Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-02-26
DIRECT TAX BILL
Passes the National House by a
Vote of I72 to I01.
Considerable Opposition to the
Measure.

1t Passes, Notwithstanding, by a Majority
Far Exceeding the Expectations of Its
FRIENDSHIP Delay Looked for in the
Senate The Presidents Approval
Said to BE Certain.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-The direct
tax bill passed the house Tuesday with
majority far exceeding the expectation
of its friends. The final vote was 172 to
101, and an amendment was added pro-
viding that the legislatures of the vari-
Gus states interested shall authorize the
respective governors to give the Federal
government a receipt in full for such
claims, thus closing up these accounts.
There was considerable factious oppposi-
tion, The amendment to include the
cotton tax in the proposed refund was
offered by Mr.. Oates and defeated.
Gen. Grosvenor, who in great part
managed the bill on the floor, made a
five-minute speech, explaining away as
briefly as possible some of the misstate-
ments First in regard to the assertion
that these taxes had been collected from
individuals and from corporations, and
that the money could not be returned to
those from whom it had been taken
without great expense, uncertainty and
confusion. Mr.. Grosvenor said that
when the demand was made by the gen
eral government in 1861 the states had
paid the amounts assessed against them
in round sums from their treasures,
and with this money supplies and
munitions of war had been purchased
1t had started the incipient army that
saved the nation. In some southern
states the government had to wait to
collect this tax, but there was no system
Of arithmetic that could justify the as
sertion that the people are to be taxed
to provide the money needed. The ap-
preparation would come out of the sur
plus, and there would be no call for an
additional tax. The proposition was
simply to equalize between the people Of
the United States burden. From GER
tain states in the south an unpaid
balance would have to be collected, or
to those states which had paid the
government should refund the sums
already collected. The bill had been
passed by one congress after the other,
and its provisions had always met with
general popular approval.
The speeches were necessarily brief,
because the time allowed for debate was
not long As Mr. Mckinley explained
the direct tax bill had received more
thorough discussion than almost any
other public measure. He also added
there was no doubt of the ability of the
treasury to pay the amount called for.
The bill as amended goes back to the
senate, and then into conference, where
an agreement is expected without delay.
The presidents approval is certain.
The amendment added in the house
will cause a delay in the payment of the
various sums involved until the state
legislatures take the action required of
them. This will be good thing for the
National treasury, as there will be no
immediate demand upon it for the total
appropriation of 10000, 900. Some of
the legislatures do not meet for year
hence, and in this way the payments
will be strung out over a period of
probably two years to come. The
awards will be made from the books of
the treasury, which show first the
amount levied on each state, second the
amount collected and to be refunded,
third the Is per cent commission al
lowed, and fourth the balance due to be
Cancelled.
Due from states.
There ara 90 5O0 000 vet dI1e from