National Republican., 1888-01-14
ION TIE HILL.
a Discussion on the Direct Tax in the
Senate.

Ssnute,
Among the memorials presented In the
Senate yesterday were several in favor OF
the prohibition Of the liquor traffic, and for
q constitutional amendment to that effect,
and in favor OF the Worlds Exposition IN
1893.
The bill to credit and pay the several
states and territories and the District Of
Columbia all moneys collected under the
direct tax act Of 9th Of August, 1861, was
taken. up--the question being on verbal
amendment offered by Mr.. Hoar when the
bill was up some daye ago.
Both the bill and the amendment were
discussed at length by Senators Sherman,
Chandler, saulsbury, Hawley, Harris, Hale,
and Call, and, after two interruptions by
Mr.. Riddleberger, who wanted the Senate
to go into executive session, the bill was
laid aside. Mr.. Riddleberger's efforts were
both defeated. '.'''
The bill was then laid aside, and Mr..
Vance proceeded to address the Senate on
the resolution offered by Mr.. Brown, pro-
posing to abolish internal revenue taxation.
The lines, he said, had been drawn closely
by the President's message on the subject
OF the surplus and taxation; the contest had
TO be fought out squarely, and the ques-
tion had to be decided unequivocally on It's
merite. That question was, shodid taxa
tion be enforced for the support Of the gov
ernment or for the enrichment OF private
Individuals Should money be collected
from the people for publie or for private
purposesS No. reputable hypothesis could
be formed which presented any other phase
Where should the reduction OF taxes
begin' The proposition OF most
Of the Democratic senators following
the lead Of the President) was to begin aud
end with tariff taxation. The Republicans
ION the other hand) proposed to begin by
reducing (ouly in partl Internal taxes, and
by adding to the free list those things COM
ing from abroad which did not compete
with things made in this country-snd the
duty on which was, therefore, all revenue.
For himself he proposed to begin with both
evils, as he found them-excesslye internal
taxes and excessive tariff taxation. In
North Carolina there was cause Of com
plant against each, but there was far more
complaint as to the method of internal tax
alton than there was as to the amount.
The resolution was laid aside, and then
the Blair educational bill was taken up and
constitutional argument made against Il
by Mr. Gray. His remarks were confined
principally to criticism Of the section which
provided that copies Of school books used
De nleu Win the Interior department. He
objected to that on the ground that the
history Of the rebellion and OF its authors
would be placed before the rising southern
generation In Its true light, and this, he
claimed, would be an insult to the dead and
living soldiers of that section. The passage
OF the bill would admit within the bounda-
ries Of the southern states Trojan horse
filled with destructive elements.
Mr.. George said he would like to have
several such Trojan horses brought into his
state, with one or two millions In the belly
Of each horse.
Mr.. Gray had no doubt OF that. The real
danger to the republic, he said, was not In
illiteracy, but In such bills as this, which
were directed against the experiment Of
self.government
Mr.. Blair stated In reply to a portion of
Mr.. Gray's speech that In the southern
states, which contained one.third OF the
population Of the country, only $l7, 100000
was estimated as being expended for school
purposes, as against $l02,000,000 In the
whole country. lie wou'l hereafter have
something to say in reea.l to the Erening
Posts statistics.
The bill went over as the unfuish BUSH
ness, and the Senate, at i:35, az .Irned
till Monday.