Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1894-02-09
PLEA FOR INCOME TAX
Mr.. M'MILLlN. OF TENNESSEE
IN ITS FAVOR.
says the Rich Should Fay More Taxes
Measure Is Opposed by the Republican
AIinority-Insurgcnts ut Rio Taught a
Valuable Lesson.
Debate in the House.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ut ftlO V0uGne
Valuable Lesson.
Debate In the House.
The debate on the internal revenue
bill, including the provision for the in
come tax, began in the House Monday.
Mr.. McMillin (Dem., Tenn. J. Chairman
OF the subcommittee of Ways and
Means on Internal Revenue, began his
argument. Said he:
II u man owns $50, 900, 600 OF 500, 0O0. 600
worth of property In the United States. as
some do. he pays only on what he eats,
what he drinks, what he wears and the
other things he usea The time has come
reasonable person whether 1t Is unjust to
expect that q small per cent of this enor-
NOUS revenue shall be placed upon tho ac-
cumulated wealth of the country instead
OF placing all upon the consumption Of the
country: Is 1t not time that the great es-
tates. which are protected by our army,
which are defended by our navy.
which are benefited by the various opera.
tions OF our Government, should contribute
In some greater degree to carry on that
government through which alone they could
have been accumulated. or by which they
are to be protected? The people Of the
United States do not ask that all of 1t shall
be placed on accumulated wealth But
they do insist that 1t is not unreasonable
or unjust to require that very small pro-
portion shall he. Aud yet when it is pro-
posed TO shift this burden from those who
cannot bear 1t to those who can; to divide
1t between consumption and wealth; to
shift 1t from the laborer who has nothing
but his power to toll and sweat to the man
who has fortune. made OF inherited we
hear a hue and cry raised by some individ-
uals that 1t Is unjust and inquisit0rial in
Its nature and should not be adopted
Then We insist. MIR. Chairman. that 1t is
not unreasonable or unjust that small
part OF this money should be collected
from this accumulation. 1 know of no ar.
gument that is at all conclusive or rational
that can be urged against this form OF tax
alton. believe that once 1t Is fnaugu-
rated II Will not cease to be source from
which to draw some OF the vast revenue
that We need Mr.. Chairman, it has been
the effort OF the Ways and Means Commits
tee to so construct the bill rs to leave it.
as far as possible. free from criticism
Unlike the old law, 1t does not require "a
schedule from every citizen. Only those
who have 3, 900 income have to make u
return. There. is nothing in this against
which any just man can complain; there
is nothing to arouse fear that any i'll can
come from 1t. It Is no tax on bread. 1t
Is NO embargo placed upon prosperity. 1t
Is no effort 10 prevent prosperity. It Is no
DEATH blow aimed ut commerce. But it is
an effort to In some way require each citi-
zen to contribute to the government in pro-
portion to what he has.
Other Arguments Pro and Con.
Mr. McMiilin was followed by Represents
ativc Ray (Rep. n. W. who opened the
debate for the Republicans In opposition
to the income tax He attributed the
business depression to threatened tariff
changes and contrasted u Democratic poll
icy on an income tax during the war and
ut present
Mr.. Tarsney (Dcm.. Mo- J, member of the
Ways and Means Committee. followed.
The income tax was first resorted to in the
dark days Of the civil war When the war
ended and the people began demanding a
reduction OF their excessive burdens, in
stead of taking the taxes off the necessa-
ries OF life by lowering the tariff rates one
by one. the internal-revenue taxes we're
removed. The taxes which the rich were
able to bear were repealed; the taxes Of
the poor were retained. This was unjust.
Men should pay according to their wealth
ernment There were $50. 900. 100000 worth
Of property in this country II one man
owaed s1, 900. 100000 worth would it not be
just that he should be taxed his equitable
share for the proportion of his property?
SIR Dinsmore (Dem., Ark.) said this hour
was an auspicious one. as it marked a new
era in taxation. 1t meant that tho wealth
OF the country was to pay just tribute to
the Government for the benefits it received
from the governmental system. 1t meant
That the great burden Of taxation was to
be taken from the shoulders of the poor.
Mr. Daniels (Rep, N. w called atten-
tion to the hostile attitude occupied by
the Democratic party toward the income
tax for years and quoted the words Of
grea. Democratic leaders like Samuel ].
Tilden in condemnation of it He pro-
ceeded with careful argument against
the income tax.
Mr. Williams (Dem., Miss J. in supporting
the income tax, said that 1t was not new
thing. 1t has been resorted to by every
democrac, since the days of solon as the
most equitable OF all taxes
He was followed by Mr. Hall (Dem.. Mo- y
who has been one of the most earnest adj
vocates of an income tax. Taxation, as
Mr. Hall asserted, came from one of three
sources-rent, profit or wages He quoted
from Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, and
other eminent political economists in sup.
port Of the principle Of an income tax
Mr.. Covert (Dem.. N. w in criticising
the action of the Ways and Means Conn
mittee said he was opposed to free trade
and the income tax.