St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-30

draw some of the vast revenue that we
need. If we are not to impose an addi-
tional tax on cigarettes, as we do, IL we
are not TO impose tax Oh playing cards.
as IS proposed by us. il we are not to
impose tax on inheritances, and If we
are not TO place any tax upon the in
comes in this country, l wish to know
from what source we are to get that de-
ticiency which has been characteristic
of the revenues for months past, and
bids fair to be up to the end of the pres
ent If not the succeeding fiscal year.
Mr.. Chairman. it has been the effort
of the ways and means committee to so
construct the bill as to leave ii, as far
as possible. from this criticism. In
like the old law, it does not require a
schedule from every citizen. Only those
who have $4,000 incomes have to make
a return. There is nothing III this
against which any just man can COM
plain; there Is nothing to arouse fear
that any i'll can come from it. 1t Is 10
tax on bread. 1t is no embargo placed
upon prosperity. 1t is no effort TO pre-
vent prosperity; it is no death blow
aimed at commerce. but it is an effort TO
in some way require each citizen to
contribute TO the government in the
proportion 10 what he has. Now, let US
see some of the advantages that will
flow from it. Today there are great
contentious and StrfeS.
Who would be discontinued of sys-
tenn of government which taxed only
one portion of the wealth that was
possessed But we see around us such
fortunes as were never accumulated in
one generation or two before i'll the
history OF
THE WHOLE WORLD.
Mr.. Chairman, he concluded, here we
have the most liberal government that
ever arose, tlOurished and fell. A gov
eminent of the people. for the people
and by the people. We have at last dis
covered how to govern man and still
leave him free. This is best done by
protecting him in his life. liberty and
pursuit Of happiness. and leaving him
to work out his own salvation. Any
laws that discriminate against one class
of citizens and in favor of another can
not long stand. The spirit of justice
which animates our people will forbid
this. 1t should be the duty of every
American citizen to see that each other
citizen has equal and exact justice ad-
ministered to him under the law, and
that wealth, not poverty, should be
taxed. We think that the enactment of
this law will insure that justice
which has SO long been denied.
We believe thar by it many
who have heretofore not contributed
their proportional part of taxes to the
support of the government. will be re-
quired to do so. Sir, if believed that
this law did not tend in this direc-
ton l would have my tongue cleave to
the roof OF my mouth. and my right
hand forget its cunning, before L would
give my voice or my vote to this meas
ure. But, believing that its adoption
will result in public benefaction. my
whole heart goes forth in its advocacy,
and l am ready to stand or fall with the
principle of equity which it carries.
Mir. McMillin was followed by Repre-
the debate for the Republicans in oppo-
SitIon to
THE INCOME TAX.
He attributed business depression to
threatened tariff changes, and con-
| traSted a Democratic policy on an in
come tax during the war and at present.
MIR. Tarsney, of Missouri, of the ways
| and means committee, followed The
income tax was first resorted said he,
in days of the civil war. When the war
ended and the people began demanding
reduction of their excessive burdens,
| instead OF taking The taxes off the neces-
one by one, the internal revenue taxes
| were removed. The taxes which the
rich were able to bear were repealed:
the taxes Of the poor we're retained.
This was unjust; men should pay ac-
cordiEg to their wealth for the support
and protection of the government,
There were seventy billion dollars worth
of property in this country. If one
man owned Sl,0O0000,O 900 worth, would
it not be just that he should be taxed
his equitable share for the proportion of
his property.
Mr.. Dinsmore Dem. Ark.) said this
house was an suspicious one, as 1t
marked new era in taxation. 1t meant
that the wealth of the country was to
pay just tribute to the government for
tue benefits it received from the gov
ernmental system. 1t meant that the
great burden of taxation was to be
taken from the shoulders of the poor.
Mr.. Daniels (Rep., n. " called at
tentlon to the hostile attitude occupied
by the Democratic party toward the in
come tax for years. and the words of
great Democratic leaders like Samuel j.
Tilden in condemnation of it. He plo-
ceeded with careful argument against
| the income tax.
Mr.. Williams Dem., Miss.) supported
the income tax. He quoted from Adam
Smith. John Stewart Mill and other
eminent political economists in support
of the principle of an income tax. He
challenged any one to point out single
economist of note, barring. possibly.
MIR. Howell, of Johns Hopkins univer-
| sity, who had not indorsed an income
| tax.
Mr.. Covert Dem. N. ". in CRITICS
ing the action of the ways and means
committee, contended that the meaning
of tariff reform was we'll understood
during the campaign of 1892. Free trade
was not spoken of, except in condemna-
ton of it. Tariff reform was under
stood to be a judicial revision of the
,, dutiable list, the reduction only of du-
ties upon articles unduly protected
At this point the hour of $50 arrived
and the house adjourned until O'Clock,