Evening star., 1894-01-31

was accorded an ovation rivanng that
which had Just marked the close of Mr..
Cockran's attack on the income tax. The
advocates of the tax crowded about the
Nebra ska member, and for several minutes
a long line of members filed up TO shake
his hand while the galleries Joined In the
repeated rounds of applause coming from
the members.
The Session Lnst Evening.
The session of the House last night was
uneventful and was marked by no scenes or
incidents of interest. The most conspicuous
feature of the debate. probably. was the cp-
position to the income tax from two prom
inent democrats, Mr.. Coombs and Mr.
Hendrix of New York. Mr. Coombs said he
would consider the measure as the perfected
scheme of the committee upon the subject
of revenue As such IT was deficient One
of three things was demonstrated by the
bill as it was before the House-the govern
ment was too poor to maintain itself. the
committee on ways and means was incom-
petent to deal with the subject, or they had
allowed visionary theorists to control their
actions. He appealed to the committee to
withdraw the bill and revise 1t, so as to
meet the necessities of the government, now
growing so dire and imminent.
Referring to the income tax, Mr.. Coombs
said he spoke as one of the older merchants
of New York familiar with its operations.
An income tax was especially to be de-
plored, Mr.. Coombs said. because II put the
I
always made the citizen the defendant. The
people of the United States. he humorously
observed, are a high mettled, nervous class,
and need a kind hand and light harness. no
less than firm one, to guide them In
conclusion he said:
An Odious Form Of Tax.
..It Is the most odious form of taxation
that can be devised for a free people. 1t is
strictly class legislation, for IL proposes to
exempt incomes below a certain amount.
We have denounced the class legislation of
the Mckinley bill, yet We are asked to re-
place it by a worse form Of class legislation.
1t cannot be enforced without offensive in
quisitorial methods.
"A law that cannot be enforced demoral-
izes and debases the people. Those who de-
mand its enactment are they who by Its
provisions are exempted from paying ii.
The country can endure financial disasters
and economic commissions. II may struggle
and reel like a drunken man. but IL will
recover and grow In its grand career of
material prosperity, for its recuperative
power is SO great and the spring that feed
the strains of its prosperity are SO full that
they can never dry; when. however. the
moral sense Of the people becomes corrupte3
and poisoned, when class distinctions are
recognized, when jealousy Of the prosperous
becomes a political weapon In the hands OF
the demagogue, when the rights of indivtdu-
ais. no matter how high nor how low. are
subject to assaults from the less prosperous;
when socialistic theories are encouraged
then, indeed, are we In imminent peril. for
our foes are within the gates"
Party to n BuncO Game.
Mr.. Hendrix opposed the income tax. say
ing: You purpose to abandon in part a
fiscal policy old as our country and to
substitute for the abandoned part a system
of direct taxation upon one class of citi-
zens, who never have received any notice
of your intention: have never had the right
to pass upon the question at the polls:
| have no right even in this forum to plead
surprise. This, Mr.. Chairman. is bad faith
| in morals and affront in legislation and a
crime in politics.
The democracy of this nation thus led Is