New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-11
HAD NOTHING TO SUGGEST.
SENATOR HILL DISCUSSES THE INCOME
TAX WITH DRYGOODS MEN.


SAY REGARDING THE WILSON BILL Is
LAID BEFORE THE sENATE-sCANTY
COMFORT FOR THE TRADEsMEN.
Twelve apparently prosperous middle-aged men,
representing certain Of the leading houses III lhe
drygoods district. had a long conference VIII
Senator David g. Hill in the reception parior oi
The Hotel New-Netherland yesterday afternoon
in the hone that he would indicate his probable
line of action on the Wilson bill or afford some
positive ard distinct expression Of opinion Oh
the measure as a whole OF course they were
disappointed Senator Hill rarely commits MIN
self to anything until the time comes To a'''
and he did not depart from his custom yesterday.
Certain remarks made by him in the course Vi
the discussion might be construed INTO an eN-
nression of dsapproval Of the oiil' Out WIZ"
the conference was ended no one or the "''Ne
or thirteen gentlemen present was eNacuS ce ''i'i
about anything ,,,, .
The drvgoods men had asked Senator I'M u
moot them in conference. and when O'Clock
had struck Senator Hill was prepared 10 "S''"
20 all they had to tell him. Nearly every one
present could count his fortune in large nsu'eS'
and as might be expected, there was unani-
NOUS outcry against the income tax some
members of the derutatlon almost shed tears III
Professor Wilson's measure
On this poInt Senator Hill. for a surprise, was
clear in his expression. Il realize 'hat 'ie
business men of this city are opposed To the
income tax" he said. 1.-The bill will now UNI
ouestionably be reported TO the full Senate
assume that the discussion will last SIN weeks
but this is merely conjecture Al present
have nothing to suggest to business men, Du'
later before the discussion is ended. | may
have At present am waiting to hear sugges-
tjons from YOU. 1t is undeniable that the men
representing the South and West are IN favor o.
the income tax. Their views however are no;
sound. and cannot be defended on any Ios'cd
basis Co.
Then Walter Stanton and others pelted Sena-
tor Hill with a string of techncalties our o!
which one thing was clear: that they We're almost
unanimously opposed 10 the reductions on raw
materials. There seemed. too, 10 be genera
opinion that the measure ran Iather 700 i''u'"
to ad valorem as against specific duties
There is one thing that impresses me WIN
considerable force said Senator Hill. ana thd'
is that the bill leans much on ad valorem duties
In fact it seems to me that the whole thing mas
been run into the ground l may say nele 'n nS
] am in favor Of specific duties In all cases, eN-
cent where the nature of the article affected
renders such duties impossible. or course III
some cases an ad vaorem duty - p ,ree -.
Others again, a compound duty would be prefer
able to either Of the first two Ii seems TO me
that the Senate committee would have Deeh
wiser If 1t had taken the trouble TO get the .est
,nony of men like yourselves who have mastered
the subject--each in his own department 0i
trade-and thoroughly understand the techiilc 'aa
ties of the subject. Instead. they have preferred
TO conduct this secret session with only the
opinions of Senators and Members OF Congress
TO guide them When 1t was suggested emas o,re
business men in the various interests should APP
pear before the committee an op]eclion aIose
that this proceeding would drag the revision Oh
the bill through the summer Ihen sone , "a 'nS
Senators have a number of diverse interests anu
SO the proposition was unwisely put ASIDE.
What If a body Of business men representing
the various interests affected by the bill went
TO washington and laid their views before the
whole Senate?" asked one of the company
Il think, preferable and more effective plan
81 fhis" replied Senator Hill. the representa-,
tive men in different interests should meet ana
discuss the provisions of the bill in detail. Iney
should set forth their views IN tne FORM "a a
circular to be signed by two or three men repre-
senting the remainder and forward copy OF
the circular to each Of the Senator's. Will see
that their objections and suggestions are prop
erIy laid before the Senate as body.
With this scanty comfort. the drygoods depu-
tation was forced to be content. Asked later by
a Tribune reporter 10 say whether ne approved
of the Wilson bill whole, Senator Hin de-
clined to express any opinion on the subject.
Those who took part in the conference included
Walter Stanton L. NJ Townsend, j. X. Quimby,
William E. Greenough Theodore Frellnghuysen,
Arthur BarnweI. f. II. Sampson, Charles T..
Rycroft J. E. Wooster, James h. DunhaiI,, NJ
w BENJAMIN, William F. King and Jules Mon
tant.
HILL, SEES SHEEHAN AND GRANT
HE DRIVES WITH THE EX-MAYoR AND TALKS
WITH THE LEUTENANT-GovERNoR
Among the people who paced up and down the
vestibule of the Hotel Northumberland last night
while Senator Hill had his talk with the drygoods
men was a tall thin ford. blue-eyed man. VINO at
intervals tugged nervously at thin. red mustache
Only one or two of those present were aware or MS
identity. He observation-disclosures william r.
Sheehan, seeking talk with Senator Hill. Al IN
tervals during the day he had tried to get access
ooh afla1 10
his card marked Important to Senator HILL who
received IT lust as he talking to the drygoods
men about the income tax. Senator Hi looked at
IT, turned to his secretary. murmured see what
ne wants" and resumed the discussion just as II
nothing particular had happened. AS the business
deputation filed out of the room LieutenantGov-
ernor Sheehan whsked in and for about fifteen
minutes the two talked behind closed doors.
Whether they talked on the State Senate investiga'
ton Of the Police DEPARTMENT the an
Robert Ross by the Democratic repeaterss al the
thew declined to say a word about it, When the
conference closed Lieutenant Governor Sheehan
Rage drove of to catch the Albany express train
Early in the day Senator H had spent consd,
the hotel at Early in the afternoon ex-Mayor
Hugh J. Grant driving smaT' 10 XII o wagon sp
trance md was at joined by Senator Hill.
Then for more than two hours the Two M n, sds oy
ting earnestly the while on-what! To-Day SEN
afor Hill will return TO Washington
Asked by a Tribune reporter last night TO say
whether the published report Of his engagement TO
Miss Lefty Scott, niece OF Vice Pr sident steven
son. was true Senator Hill smiled blandly ana re"
pled: 81 would prefer say nothing about the mat
ter" =, -
der Of Robert Ross. 81 must positively decline 70
disces s,Ich subjects he said. Il am dealing with
ths tariff now and not with murder or politics."
THE f.. B. HARPER CLUB TO HAVE A
SMOKER"
A "smoker" Will be given by the T. b. Harper Re
publican Club on next Saturday evening at III
clubhouse No 1s0 Willis-aye Great preparation