The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-09

quiry into this question has developed
some interesting information, the tenor of
which IS that the President and judiciary
would be exempt from paying the tax. on
Feb. 16. 1853. Chief Justice fancy. of the
supreme court. wrote a carefully pre-
pared letter 10 Secretary Chase relative to
the income war tax. This letter Is on file
among the records of the Clerks Office of
The supreme Court. The Chief Justice
called attention TO the clause OF the Con-
stitution referred TO and said Of the income
tax:
diminisheS the compensation OF every Judge
per cent, and If 1t can be diminished to
shat extent by the name OF a tax 1t may in
tho same way be reduced, from time TO
uIne, az the pressure OF the legislature.
Ins judiciary IS one OF the three great de-
partnlents OF the government created and
established by the constitution Its duties
ana powers are specifically set forth, and
nle OF a character that requires II TO be
apartments. In order to place it beyond
the reacn and above even tle suspicion OF
~ such influence the power to reduce
slsI compensation Is expressly withheld
I'm congress and excepted from their
Do~ers OF legislation Upon these
eFouhuS A regard an act of Congress re-
tanning in the treasury a portion of the
Sompensatton OF the judges as uncOnSti-
sotl3nal and void; and 1 should not have
srOuDIed you with this letter IL there was
any mode by which the question could be
osciqeo IN a judicial proceeding. But all
y. INC Judges or the courts OF the United
sate5 nave an interest In the question,
enu could not, therefore. undertake TO de-
Go IL l am. however. not willing TO
I've IL 10 be inferred from my silence
uat admit the right of the legislature to
oiminish in this or any other mode the
compensation of the judges when once fixed
py the law; and my silence would natural
-, perhaps necessarily. be looked upon as
sc9uleScence on my part in the power
Congress. and would be regarded as a pre-
Seuent, establishing the principle that the
ngislature may at its pleasure regulate
ne salaries OF the judges Of the courts of
ufe United States, and NAV reduce their
compensation whenever Congress may
Chief Justice Taney's letter seems to have
pad It's effect, fer, after the war, when
hon; William A. Richardson. now Chief
Justice OF the Court of Claims, was Secre-
the money which had been withheld from
the salaries Of the judiciary under the
senator wolcott to-day presented an
amendment TO the tariff bill retaining the
It was announced to-night that the Dem
ocratic subcommittee OF the Senate COM
fnittee on finance viii make its report to
Monday week, and the Democratic MEM
tcrs OF the entire committee on the follow
ing day.. III the present plans do not mis-
carry. The subcommittee was engaged on
the bill all the afternoon. and 1t is under
stood that the adjournment of the Senate
the purpose of giving them tbs, entire time
for the prosecution of their labors. TIE
subcommittee sat until after D O'Clock to-
night. The entire day was taken up with
consideration Of the question of revenue,
and no time was spent on the different
schedules of the bill. The subcommittee
has been engaged almost exclusively on the
Question Of revenue, and every day makes
II palmer that the bill will be devoted as
largely as possible to the question of rails
ing revenue. The committee is a unit on
this proposition, and is wording harmo-
niOusly in this direction. The committee
has accumulated n mass Of figures giving
the present receipts of the government and
showing estimates OF future revenues on
the present basis, making calculations on
the effect OF changes made In the Wilson
blu which haye been suggested.