New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-30
THE DEFICIT ELL.

The Wilson bill will not pass the House, with
the incomc-taX amendment. unless in the he
lief that the Senate will certainly strike out
the income tax and other offensive features.
But members have no right 10 lcgislaic in that
way They have no right 10 pass an indie
fcnsiblc measure i'm the belief that another body
will overcome the difficulties which they find
insupcrablc 1t is therefore the duty of every
member Of the House who realizes that the
income tax is contrary TO the spirit of the Con
stitution which makes every citizen equal before
the law. that it is opposed in its necessarily
inouisitora character 10 the spirit of free in
stiiuIions, and that it is more uncertain i'll
operation and unlrustworihy than any Other
tax. and more dcmoralizing in its influence OH
the character Of the PEOPLE, 10 refuse his yslc
to the Wilson bill while this TAX remains part
of the measure.
Mr.. McNIillin discussed this question rs if IT
were the first duty Of Congress To break down
industries by throwing away large part of
the revenue derived from duties on imports.
There is no such necessity. Politically. mem
bcrs have ample excuse for refusing: first, III
the present condition of industries. which are
not able To sustain another prolonged dcprcS-
sion. and. second, in the recent vote Of the pco-
be their right if not their clear duty, 10 refuse
on these grounds TO make the enormous rcduc-
ton proposed in the customs revenue. But
every member has further justification, if any
were needed, in the condition of the Treasury
and the objections To all measures proposed for
replacing the revenue which the pending bill
would throw away.
The Treasury had barely enough revenue in
,I.. Ia m IFS The
great depression In business has now So To-
duccd the revenue from all sources that there
is certain to be Il heavy deficit in the current
year. even under the laws now in force But
it is proposed To throw away large part of the
diminished revenue which IS lcfl in fanaical
adherence 10 Frcc-Tradc theories. Ii is not
merely the right but the duty Of every Congress
man. before he votes for such measure. ia
ascertain how the revenue which 1t will
sacrifice is to be obtained from other sources
Votes in the House have made il clear that the
majority in that body will not tolerate tariff
on sugar. II may be doubted whether the bill
would pass the House, even if the Senate should
send it back with sugar duty in place of The
income tax. 1t is also clear that the ma iority
will not tolerate an increased tax on beer. But
both Of these would be inadequate To raise rs
much revenue as the proposed tariff would
throw away.
In place of this there Is offered the income
tax. In the first place this would be utterly
ipadcuuatc even with the proposed increase OF
10 cents in the tax on whskcy. which wOult
Weld no more than about SlO,OoOUOO. No in
tclljccnt estimate Of The revenue 10 be derived
from the income tax can he formed. but il T.
generally agreed that it is not certain 10 exceed
| $50. 900. if ii should amount 10 much
| At the most therefore. about Si1.0o.mO nigh
| be realized after Il new system of collections
| had been established. in place of the $4,000.
900 thrown away, while the Government is al
ready confronted with deficit. 1t Is plain Il
| men who are not entirely regardless Of public