The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-04-14
HILL ON THE TARIFF.
Wilson Bill Denounced by the New
York Senator.
THE INCOME TAX RIDER
Is Pronounced Un-Democratic and
Sure to Work Mischief.
CLEVELAND'S POLICIES REVIEWED

WCch VI lhO loi III SpotO IL wv 1>AeN~
opened today with full attendance in
the galleries and on the floor. The
Senate was crowded with people anxious
to hear Hills speech. The places
reserved for President andVice President
were occupied, as were also the seats in
the diplomatic gallery. Back of the seats
in the gallery many people stood up, and
if any person left the gallery his place
was speedily occupied from the outside.
SENATOR HILLS SPEECH,
The speech of Senator Hill delivered in the
Senate today chiefly devoted to an extensive
and bitter attack on the income feature of the
Wilson bill His opening remarks, however, took
a wide range.
1.-The political revolution, he bsgan, (which
which commenced in 1890 and eliminated in 80,
was an emphatic expression OF the popular will
in behalf of certain governmental policies
HUMILlATING FOREIGN POLICIES.
He then took up the foreign policy Of the
administration, saying:
ut is not denied that some mistakes have
occurred. Our foreign policy, especially that
relating to Hawaii. it must be admitted, has
not met the expectations of the people. sense
of humiliation prevailed when the PROJECT for the
restoration OF deposed monarchy was unfolded
by the administration, and qualification ensued
when its abandonment or failure was reluctantly
announced, influenced largely by an aroused
public sentiment.
That unfortunate contemplated policy was a
blunder, and a blunder is sometimes worse than
crime"
TARIFF REVISION.
Coming then to the main question-tarif
reform-he said that revision should De ap-
preached with circumspecton and with a real
izing sense OF the changed condition of the
country since 1887 and 1890.
AN extreme reduction of tariff duties at a
time when the Treasury swollen with a
surplus OF 100000, 600. when the country was
reasonably prosperous, when all our industries
were in mo ton and all workingmen were
employed assumed different aspect and pre-
scented a different question when proposed now,
with large and growing Treasury deficit instead
OF surplus staring in the face, with our
industries paralyz our manufactures closed,
| our workingmen idle, and following upon the
heels of one of the most disastrous financial
panics in our history.
what was safe and prudent and wise then it
would be criminal folly to attempt now"
The present was no time for partisanship, and
| Democrats and Republicans alike should strive
to solve the existing problem in spirit of broad
patriotism.
In the face of the prostration OF industries, -
| he continued, land in the presence of such a
paralysis OF all general business as the Treasury
deficit attests and prolongs. this BILL as framed
| by its authors and as passed by the House,
sought to double the deficit by discarding Gus
| toms revenue and to ill the void with an income
| tax
| PROPOSED TAN ON INCOMES.
The rest o his speech was given up to the
income tax question, and his opening words
| defined his position in unequivocal and fOrceful
| language.
| Against such scheme" he said, "unneces-
| sary, ill-timed and mischlevous-suddenly
sprung upon the country in the hour Of its distress
undemocratic in its nature and soclalistic in its
| tendencies-I enter protest OF tho people of the
| State Of New York. They utterly dissent from
| any proposal to get revenue Tor the general gov
| eminent by taxing incomes Their dissent is
| practically unanimous and altogether implac
| able.
| THE INQUIsIToRIAL FEATURE.
| An income tax was Objectionable. because from
! its very nature it must be inquisitorial in It's
| imposition and collection. The senior Senator
from Indiana (Mr. Voorhees, calls this allegation
| NOISY and resembling charge. -" Let tell
him that it is not half noisy the constant
| vituperations which we hear on every hand from
blatant demagOgues who are abroad In the land
| loudly inyeigling against the wealth OF the
country and impudently demanding its cons
| fcation through every means its devilish insen-
| uity can invent.
The fact that in a lew States of the Union tax
laws have been adopted which unnecessarily pry
into the tax payers private affairs and are
| unusually harsh and offensive, furnishes nc
| argument why they should be selected as models
| for the whole United States They are except,
| ional in their character. and should not be iol.
| lowed.
| Neither does the circumstance that the govern.
| ment, in the collection of our customs duties
| insists upon the inspection OF the baggage OF
passengers entering the country in order to pre-
| vent frauds upon the revenue-and sometimes
| searches their persOns-aford any justification
Tor the enactment of an income tax. the collection
OF which must largely depend upon inquisitorial
| proceedings. One procedure is necessary and
unavoidable the other is not.
| THE POOR WILL SUFFER-,
The public should not be misled into tie
belief that only those whose incomes exceed $4,000
are affected by this bill That is mistaken
| idea.
In the first place all those having incomes less
| than $4,000 but more than $500 are put to the
annoyance of making sworn returns, and they
| neglect it at their peril.
In the second place it may reasonably be apprc
hended that some portion OF the tax paid will
reimburse itself by an increase of rents where
| the income was derived from that source.
So poor tenants may be affected in some
degree as well as rich landlords. The bill ser.
iousy affects the rights snd interests of building
and loan associations throughout the country
| incorporated under State laws. The Senate
amendments do not cure the defects complained
Of.
He protested against the Democratic party
being made a tail to the Populist kite, and
denied that right of Democratic Congress to
| make new principles Tor the party not sanctioned
by its Representatives in national convention
duly assembled.
1t was his belief that the complete substitution
of internal direct or income taxes for tariff taxes
would prove utterly ruinous to the business int
ests OF this country under existing conditions
abroad. A partial substitution at this time
would be proportionately disastrous
A BLOW AT LABOR
1.-THE substitution of internal or direct taxes for
custom house taxation means the reduction OF
the wages of the American workmen to the
European standards. 1t means the degradation
of American labor; it meant the deprivation to
our workmen of the comforts and luXuries of life
to which they have been accustomed.
.tNO American statesman of rank Mr.
Cleveland has deemed it eligible since our war
experience of an income tax, which made it
manifest that here, too, in the Northern States it
was generally odious. 1t is a novelty in American
politics to make it conclusions and procedures
deliberately offensive 1t is like making religion
immoral and urbanity noisy in order to commend
and propagate them.
TWO KINDS OF SOCIALISM.
IF McKineyism is Socialism for thebenent OF
the rich and income taxing is Socialism for the
benefit OF the poor, no true American Democrat
will look to the hair OF the dog to cure his bite
American Democrats will reject Socialism of both
kinds. II NY counsels needed, l would
surprise and satisfy the country by the conserya.
tism Of our progress in revenue reform. The
Mckinley bill lost the country TO our opponents
by its extreme features in one direction, and we
should avoid the opposite extreme.
IF the contention that the rich should pay all
the taxes and the poor be exempted thereirom is
well founded, then it may well be urged that the
rich should monopolize the sufIrages and offices
of the country. The very fact that every citizen
is obliged to contribute something, no matter
how little, toward the expenses OF the government
whether he owns property not, fortfes his
right to the elective franchise and augments his
claim for political preferment. He should regard
it as a privilege conferred upon him, shield
against political ostracism; it increases his dig
nifty and influence, and he naturally takes
keener interest in public affairs. The true well
fare of the community is subseryed by this system