The morning call., 1894-04-10

have always been identlled ID opposition 10 the
Democratic party, who was without sympathy
for its traditions and purposes, and whose po-
lticaI convictions upon the disputed public
questions of The day. If changed at all, are care
fully concealed.
Ii is TO be regretted that the esideni
should not have been able TO find in his own
parry some honored statesman in whom he and
his party could have placed confidence, one OF
Democratic instincts and training, whose man.
acement OF foreign affairs would have reflected
credit upon the country and would have avoid
ed the PRONUNCIATION of the un-American pol;
icy-the departure from Democratic prece-
dents-which was sought TO be forced upon an
unwilling public. In this view Of the situation
our opponents must accept some share of the
responsibility OF blunders committed in our
foreign affairs.
In other respects the present administration
of our Government affords scant grounds for
criticism.
He spoke of the repeal of the Federal
elections law as fulfillment of the party's
pledges and a triumph for the just doc
trlne of States rights. and Endorsed the
repeal of the Sherman law. Coming then
to the main questionable tariff reform
he said that provision should be APP
preached with circumspeetion and with a
realizing sense of the changed condition
of the country since 1SS7-1S90.
The extreme reduction of the tariff duties al
a time when The treasury was swollen with
surplus of 100000, 000 when the country
was reasonably prosperous ana when all our
industries were in operation, and when all our
workingmen were employed, assumed a diner
ent aspect and presented different question
when proposed now with large and growing
i ,lvan ~ rfFnrr no
in the face, with our lndustries closed, our
workingmen idle. and following upon the heels
of one of the most disastrous financial panlcs in
history.
What was safe and prudent and wise then, it
would be criminal folly to attempt now. The
present is no time for partisaDship, and Demo
Gratis and Republicans alike should strive TO
solve existing problems in spirit OF broad
patriotism. In the face of the prostration OF
private industries, and in the presence OF such
a paralysis of 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 dlscarding Gus
toms revenues and TO ill the void with an
ineom tax.
The rest of the speech was given up TO
the income-tax question. and his opening
words defined his position in unequiyocaI
and forceful language:
Against such a scheme, unnecessarily i'll
timed and mischievGus-suddenly sprung upon
the country in the hour OF lis distress, undemo-
cratic in its nature and socialislie In its teBden
ces-I enter the protest Of the people of the
State of New York. They utterly dissent from
any proposal 20 get revenue for the General
Government by taxing incomes. Their dissent
is practically unanimous and altogether i'm
plac bic.
The tariff bin is constructed on lines laid
down by the administration, and that IS an
anomalous state of affairs when the President
is able TO give Congress information as to what
had occurred in committee of the House, and
in these later days the distinctions between th
functions and prerogalives of the executive de-
partment on one hauc and the legislative de-
partment on the other do not seem to be al
ways observed. The truth is the first informa.
ton which Congress had of the alleged details
of the proposed bill was IN the message itself.
But the Strangest part CT this unprecedented
proceeding was the fact that at the very date of
the message, to wit, December Il, 1898.
neither the full Committee Of Ways and Means
nor the Democratic members thereof had
agreed upon any income tax or upon other in
ternal taxation. The senior Senator from In
diana (VoOrhees) calls this allegation "noisy
and resounding charge" Let me tell him it is
not half as noisy as the CONSTANT vituperatons
which are heard on every hand from blatant
demagogues who are abroad in the lano loudly
Inveighing against The wealth Of The country
and impudenIly demanding its cOpfscation
through every means which their GevIish in-
genuity can invent
The public should not be misled into the
belief that only those whose incomes exceed
$4,000 are affected by this BILL That is a
mistaken idea. In the first place. all those
having incomes less than $4,000 bur more than
$500 are put TO the annoyance of making
sworn returns and they neglect 1t at their
peril.
In The second place, it may be reasonably ap-
pretended 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 seriously affects the rights and in.
teTests OF building and loan associations
throughout the country incOrporaErd under The
State laws. The Senate amendments DO not
cure the defects complained OF.
Nothing was heard in behalf OF an income tax
on the part OF the two great political parties in
the campaign OF 1892. Neither the Republican
nor the Democratic platform proposed any
such method OF raising funds. No prominent
democrat or republican suggested any Sucl
measure. Its approval was limited 10 the plat
form OF the Uniformed Populist party ana It's ad.
voeacy was restricted TO PopuliSt orators. ]
protest against the Democratic party being
made tall to the Popullst kite and deny the
right OF a Democratic Congress TO make new
principles for the party not sanctioned by it,
representatives, in national convention duly
assembled. The substitution of internal OF
direct taxes for CustOm.houSe taxation means
the reduction of the wages of American work.
men to the European standard. 1t means the
degradation of labor; IL means the deprivation
to our workmen Of the comforts and Injuries Of
life to which they have been accustomed.
Not one dollar of tariff taxation should be i'm.
posed where il is unnecessary for the needs oil
the Government, economically administered but
whatever these needs are the necessary rev
enues therefor should be supplied from tariff
taxation and that alone, save and except the
taxes upon liquors, oleomargarlne and tobacco
to which the country has long been aceus
toned and which Tor obvious reasons need moi
be disturbed.
To show the sectional discrimination oil
the tax he referred to the income tax Of
1S63-1S73, which extorted fiom the people
an aggregate sum OF S347. 229, 1897 Sc. OF
this sum the Eastern States paid IS pei
cent. the Middle States 50 per cent and to.
gether they paid II per cent. New York
alone paid 80 per cert. 1t has cot been
o1oir hot I'll h.