Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-12-07
WILL FAVOR AN INCOME TAX
Committee Members Agree
With the President.
TO REPORT THE BILL NEXT WEEK
A Democratic Caucus Not
Considered Necessary.


WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-That the ways
and means committee of the House of
Representatives will include an income
tax in the internal revenue bill, practi-
cally as outlined in the Presidents mes
sage is thought to be assured. The man
ner of such tax and how it is to be
levied or the amount to be imposed is
still question the committee is unable
TO decide.
For several days past the Democratic
members of the committee have given
comparatively little attention to the
internal revenue. The time has been
occupied to the exclusion of all other
considerations with the customs bill,
and until that is completed and sub
mitted 10 the House, it is almost certain
that no effort will be made to secure an
agreement upon the income tax propo-
sition.
There is little difference of opinion
among the members of the majority re-
garding the advisability of an income
tax, but beyond that single proposition
their views vary. The amount of the
tax, the character of corporations upon
which it shall he imposed and various
other details lave yet TO be determined.
TARIFF BILL TO BE REPORTED NEXT
WEEK.
Unless some unforeseen difficulty
arises, the bill will be reported to the
full committee ON Monday next Accord
ing to the present programme it will
then be discussed for two days in the
whole committee, and on Wednesday
of next week will be submitted to the
House of Representatives. The bill will
not be taken up for consideration until
the minority has been given an opportu-
nifty to prepare its report.
The Republicans will want about 10
days for, this, Representative Burro VS.
(Mich.) says, and there is no reason to
believeit will not be granted them. The
Republicans have no intention, Mr..
Burrows states, of delay; if they can
complete their report in less time than
that specified they will do so
The time elapsing between the report
ing of the bill to the House and the
commencement of its consideration will
be utilized by the Democratic members
of the committee in the preparation OF
the internal revenue bill.
An effort will be made to complete
llAN 1hOhohAO 6O 10 W lHDOlb ~ W bIlG
| House at about the same time the Gus.
toms. bill is taken up, so that if it is con-
sidered advisable TO do so the two can
be considered together and not as sepa.
rate measures.
CRITICISM OF REPUBLICANS.
At present much of the criticism OF
the customs bill made by the Repuhli.
cans is based upon the assertion that the
reduction of duties causes deficiency
in the revenues of the government. As
long as the ways and means committee
is in doubt as to how such deficiency
is to be remedied the criticism will have
more force. In having the internal
revenue bill ready for consideration al
the same time the discussion of the
customs bill begins Republican criticism
will be measurably disarmed. :.
A DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS UNNECESSARY
| Considerable speculation has pre-.
vailed as to whether Democratic eau
Gus would be called to consider the
tariff bill. The general impression
among Democratic members is that such
a course is unnecessary. If it were q
question of party policy to be deter.
mined, caucus might be advisable, but
as the policy of the party with regard
to the tariff has been settled, but few
members can see that anything will be
gained by discussing the bill in a party
caucus.
Itis conceded that certain members
whose constituents may be offended by
the cut in duties could get an oppor.
tunity to proclaim their convictions and
thus pass before their people at home as
the champions of particular industries
in which they are interested, but the
danger to the welfare of the measure
from discords that might arise in the
caucus is so great that few Democrats
even among the dissatisfied ones, favor
the experiment. There has not yet been
any formal proposition on the part oi
any one to call caucus, and it is hoped
there will not be, but no positive calcu'
lations can be made on this point.
1t is the purpose of leaders to advo
cate the bill unchanged as a parts
measure, and as such, it is held, i
should be assured of the party's support