Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-28
Senator Lodge States the View of the
Republican Majority.
APPROPRIATION TOBBFULLY DISCUSSED
But the Urgency Deficiency Bill
Will Probably Pass.
THE HILL-QUAY ALLIANCE

There is as much uncertainty In the Sen
ate as to what course the republicans will
pursue as to the income tax provision of
the urgent deficiency bill as there is in
the House as to their policy respecting the
administration currency measure. Some
believe that the republican Senators would
endeavor to prevent the passage of the
appropriation bill 10 make the income tax
law effective. Those who hold this opinion
are in the republican minority. But it is
probably true that all of the republican
Senator'S, with the exception of the very
few vino favor the income tax, desire to
have the subject debated and will debate
II when the urgent deficiency bill is under
consideration.
What senator Lodge Says.
1t is probable that Senator Lodge of
Massachusetts represents the views of the
majority of the republican Senators on
this subject. He says:
THE republicans certainly are not dis
posed to make any filibusuering demon
stration against the provision for the col
lection of the income tax which is contain
ed in the urgency deficiency bill which is
in the Senate. But there is a disposi-
tion to give the subject a very thorough
discussion, and to state the republican
view upon Ii. 1t, perhaps, has been for
gotten that at the last session of Con-
gress the republicans decided not to dis
cuss the income tax provision in the SEN
ate. Word was passed around among the
republican Senators to that effect. The
publican view was that the democrats were
to be permitted, inasmUch they con-
trollcd all branches of the government to
decide for themselves whether not there
should be an income tax, and If they
should so decide that they would be held
Responsible for it, The republican Senators
determined to vote against II, which they
Old, with very few exceptions, but not to
debate ii. The time has now come, how
ever" said Mr.. Lodge, when the repubIi-
cars think that IL is due to themselves
that the country should understand what
their position is. While there VIII be no
disposition on the part of the republicans
10 prevent the Passage OF the appropra
ton to give erect to the law by fill
bUstering movement, yet there Will be, /
think, determined opposition to the Dill
on Its merits.
The Law is IncompIete.
THE situation is very different from a
movement to attempt to defeat a law
which has been duly enacted by the pro-
cess which is known as starving it to
death This income tax law occupies a
very different position from law which
Is in full effect. 1t is different in very
marked respect, for instance, from the
civil service law, " hich the democrats at
different times have endeayOred to kill
by starving it to death. The law which
created the civil service commission fully
organized tndt commission. 1t provided
for commissioners and for certain num-
Der of officers and according to the de-
ciSiCns which the United States courts
have made, If the Congress ct any session
should refuse to make the appropriation
for the salaries of those officials they
would be entitled to bring suit against the
government for their salaries. The Con-
gresS will not, by attempting to stop pay
nent and starye an officer to death, de-
stIOy the office. That can only be done
by repeal of the law. The conditions as
to the income tax law are altogether diff
fertnt. The law which is now upon the
statute books is, in fact, inchoate. 1t Is
not a completed law. No APPROXIMATION
was made in the law for any officers Nor
were the officers necessary to enforce this
law, as the Secretary of the Treasury says
provided for either by title or by salaries.
Additional Affirmative Legislation
Needed.
80 that, before the law can be effective,
before 1t can In fact be made an active
statute, there must be additional affirma-
tive legislation. Even If the appropriation
which Is asked for should be refused by
the Congress. IL could not be said that an
attempt had been thereby made to starve
this bill to death by the Withholding of
appropriations Such an act would simply
be refusal to carry out the law which
had been only In part enacted. The in
come tax law, as 1t now stands upon the
statute books, is an imperfect law. No
means have been provided for enforcing it
II Is for the Congress to decide whether the
necessary means to do that shall be pro-
yided. If the Congress shall decide not to
do that the law will simply be inoperative
Such an act would merely indicate that the
Congress has concluded not to complete
the IeSisiatlVe act which was begun by the
provision In the new tariff law for the
levyinG OF an income tax
suppose that the appropriation will
ultimately be passed BY the Senate. 1t
will not be passed, however, without a
thorough discussion. That seems to be the
republican policy. / shall have some OBJ
servations to make upon that subject my
self, but there will be no obstructive legfs-
laton by the republicans to defeat the
measure by dilatory tactics"
The Hin-Quay Alliance.
What the attitude of Senator Hill may be
Is not definitely known. Those who are
the nearest to Mr.. Hill express the opinion
that he is in earnest in his efforts to make
vigorous contest against the appropria-
ton, and that he will not intermIt his ef-
forts TO defeat this law by mere formal
presentation of his objections to it. There
seems to be some foundation for the re-
port that he has formed an alliance with
Senator Quay by which very determined
movement is to be made to defeat the ap-
preparation for an income tax in the urgent
deficiency bill. One of the curious stories
about the Capitol is that Senator Quay las
had unearthed from one Of the committee
rooms huge box containing the manu-
Script OF a speech which has only been in
part delivered, and which has received very
Important additions since the last session
Of Congress adjourned. 1t is said that
experts are now at work in Philadelphia
upon additional iustsllment to this re-
nnGrkable serial speech. gentleman who
has recently Gesn the manuscript says that
is at lcGst three feet high from the floor,
and that IL is fair estimate to state that,
1t is to be delivered in the Senate, a
month would be required Tor its delivery.
What the purpose of Senator Quay may be
y not known, but the impression is that
BE has formed some sort of an alliance
with Senator Hill to make an active DEM
onstration against the income tax. 1t is
not probable however, that such a demon
stration would result I'm the defeat of the
appropriation bill. AS the deficiency bill
ts the first to be considered in the Senate
the probability is that the contest over Ii
will terminate in sufficient time not to
place the remainder of the appropriation
Bills in jeopardy.
Treasury Receipts.