The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-04-21
MR. OATES STATEMENT.

MR. OATES STATEMENT.
Representative Oates, of Alaburng,
who has taken the leading part In The
fight against the direct tax bill, makes
the following statement of the reasons
which influence the opponents OF the
bill in their conduct in opposing its
consideration
UNPRECEDENTED.
First--The action OF the committee
on rules Oh Monday last in presenting
to the house resolutions assigning days
tor the consideration Of bills reported
from committees, in which il required
that senate bill l39 (the direct IaX)
should he considered and disposed Of
before any other measure reported by
the Judiciary committee should receive
consideration was unprecedented. In
no other instance was such action
ever taken by the committee on rules,
and while do not like to question the
motive OF any one, yet this action was
so extraordinary as 10 induce the be-
liet IN The minds OF many persons op-
posed to the bill that there was fixed
purpose in thus placing IL in front of all
other business with view to forcing
it's passage. The hill is Of republican
origin and il believed to be the pioneer
OF many others, constituting a scheme
to revive old war claims and thereby
deplete the treasury of its surplus and
to diminish pro tauto the force of the
otherwise unanswerable argument
which that surplus presents in favor of
reduction of tariff duties and other
war taxes which are at this time 50
unnecessarily burdensome to the peo-
pie and detrimental to the general well
fare.
UNCONsTITU UTIONAL
Second-We deny that congress has
any power or right TO appropriate
money from the treasury for disiribu-
ton among the states anu territories.
such thing has never been done, and
there Is no precedent for il In the whole
history oil congressional legislation.
The only time il was ever attempted
was in 1886, and it was then abandon
| cd as uncODstitutionsl,an ,and recourse had
to the loan act OF that date.
UsURPATIoN.
Tbird-The passage of the bill would
be tsniamount to a legislative declars-
tiOn that there Is no limit or constitu-
| tional inhibition on congress in the
matter of appropriating public money;
| that the power of congress is nulimi-
! ted and discretionary II would be a
usurpation tending to sap The founds-
ton OF the republic and viniative of the
fundamental principles OF the demo-
cratic party.
| DANGEROUS.
FOurth-If congress had The right,
which the advocates OF the bill assert,
to reimburse and repay the states and
people money lawfully collected In the
way OF taxation, 1t necessarily Implies
n right to lay and collect taxes in either
OF the forms afforded by the constitu-
ton for the purposes of raising the
money with which to make such re-
imbursemcnt or repayment-a doctrine
both absurd aud dangerous.
INEoUITABLE.
II Fifth-The bill is neither eauitablr
nor just to those who actually paid out
taxes, because 1t provides tor the dis
tribution of money to the states and
territories equal to the whole amount
OF the collection in each, regardless OF
tue shifting OF population during the
last tweDty-seven years.
ExTRAvAGANT.
Sixth-This bill has provoked all
, agitation i'll favor of refunding the cot
3 ton tax, but no bill has been brought
+ forward and pressed for that purpose.
l gave notice (Which | do not recalD
; that il this bill Is to be passed I will AT
. the proper time offer that amendment.
We could at any time since the con-
sideration of this bill began have allow
ed 1t to proceed to point in committee
. of the whole when we might have
I offered any amendment we saw proper;
but our opposition to the bill is such
that no amendment which can be
, adopted, except it be to strike out tho
enactlng clause, can make il acceptable
( TO US. This bill is not before the house
= according to its rules and in the usual
{; course of procedure. Ii has not been
reached In its order on the calendar,
: but has by an unusual report from the
: committee on rules been placed before
2 all other business and held there, to the
;, exclusion of all other business.
q In matter involving such vital
8 principles OF constitutional government
as this bill involves, and In which the
people are tenfold more deeply inter
II ested than in the distribution among
:, the states OF any amount of money
Q from the FEDERAL treasury, we feel that
3 it is our duty, though in the minority.
Q to resort to every legislative means
g which the house allows.
SIZE OF THE GRAB.
In response to inquiries sent by tele J.
- graph 10 the governors of many of the
: states asking what amount the state
= agents would receive in the event the
!. bill to refund the direct tax became u
:. law, replies were received as follows:-
q The state agent OF Iowa is to receive
y % per cent on 1884 ,274, or, in round
!. numbers, 500, 900; Kansas 10 per cent
IS on $62 $3.50. or $6.2S6; Kentucky per
- - cent on S6O6,64l, or $50, 1882; Maine %
;, per cent on 1857 ,702, or $s9 ,425; Mary
;, land, $4,000 of 1871 ,299; Massachu-
- sets 25 per cent of 800, 1894, or Sl75.-
= 900; Michigan 40 per cent on 1896, ,498,
;. or 900: Minnesota 20 per cent on
.Ss S92 ,260, or 23,O64; Missouri Is per
:, cent on $647 900, or S97 ,043; New
- York 10 per cent on 81, 2,132, 100, or
$3l9 9.Sl5; Ohio 10 per cent on 81, ,S32. =
!, OPS or $13S, ,207; South Carolina 35 per
:, u cent Oh 1865, 1910, or 1927 .249; Nebraska