New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-27
TT WAS A BITTER PILL.
BUT THE LIFELONG ADVOCATES OF
STATES RIGHTS SWALLOWED IT.
HOLDERS OF STATE BONDS MUST PAY AN IN
COME TAX-MR. HILL LEADS ANOTHER
VIGOROUS ATTACK on THE
POPULSTIC MEASURE.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE J


tBY TELEGRAPH rRBuyrI
washington. June 26.--Mr Hill continued today
in the Senate the verv spirited and persistent
fight which he began last Thursday against the
income tax section OF the Tariff bill and though
as usual he scored no absolute successes at the
expense OF the managers Of the bill. he again
involved the Democratic majority in serious en-
barrassments and inconsistencies. and extorted
from the few Senators on his own side who still
retain a shred Of political independence or self
respect the unwilling tribute of their occasional
support Mr. Hill has IN the last week demon
strated more fully than ever to his Democratic
associates that he possesses the admirable quail
ties Of political courage and consistency. and his
remarkable assertion. slngle-handed Of what he
considers the principles OF the Democracy
in opposition 10 the ill-assored and vaclllatinS
policies OF the nominal party managers has won
him the secret admiration Of many of the Demo-
cratic rank and file who are now led mutely and
hurbly in the uncertain and capricious train of
the "compromisers" and bargain hunters" who
constitute the Democratic leadership.
The particular weapon chosen by Mr.. Hill
to-day with which to threaten and embarrass
the Democratic management was the Illogical and
un-Democratic proposal OF Mr.. Vest TO tax In
comes derived from State bonds while exempting
incomes derived from investments in bonds or the
United States The assertion Of any power In the
general Government to tax State bonds in any
wav would seem 10 be one from which the aver
age Southern Democrat could be depended TO
recon with horror and Indignation and perhaps
not more than two or three Of the Southern Sena-
tors had any idea that such an "unconstitu-
tjonal' proposition had been covertly struggled
into the income tax section of the bill. MI Hill.
however, laid bare the hideousness of this as
lob. Wit
could not be misunderstood or evaded-and the
Southern Senators were put in the miserable
blight Of either rebuking the Finance Committees
extraordinary heresy or Of sustaining by their
votes theory of the Federal taxing power which
violated their lifelong professions OF the inVioa-
billy of State sovereignty.
As was to be expected, the great majority Oh
the Southern advocates of States rights stood
by the committee in their denial OF any eAeinp,
ton from taxation TO the holders OF pohos l ssuSu
nv the States But four Democrats were unaDie
10 swallow the committees gross abandonment
OF Democratic theory-Messrs. Gray. Canery,
Pugh and Morgan The first three named joined
Mr. Hill in supporting an amendmeht eAeihp'hs
from the operations of the income tax scheine
interest derived from State bonds, while Mr..
Morgan. who spoke warmly in supper, OF .ne
amendment, would also have voted with the
New-York Senator IL he had not been paired WIN
Mr. QUAY Mr. German rather conspicuously
lodged voting on the question. The maJorll! LOT
the committee only three. with piope,
arrangement Of pairs II would have been reduced
to one or perhaps wiped out altogether
Mr. Gray caused some comment by saying De.
fore the vote was taken. that ne had at las'
reached point in the consideration OF the III III
come tax where he could not compromise ms
views" Considering the fact that Mr. Grays
vote had been given for every previous oich o
bargain and compromise arranged by the man
ayers OF the bill, his squeamishness at this addi,
tional violation OF party principle contemplate
nv Mr. Vest and Mr. Jones was considered rather
Extraordinary 1t is not feared by the finance
Committee that the Delaware Senator'S sehsi-
tiyeness will lead him astray again. elther "nen
the final vote is taken on the income TAX secIloh
or when the sugar. coal. iron ore ana other sur,
render paragraphs of the bill come up for maj
consideration. 49, .u, ara1v
ont another lively attack from Mr.. HILL but al
his amendments were rejected in turn Inc
paragraphs applying 10 taxes IN corporations
49, reached but no action could be taken on
then, before adjournment The whole income
tax section will probably be disposed OF to-mor-
row.