Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-02-08
Debate In the House.

bill, including the provision for the In
come tax, began in the House Monday.
Mr.. McMiliin (Dem., Tenn. Chairman
of the subcommittee OF Ways and
Means on Internal Revenue, began his
argument. Said he:
IL man owns $50. 900, 900 or 500, 600, 600
worth of property In the United States, as
some do, he pays only on what he eats.
what he drinks. what he wears and the
when this should be changed ask of any
reasonable person whether It is unjust to
expect that small per cent of this enor-
nous revenue shall be placed upon the ac-
cumulated wealth of the country instead
of placing all upon the consum ption of the
country. Is 1t not time that the great es :
tates, which are protected by our army,
which are defended by our navy,
which are benefited by the various opera
tions OF our Government, should contri butte
In some greater degree to carry on that
government through which alone they could
have been accumulated, or by which they
are to be protected? The people OF the
United States do not ask that all OF IL shall
be placed on accumulated wealth. But
they do insist that It is not unreason able
or unjust TO require that very small pro-
portion shall he. And yet when IL is pro-
posed TO shift this burden from those who
cannot bear II to those who can; TO divide
~ OobWCCu euu WCoituS W
shift It from the laborer who has nothing
but his power to toll and sweat to the man
who has n fortune. made or inherited. We
hear hue and cry raised by some individ-
uAls that IL Is unjust and inquisitorial In
its nature and should not be adopted
Then we insist Mr.. Chairman, that 1t IS
not unreasonable or unjust that a small
part OF this money should be collected
from this accumulation. / know Of no ar
gument that is at all conclusive or rational
that can be urged against this form Of tax
alton. i believe that once it Is fnaugu-
rated 1t will not cease to be a source from
which to draw some of the vast revenue
that we need. Mr. Chairman, It has been
the effort Of the Ways and Means Commit
tee to so construct the bill as to leave IL,
as far as possible, free from criticism.
Unlike the old law. II does not require a
schedule from every citizen Only those
who have "a, 600 income have to make u
return. There Is nothing in this against
which any just man can complain; there
is nothing to arouse fear that any Ill can
come from II. 1t Is no tax on bread. It
Is no embargo placed upon prosperity. 1t
Is no effort TO prevent prosperity. It is no
DEATH blow aimed at commerce. But It is
an effort to In some way require each citi-
zen to contribute TO the government In pro-
portion to what he has.
Other Arguments Pro and Con.
Mr. McMillin was followed by Represent
atfve Ray (Rep. N. W, who opened the
debate for the Republicans in opposition
To the income tax He attributed the
business depression to threatened tariff
changes and contrasted Dem mocratic pol
icy on an income tax during the war and
at present
Mr. Tarsney Dem.. Mo- member of the
Ways and Means Committee, followed.
The income tax was first resorted TO In the
dark days of the civil war When the war
ended and the people began demanding a
reduction OF their excessive burdens, In
stead of taking the taxes of the necessa-
ries OF life by lowering the tariff rates one
by one. the internal l-revenue taxes were
removed The taxes which the rich were
able to bear were repealed; the taxes of
the poor were retained This was unjust
Men should pay according TO their wealth
for the support and protection OF the Gov
ernment There were $40. 600, 900, 600 worth
of property In this country. II one man
owned 1000, 600, 900 worth would IL not be
just that he should be taxed his equitable
share for the proportion Of his property
Mr. Dinsmore (Dem, Ark. said this hsur
was an auspicious one. as It marked a new
era In taxation. 1t meant that the wealth
of the country was TO pay "a just tribute to
the Government for the benefits IL received
from the governmental system 1t meant
that the great burden of taxation was to
be taken from the shoulders of the poor.
Mr. Daniels (Rep, N. Y. called atten-
ton to the hostile attitude occupied by
the Democratic party toward the income
tax for years aud quoted the words Of
great Democratic leaders like Samuel ].
Tilden In condemnation Of t. He pro-
ceeded with a careful argument against
the income tax.
Mr. Williams Dem, Miss }, In supporting
the income tax, said that IL was not a ne
thing II has been resorted to by every
democracy since the days of solon Is the
most equitable Of all taxes.
He was followed by Mr.. Hall Dem. Mo },
who has been one of the most earnest ad-
vocates of an income tax. Taxation, as
Mr. Hall asserted. came from one of three
sources--rent, profit or wages He quoted
from Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, and
other eminent political economists In sup
port Of the principle Of an income tax.
Mr. Covert Dem. N. W in criticising
the action Of the Ways and Means Com
mittee said he was opposed TO free trade
and the income tax.