The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-04-26
MR.. MILLS'S
Opening Speech and Mastery Eff
fort on the Tariff.
Protection Bnriches the Rich Without
Benehtting the Poor-WealthN Not
Taxed, But Necessities
Burdened.

Chairman Mills opened the tariff dis.
cussion on Tuesday in the lower house
OF Congress.
Shortly after the house was called to
order, Mr.. Mills, of Texas, moved to &c
into committee of the whole for the
consideration of the tariff bill. No op-
position was made to the motion and 1t
was carried without division. Mr.
Springer, OF Illinois, assuming the chair
During the late war, said Mr.. Mills,
as he took the floor to open the debate,
the expenditures required the enOr-
NOUS military establishment, demand
ed that the burdens Of taxation should
be laid heavy in all directions authorlz-
ed by the constitution. The internal
revenue tax and the direct tax had been
called into requisition to supplement-
the revenues from customs to aid the
treasury to respond to the heavy de-
mands daily made upon it. The duties
on imports had been raised from an
average Of 1884 per cent. Ill 1861 TO an
average of 1929 per cent. during the
five wears from 1862 to 1866, inclusive.
This had been recognized at the time
as an exceptionally heavy burden. 1t
had been stated by the distinguished
gentleman, who presented the tariff
measure at that time, that this lis In
tended as a war measure, a temporary
measure, and we must, as such, give 1t
our support"
More than 20 years had elapsed since
the war ended. A generation had
passed, and a new generation had ap-
peared on the stage since peace had re-
turned to bless our common country
but these war taxes still remained ana
they we've heavier to day than they
were during the i've years during the
existence Of hostilities. The average
rate of duty during the last five years
amounted to 445l per cent. And dur
ing the last year the average was 47lO.
After this large increase had been
made, congress had imposed slight di-
rect. Or internal revenue tax upon do
nestle manufactures and that TAX had
brought into the treasury, i'll 1866, Sl27,-
100000. That was but tithe OF the
heavy burdens that were laid upon i'm
ports. 1t amounted to about per cent.
on the whole manufactured products
of the country in 1866. 1t is thought
to be a reasonable tax to impose on
manufacturers who were receiving
large bounties from the government Ill
the enhancement on the prices OF thelI
products. But that tax was gone. 1t
could not live. 1t was a tax on wealth.
1t was a tax that came out OF the
pockets of the manufacturers. III was
tax that came from those into whose
pockets the government had brought
large bOuntleS.
THE INCOME TAX.
Congress had imposed a tax on in
comes to help carry on the war, ano
there were AGO, l70 people in the United
States in 1866 that had $7O7OOO,OOO OF
net income upon which they were as
sessed, duty which brought into the
treasury in 1866 S22,000,UUO. But that
tax had gone. 1t was TAX on wealth
1t was said to be an enormous tax. II
was said TO be inquisitorial in It's ma
ture. 1t was said to be oppressive. Ii
was thought to be just by those who
had charge of the administration Of the
government to take Off those burdens
and place them on the shoulders OF
those whom the official reports showed
had nothing but living, And tax
of 3 per cent, on net incomes aggregat-
ing S7O7O00000 was swept away; but
the war tax on clothing, upon food and
upon labor, still remained. Every effort
that had been made to bring the exact
ions of the government down TO a peace
establishment had been resisted step by
step. and every effort had been defeated.
There had been a tax on railroads, but 1t
was gone. 1t had not lived long after
the war. 1t had beeISa tax on wealth
1t was said to be oppressive TO tax the
wealthy. There had been tax on In
surance companies. 1t was gone. There
had been tax on bank deposits and
bank capital 1t was gone.
Three hundred million dollars that
had been paid by the wealth of the
country had been swept away, and tne
burden of taxation had been made
heavier as it had been loaded upon the
shoulders of those who had to support
themselves and the government. Was
tax of per cent. to be paid out OF
the pockets of the manufacturers OF
blankets weight more enormous than
the tax of 79 per cent. paid by the con-
sumer on imported and domestic pro,
ducts? Was the tax of per cent. on
incomes more oppressive than the tax
of 100 per cent. on woman's and chill
dren's dress goods? Yet all these taxes
on wealth had gone, and the gentlemen
of the minority boasted that they had
reduced taxes to the amount of $780,,
100000, while the Democratic party had
reduced it only a bagatelle. That was
the splendid column those gentlemen
had erected. All the tax on wealth
had passed away and all the burdens
had been cast upon the shoulders of the
laboring man. In 1883 taxation haC
st Il further been reduced, and this
magnificent shaft which the party ther
in power had erected to commemorate
its legislative wisdom and the bench
cence of its laws, was crowned with
capstone taking off the internal revenue
tax on playing cards and putting tal
of 20 per cent. on bibles. Laughter
DEMOCRATS FOR REDUCED TAXATION
The Democratic party had been try
ing to reduce taxation upon the neces
stiles of life, and it was charged by ger
tlemen on the other side that it had nc
accomplished any reduction. Tha
would be grave charge if the gentle
men who made it were not guilty G
having prevented the Democrats froI
accomplishing the reduction. 1t di
not lie in their mouths to charge tn
Democrats with failing to reduce tax
ton, when they had mustered the
whole strengh to strike out the enac
ing clause of the bills presented by I'll
Democrats. Twice they had accon
plished that and twice they had refuse
even to consider the question of I
duction of taxation.
The tax on consumption was paid
bard daiIv toll SunDOSe a labOrer wi