The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-12
rHR nEApLooK AT WASHINGTON.


for the dignity of that body, nor will it add to
the respect held for it by people at home or
abroad It is not, strictly, political dead
lock, since both Republicans and Democrats
favor the passage Of the bill which causes il,
but it is sect onal, since all, or nearly all
those who break quorum to prevent the pas
sage of the bill are from the States lately in
rebellion. Members from those States do
not hesitate to join together to defeat the pas
sage Of the bill that will refund to the States
that remained loyal during the war, the
money they were called upon by the general
government to pay into the national treasury
to maintain the integrity and life of the
nation, yet they, and the Democrats of the
North Justify cry out against the Republicans
that they will not forget the war, and that it
is waving the ''bloody shirt" whenever they
demand the passage Of measures for meritori-
GUS pensions, and for free ballot and
honest count of the votes of all those entitled
to vote in the States so lately ia rebellion.
They will not forget the fact that they tried to
destroy the country and plunged it into debt
of thousands of millions of dollars but often
sively parade it on every chance occasion, yet
they complain and whine because The people of
the North, though so often and SO extensively
reminded Of it by their political leaders and
sympathizers. fail TO forget the war, its suf-
ferings, its sacrifices and its cost. The direct
tax was in the nature of forced loan from
the States when the National Treasury was
bankrupt, and made so by the acts of these
very same Southern brigadiers. This was a
| tax, in effect and result, unequally levied and
collected from the loyal people of the North
ern States; in effect tax paid by Northern
tax payers for the needs of the whole coun-
| try, and, as stated when the National Treas
ury was bankrupt; and now that the Treasury
| is overlooking with money much SO that
money is withdrawn from business and lies
idle in the vaults, it is only just and proper
that it should be refunded to those from
whom it was collected, and thus again pass
into circulation and business. Whatever
amount of the money was collected from the
| States that went into rebellion, or that was
| by that law levied and collected from the
i property of individuals of those States, will,
10y the terms of the bill. be repaid to those
States, and where collected from sale of indi-
vidual property should, in equity, be refunded
| out of that fund by those States to those
| paying it. Should the bill pass, there will be
| paid to the State of Indiana the sum of $780,
| 03, which amount, in the present condi-
! tion of the State Treasury, would be god
send. AS stated before, not all the Democrats
| of the House oppose this bill.
There are notable exceptions, and
| therefore the opposition is more
sectional than political The real reason
of this sectional division is that the Southern
| men who break quorum and make the dead
lock, want attached to the bill sn amendment
to refund the cotton tax, which in the aggre-
gate amounts to the sum of $50 600, 900. and
which, being levied upon Southern product
would go, to great extent, into the treasures
of the Southern States, although some Sc, 000,-
600 of this cotton tax was collected in the
Northern or loyal States, and which tax was no
doubt added to the cost of the cotton after its
purchase by those in the North from whom
it was collected. From anything that APP
pears in the debate or arguments why the cot
ton tax should be refunded, no reason has
bsen shown why, if that tax be refunded, the
tax levied by the United States as war taxes,
such as income tax, the taxes on bank stock,
stamps or other property, should not also be
refunded. There is wide difference and
broad arguments why the direct tax, this
| - -
sold their bonds at discount to pay it,
should be refunded, that do not apply
to the cotton tax or any other taxes
levied by the United States for war purposes
upon property But aside from all other
reasons, the minority should not by this rev.
olutionary means seek to defeat a measure
that has upon its merits several times been
passed by the Senate, and for which such
Democrats as Messrs. Voorhees,, Beck, Rea-
gan. Coke and others voted, and for which
nearly two thirds of the present House are
anxious to vote. The truth of the matter is,
that this is forecast of what the brigadiers
would do if they had the power, and an evil
dence that they have not forgotten and do
not regret those things which they wish the
North to forgive. They wish the soldiers and
people of the North not only TO apologize for
suppressing the rebellion, but to pay them
back the little they compelled to pay
into the Treasury they so nearly wrecked
and because they viii not, they say the Re-
publicans of the North are waving the bloody
shirt and stirring up the memories of the
war.
on Tuesday. the 9th day of December,
1887, President Cleveland sent to Congress a
message of most urgent character. you