The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-06-22

Washington, June 21.-There was &
fairly good attendance in the galleries
lin anticipation of the opening of the
Income take debate, when Vice-Presl
dent Stevenson called the Senate tt
Iorder today.
Bills were passed as follows: To au'
thorize a commission to draft a code
of laws for the district of Alaska; tc
lpromote the efficiency of the navy and
Idef1ne the boundaries Of three judicial
districts in Alaska and regulate The
jurisdiction of the United States courts
therein.
Hill Against the Tax.
As soon as the clerk had read the
first section of the income tax provis-
ions of the tariff bill, Hill, who assumed
the leadership of the opposition tc
these provisions. delivered carefully
prepared argument.
Senator Hill said: 1--WE have now
reached the consideration of the most
important features Of the pending
measure, important not only because
the tax which it seeks to impose equals
in the aggregate about one-ffteenfh
Of the whole federal taxation of the
| United States, but because of the pc
culfar nature of the burden as we'll as
the vast and varied interests which it
|injuriously affects. With all due re-
spect to what has been said in favor of
the tax bill by distinguished senators,
| it is confidently submitted to the SEN
ate that the arguments presented in
opposition to the necessity, justice and
advisability of any such tax have new
er been successfully answered. The ar
guments have been evaded, but not re-
futed. In the first place, considered
from the standpoint of political expe-
diency it was unwise TO incorporate AN
income tax in reform bill.
There were honest differences
enough already existing among party
friends relating TO legitimate tariff leg
! iSlation. which necessarily had to be
reconciled, without going out of our
way to seek fresh causes of contention
in an effort to incorporate this tax, an
experimental scheme of taxation at
best, upon a measure for the revision of
the tariff. The Democratic party was
substantially united in favor of the
tariff revision, but it is well known
that irreconcihable differences of opin-
ion existed concerning the propriety of
restoring a war tax in time of peace,
and yet, in spite of such differences,
and in the face of the protests of the
| Democratic constituencies and against
the advice of public men who have new
| er faltered in their devotion to true
Democratic principles, this income tax
feature has been engrafted on this
measure and we are persiStently asked
to accept DIT against our better judg-
ment as a condition of accepting any
tariff legislation.
IL would have been good policy to
have avoided this unnecessary issue.
Prudence dictates that this Congress
should not attempt to formulate new
Democratic doctrines to which we have
not been committed. Rather should it
carry out the pledges that we have al
ready made. Perhaps [ oyerestimate the
Importance Of party platforms, and ap-
preciate too keenly the binding obliga-
tons of party pledges. l believe that it
lis the solemn duty of political party
to redeem the promises upon which it
obtained power, and that Reputation
thereof will, sooner or later, bring dis
aster upon it at the hands of a betray-
ed and indignant people. For one,
protest against the reputation of the
promises of the Democratic party in
order to adopt and carry out
the promises of the Populist
party. 1 am tempted to suggest, that
the Democrats of Oregon thought to
test the popularity of an income tax
among the business men and editors of
that state by inserting in their plat
form a clause favoring that tax, and
awakening to their senses after the
election to discover that their ticket
was third in the race, that their par
ty was demoralized and that they had
divided themselves instead of dividing
their opponents.
The most disastrous defeat ever ex-
perienced by the Democrats of Oregon
WIS the rsLlt of the effort to substi-
tlte new-fangled Populistic principles
for the good principles of true Democ-
racy. Here and now, I venture the
prediction that the same result will
follow the same effort everywhere"
Senator Hill presented a petition
from a number of prominent business
men of New York city, asking that
the income tax be striker from the
tariff bill. The petition was signed by
Evan Thomas, William Steinway,
Louis Windmurller, j. Edward Simonds.
S. D. Babcock, W. Bayard Cutting
John H. Inman and Alex E. Orr.
H." said Mr.. Hill, do not wish to
drive such men out of the Democratic
party by our unwise legislation in the
hcre of supplying their places with
AdulaamiItes. Coxeyites, socialists and
all the rag tail and bob tail elements
of the community who will be attrac-
ted TO us by our proposed raid upon
the wealth of the country.
This is essentially a war tax Here
tofore we, as Democrats, have clam
ored against it and others like it. Look
at the spectacle which we now repre-
sent. If this is true Democracy l want
meme of it. If this is the best leader
ship which we can present in this
great crisis, 1 for one, must decline to
follow it. 1 repudiate the spurious
Democracy of these modern apostles
and propflets who are part mugwunyos
and part Populist, who seek to lead
us astray after false Gods, false theo-
ries and false methods. I object TO
our restoring a war tax which the Re-
publicans themselves rejected years
ago, with our appreciation.
Il protest against that lack of fore
sight and judgment upon the part of
some professed Democrats who always
seek an excuse to adopt whatever the
Republicans and people repudiated
II cannot follow such leadership.
which shifts and turns and temporizes
upon every public question, which
comprises every well established Demo-
cratic principle, for which the party
contended when out of power, which
stands ready to adopt every passing
ism Of the hour. which surrenders
principle for expediency and pursues an
course from year TO year.
If the political success of my party is
only to be purchased by such methods.
and with such sacrifices, 1 prefer defeat
and the preservation Of self raSnaot