

vania to keep it on. If the government needed
internal revenue as a revenue. oleomargarine
was a very proper subject for taxation. according
to his theory. Taxation always deprived cti-
zen of something he might otherwise have, and,
therefore, those things should be taxed which he
could best do without. It was easier to ray
taxes on whisky and tobacco than on some
other things. Was his venerable friend from
else who talked about taking off internal
revenue taxation in earnestl When the time
came, gentlemen could choose between the two
systems-whether they would tax clothing or
whisky-out that would not be in his time.
How much revenue did the government get now2
About $l75. 900, 900. The expenditures voted at
this session would be $3.50. 100000, and they
never would be less again, Notwithstanding Dem
oerstic economy. Laughter Then there would
be $25, 0OO, 900 left and that would not pay half
tend to pay INTEREST," If they did they were not
honest when they talked about taking off inter
nal taxes. Did not the House, every day. in
crease the pension rolls. that now required an
appropriation of 75,000,0002 Where was that
to come from2
Mr.. Brumm, of Pennsylvania, suggested that
green backs might be issued.
Mr.. Morrison-That is just like this bowling
pretense. Any man who has any intelligence
about the condition of the country and its re-
sources knows that we cannot dispense with in
ternal revenue We might dispense with the
tobacco tax We could spare that much if gen.
tlemen saw fit to take off tobacco rather than off
salt or clothing but insist that the man vino
talks about abolishing internal revenue now is
inslncere and does not mean what he says I'M
less he means to wipe out the pension roll and
refuses to pay half his debts.
Mr.. Grosvenor, of Ohio, also confined his re-
marks to consideration of the tariff question,
declaring that the Morrison bill was threat of
destruction held over the industries of the coun-
try. 1t would end in threat, and nothing
more.
Mr.. Weaver. of Iowa, interrupted with ques-
ton relative to the duty on lumber, when Mr..
Hepburn, Of Iowa, suggested that his colleague
answer his own question: as he had been
member of the Republican party when that duty
fixed.
Mr.. Weaver retorted by saying that be had
never declared as had his colleague, that the
Republican party was so corrupt that the God
dess of Liberty had to hold her nose when she
few over the Capitol, and that he had never,
after making such declaration, gone and joined
the party when it was more corrupt.
Mr.. Hepburn denied having ever made such q
declaration, but had he done so, he would have
been furnished an excuse by the fact that at that
time his colleague was member of that party.
Mr. Weaver replied that the gentleman had
returned to the party while he Weaverl was
member Of it; and like sow that was washed.
returned to her wallowing in the mire.
After this interchange of compliments. Mr.
Browne, of Indiana, took the floor in opposition
to the bill. II the bill were amended so as to
retire oleomargarine to the trade for which it
was intended, he would vote for it, but if gen.
tlemen wanted to use his vote to destroy any one
industry of this country, he would show them
how they had mistaken their man. He would
60 home to his constituents and If they did not
like his vote, they could send somebody else in
his place.
Mr.. Breckenridge of Arkansas. offered an
amendment including within the definition of
"oleomargarine," butter containing any coloring
matter. LoSt-52 to 103.
Mr.. Hammond, OF Georgia, offered an amend
ment making it unlawful for any merchant or
shopkeeper in the District of Columbia or the
Territories to sell oleomargarine without label
ing it in a conspicuous manner. and requiring no.
tel, restaurant and boarding house keepers. who
use oleomargarine, to place in their dining rooms
placard bearing the words: This house uses
oleomargarine,n and to have the same words
printed on the bill of fare. Agreed to-92 to So
Mr.. Hammond also offered an amendment
providing penalty for the violation of this pro-
vision. Lost-59 to 10.
MIR. Durham, of Illinois, moved to reduce
from 5000 to $l00 the special tax on the manu-
facturers of oleomargarine.
Mr.. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, held that the
power of taxation was given TO Congress as
trust, to be exercised only for the purpose of
raising revenue, which revenue was solely TO be
justified by needed expenditures. The pend
ing bill sought to use this taxing power, for the
first time in the history of the government in
competitive races between rival industries.
That was the question here to-day. It was COW
cred with the juice of olsomargarine; it was
adorned with praises about the dairymen it was
bedecked with rhetoric about the farmer; it was
made plausible by appeals to interests but,
stripped of it all. it was simply proposition to
use the trust power of taxation to build up one
industry at the expense of another. Never. by
his consent would the sovereign power of the
Nation be used to tax one man for the direct
benefit of another man. He cared not whether
that man was dairyman in the beautiful blue
grass region he loved and respected or whether
he be any other man. The mans dollar in his
own pocket was a sacred dollar for the hands of
the government, except for the needs Of the
government Applause.
Pending action, the committee rose and the
House adjourned.