The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-25
MILLS CLOSES GENERAL DEBATE
The Tariff Bill Will Have His
Cordial Support.
Tho Pending Measure Does Not Meet His
Entire Approval. hut He Bows Co the
Collective Judgment OF His Side OF
the Chamber-The Democrats are Not
Responsible for tho Financial Panic,
He Saw. In. Favor. the Income Tax.

Nc SavstHe Favors the Income Tax
WASHINGTON, April 24.-Immediately
after the reading of the journal the SEN
ase held brief executive session, and
then, at p. M. the debate on the tariff
bill was resumed, and Mr.. Mills closed
the general debate on the Democratic
side in support of the bill.
Every act of legislation. he said, was
necessarily an act of compromise, and
none more 30 than one which imposed q
duty on imports. The pending bill did not
meet his entire approval, and Re doubted
II 1t met the entire approval of any gen.
tleman on his side Of the chamber.
But, as it was, it should have his
cordial support. III he should think
that there was a prospect of improving
1t he might Offer and support some
amendments. But, wheth.r he suc-
oeeded ih having amendments engrafted
on 1t or not, he should bow to ,he col
lective judgment OF his side of the
chamber and should support whatever
conclusion it reached. He believed
that that was due from him and due
from every Iarty man because the
tariff bill was strictly party measure
and had been one since the foundation
OF the Government. If be had been
chosen to construct the bill he would
have constructed it on very different
lines.
He would not have left coffee and tea
on the free list and taxed wooden and
cotton goods or the manufactures of
Iron and steel He would have put a
tax on cohee. tea and sugar. Why?
Because that would .rry cut the Demo-
cratic principle of obtaining, tho rev
enues OF the government with tie least
possible burden to the taxpayer. His
Republican friends had put duties on
cotton goods and wooden woods and on
iron and steel because in that way,
while raising revenues for the govern
ment, tour or five times as much went
to the favored classes. he charged the
Republicans with having deceived the
farmers by the promise that under their
prote C tive system home market would
be built up.
Republican doctrine was ordered to
trading with foreign people and wanted
to build up home market But here
was five millions worth Of manufact-
ured products to be consumed at home.
How was that going to be consumed?
In order to carry out the Republican
doctrine, people would have to be i'm
ported to consume these products. The
Democratic doctrine was to export the
products all over the world, where the
people live and where they should re-
main.
The panic had not come, as was
charged, with the adver OF the Demo
cratic administration. The storm sig.
nal had been hoisted before then The
people had been admonished to look
out for squalls, and on the 9Th of Nc
vember, 1882, tho people had felt that
the squall was coming. The crop of
1892 had fallen below that OF 1891 to
the amount OF $500, 600, 600 and the crop
OF 1893 had fallen below that of 1892 to
the amount OF 5000, ZOO, 900 in value.
And the country was now where it had
been in 1889.
Still they were told by Republicans
that the Democratic administrati ton had
brought the panic and had filed the
streets with wretched people. But it
was the exhaustive taxation under the
Mckinley bill, and the exhaustive OBJ
structions in it that had Frustrated the
farmers of this country; and when the
farmers felt the strain they stretched
out their arms, and like Samson, pulled
the whole fabric over the heads of all
MIR. Mills went on 10 assert that Amer
lean labor was the cheapest in the
world-the poorest paid, in proportion
to what 1t produces; and that given
thousand in manufactures was procured
cheaper in the United States than any
where else on earth.
Coming to the question Of the income
tax, Mills asked why should not wealth
be taxed. OF all the rights here that
depended for protection upon associated
power, property was the most depend
emit. The poor man required little from
the government; why should he be per
secuted to death with taxation on every
thing that was necessary for his exist
ence? When people were associated
together in governmental it was fair
and just government-every citizen
should contribute his proper share to-
ward its support, and his proper share
WAS to be determined by the amount
which he had to be protected by the
strong, organized power OF the govern
nent.
There was considerable applause on
the door AMI in the galleries as Mr.
Mills concluded, and he received many
congratulations upon 1t from his own
side Of the chamber. AS no other SEN
ator sought the floor, the Senate again
went to the consideration of executive
business, and, at 4:05 p. M, adjourned
until tomorrow.
THE DAY IN THE HOUSE.