The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-01-11
THE DIRECT TAX.
Ssna tors Discus the Bill RsfurdiDg II to the
States Which Paid II.
No Definite Action TakeR-rhe Blair Edu.
eatioBal Measure up Again-Bills In.
trodueed in the aouse-Notss.


mite postponement of Mr.. Buffers resolu.
ton for the appointment of a select com
mittee on the Postal Telegraph. The
resolution was indefinitely postponed
with the remark by Senator Edmunds thai
he should not wish that action to be un
derstood as determination that the pro
priety of q special inq uiry into the subj sct
at some future session bad Heen decided
adversely,
Among the bills introduced and referred
we're the following:
By Senator Teller-To grant the right oil
way through Indian reservations to the
Rio Grande, Pacific and the Denver and
Rio Grande railways; also to equalize the
allowances for extra expenses at Presi
dental postofices.
By Senator Edmunds-To incorporate
the MsTatime Snip Canal Company Of Mic.
araugua.
By Senator .Cameron-For the erection
OF public building as Altoona, Pa, $75.
600.
By Senator Manderson-For the cree
ton OF public building at Plattsmouth
Neb., 100000, and at Hastings, SIS,
900. Also to confer brevet promotion oil
army officers particularly distinguished fol
heroic action in Indian warfare.
By Senator Spooner-For erection of a
public building at Cheyenne, W. T., $50
600.
DIRECT TAX BILL,
The bill to credit and pay to several States
and Territories and the District of Column
bia all money collected under the direct
tax act of August, 4S61-reported by Sen.
ator Morril from the Committee on Fin
ance on the 18th of December, was taken
from the calendar and considered.
Senator Berry offered resolution direct
ing IN cases where the tax was collected
from citizens either directly or by sale of
properly that the amount shall be paid to
the Governor OF the State, in trust for such
citizen, whether the State be or be not
indebted to the United States.
Senator Sherman argued that the
amendment would create grave embarass-
ment in the execution OF the bill.
Senator Berry explained the purpose of
the amendment and advocated its adop-
ton.
Senator Beck said that the amend ment
had been talked over informally among
members of the Finance Committee, and
that they were generally opposed 70 il,
thinking il would be in the way of a final
settlement, and that the better way was to
have the money paid to the States and
leave citizens to pursue their remedy
against them.
Senatsr Salisbury opposed the bill. 1t
proposed to take SO, 900, 600 out OF the
Treasury and to distribute 1t, not to the
poorer people Of the several States, but to
the owners of real estate. who paid this
direct tax. He was opposed to any distri-
button OF the surplus in the treasury in
order to keep up high prote Give tariff,
but his observation taught him that where
there was money in bill, and where the
people of the States were to be banef!ed
by bill, it was PERFECTLY useless to oppose
its passage.
Senator Sherman withdrew his OBJ ecti0n
to the amendment, but it was further op-
posed by Senators Plumb and Mcpherson.
Senator Chandler wished to know
whether the purport Of the bill was to
credit and pay to each State not only the
amount which it paid directly from its own
Treasury for its proportion of the direct
tax, but also the amount collected by the
United States Government from individ-
nails las in many of the Southern States)
by the seizure and sale of their property.
1t occurred 10 him that if the Government
went into the business of refunding the
direct tax at all, 1t should 90 into the
Southern States and find the heirs of those
from whom it had collected the tax, and
pay them back the money instead of turn
ing the amount over in gross to the States,
and leaving individuals to their remedies
against the States.
The resolution was rejected-yeas IA,
nays SO.
Senator Berry said that as his amend
ment had been voted down, he did not
think the bill was just one and he hoped
it would not pass.
Senator Beck stated that as all direct
taxes must be uniform, it would be neces-
sary for them to collect the direct tax
from the States which had not paid it, or
to refund TO those States which bad paid il
II
The latter was what the bill proposed
to do.
Senator Gray favored the passage OF the
bill, but argued that as the States had
dealt directly with the General Govern.
ment, 30 In the States refunding the
amount; and he moved to strike out the
proYiso in the third section that where the
tax was collected either directly or by the
sale OF property the sums so paid were to
be held in trust for benefit of the heirs
OF those from which they were collected.
He considered the proViso as hampering
the bill.
Senator Chandler argued that in the
States where there tax was collected from
individuals by the seizure and sale of their
property and where the STATES had nothing
70 do with the payment of tax, there was
10 more justice in paying back the money
to the States, and telling the heirs of the
Ld4Ddy6f6 W lux W Iu6ulf Ltldu tu6Ie
would be in pursuing the same course
where internal revenue taxes had been i'm.
properly collected. The money should be
refunded to those who paid il.
Senator Edmunds moved TO amend the
proViso, proposed to be struck out By max.
ing it apply to cases where the tax was
collected py the United States. Agreed to.
Senator Edmunds also offered al amend.
ment requiring that all claims under the
trust shall be filed within six years, aud
that all claims not so fled shall be forever
barred.
At 2:3O O'Clock the bill was laid aside
without further action.
Senator Chandler offered a resolution
instructing the Judiciary Committee to
inquire into the suppression of the votes
of the colored citizens of Jackson, Miss, at
the recent municipal election in that city,
and into the alleged participation in such
suppression by the United States District
Attorney, and by a deputy collector oil
internal revenue and deputy United States
Marshal. Laid on the table.
Senator Stewart introduced bill to es-
tablish National university IN ths Dis
trict of Columbia for the education Of
teachers in the common schools of the
States and Territories and the District OIL
Columbia. Referred.
THE BLAIR ELL AGAIN.
The Senate then proceeded to the con
sideTation of the Blair educational bill,
and Senator Wilson, of Maryland. made 8