Evening star., 1894-01-30
THE iNCOM E TAX.
1t Is Discussed at Length in the House
Today
Arguments In Favor of the Adoption
Of the Bill and Those Against
Its Passage.

| WnOle ana the tarin debate Vas resumed.
| Mr.. Covert IN. -. who was speaking
when the House took a recess last night,
was given unanimous consent to complete
his speech. He continued his attack upon
the bill. which he insisted was a sectional
measure. whose burdens would fall on the
east and north. 1t had been urged he said,
that an income tax had operated with sue
cess in Great Britain. Did gentlemen not
know that the conditions there were dis
similar from those prevailing here? The
English people were a creditor people, with
Investments Of millions upon millions in
all quarters Of the civilized globe. The
only manner in which this wealth could be
reached was by an income tax.
An Appeal to the south.
when the south was threatened with a
force BILL" he concluded, 1--WE Of the north
stood shoulder to shoulder with the south
against that bill because We believed its
operations would be sectional 1 ask you
OF the south now to join with us in de-
nouncing this measure which is sectional
and which will not bear on all sections
alike. 1 want to see yonder flag float over
al sections, but not over two classes, one
by law forced to bear more burdens than
the other l want to see each man in this
country on perfect equality under the law
with the same rights, paying the same
tributes to a common country" (Applause).
Mr.. Cox Supports the Income Tax.
MIR. Cox CTenn.) followed in support Of
the income tax and argued that II 1t did
bear more heavily on the east and north
than the south it was because the pro-
tective system dictated by the north and
east had concentrated the wealth Of the
country in those sections.
Do \ ha In
come tax in a brief but vigorous speech.
He read from the platform declarations Of
| the democratic party from its foundation
/ to the present time to show that nothing
in its history could be found in advocacy or
this tax. which was to be resorted to be-
cause the democratic House of Representa-
/ uves had failed to redeem its pledges or a
tariff for revenue only.
| Opposed to an Income Tax.
Mr.. Bartlett IN: " declared that he was
| opposed to the income tax at any time and
/ in any form, whether rider on the tar
/ iff bill or as a separate measure. He was
| especially opposed to this kind of an in
come tax, which proposed to confiscate the
property of limited class of citizens and
| leave another class exempt; which proposed
| to tax 5000 of 6I,OOO,0oO of American citi-
zens. Men had been quick to read New
| York out of the democratic party, to de-
nounce New York democrats as traitors.
| Who were the real traitors? Those who
purposed by their mad folly to deliver the
democratic party over to the enemy. The
! gentleman from Missouri (Mr. HalD. who
wanted to read New York out of the demo-
cratic party, was not member of that
| party in 1888 he met with the popuiists
at Omaha. Later beaten on free silver, ne
came back to betray the party with plank
in the socialistic labor platform. He
! yielded to no one in party fealty but it
beyDnd of rie IF
men or of party caucus to bind him to
vote for any measure clearly outside the
party creed ana declared for by no party
platform. He went to discuss the plat
| form declaration at Chicago, Mr. Cleve-
| lands letter. the report of the WAYS and
/ means committee, all of which, he said
must be taken as authoritative definitions
OF the party's position. He condemned the
radical tendencies shown by some of the
| democrats in the House, who wanted TO
carry tariff reform far beyond the limits
set by the declarations of party platform
and party leaders.
! CneopstitutfOnaIityO of the Tax
He also devoted some time to the q,Ies-
| tion of the constitutionality of an income
tax, which, ne declared, could fairly be held
| 10 be capitation tax and therefore un-
constitutional AS a matter of equity. too.
the bill violated all principles of political
| economy in imposing a tax on savings and
| rpon the earnings of the professions
| There were also objections to the manner
in which 1t had been drawn, permitting
any kind of evidence and making the arbi-
| trary decision of a collector absolutely
| final. 1t outraged all the rules of evidence
Mr.. Pence (Col) followed in support of
| the income tax. The gentleman from New
| York had Genominated this tax as popu-
/! list proposition. His idea was to frighten
some democrats on this floor from its sup
| pert The populist party, he explained,
had declared for a graduated income tax
and he gave notice that tomorrow he would
move an amendment to make the tax /
per cent on incomes from $500 to $4,000
per cent from $4,000 to $4,000 3 per
cent from 100000 to $50, 900; per cent from
s6O,0OO to 100000, and 5 per cent for all
| over 100000.
! The graduation character Of the tax in
his opinion was its chief virtue. But on be-
half OF the ten populist members he desired
| to extend to the 169 democrats who favor
ed an income tax his sincerest congratu-
lations for the courage they had displa yed
| in bringing in this tax as an amendment
to the tariff bill. The democratic party
| could now go home with some justification
! for the issue of bonds, some extenuation for
the crime of last August.
Some Sarcastic Remarks.
No citizens of the south and west in the
| years to come would fail to remember with
grateful sentiments, McMillin, Bryan. Tars-
ney, Hall and the brave member from Illi-
nois CMr Fithian), who had never failed to
| faunt his defiance in the face of the New
| York democracy which knew no emotion
| save selfshness, no patriotism save greed.
| He proceeded with much sarcasm to re-
late how last August New York had Joined
hands with the republicans against the
south and west to protect Wall street and
| the money changers. He appealed to the
democrats not to surrender to the New York
democracy. Referring to Gen. Sickles' char
| acterization of the income tax as a war
| tax, he said: "I glory in the great serv-
| ices he rendered to the cause of the Union,
and am willing that he should
| be paid not only salary as retired
major general, but salary as a Con-
gressman and another as pensioner. We
| do not shirk the burdens of the pension
| list which are war burdens, and we are not
| afraid of this tax as war tax" ZAP
plause)
Mr.. Pickett Comm advocated the income
| tax, as did Mr.. Williams QlL).
! His Idol Was Broken.
| Mr. Dunn Dem. }, who was the next speak
| er. said that when he came to Congress he
thought he was coming to a body where
| the trick of the politician had no place In
LEGISLATION He had set up the gentleman
| from Tennessee, McMillin, as his ideal Of
democracy, but when the income tax meas
ure was spurred through the caucus his