The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-06-24

nerotOIore OIereu Oy MT. Jail 1Or the
appointment of q special committee OF
FIVE Senators to investigate the subject
OF organized efforts OF corporations to
control the election of members of Con-
gross and to influence the legisl alton of
Congress, was taken up Immediately
after the meeting Of the Senate, and,
after remarks by Mr.. Call, it was sug-
gested by Mr.. Sherman that the scope
OF the proposed investigation was too
broad, covering as it did the whole
United States, and that no sufficient
foundation seemed to have been laid for
1t. II 1t were confined to the State Of
Florida he would not make any objec-
ton. The resolution was not so modi-
fed, and it went over without action.
At 1890 the tariff bill was taken up,
the question being on the various
amendments to the income tax provis-
ion and Mr.. Hill became again the CEN
trail figure of the proceedings. He
started in at once and talked for an
hour and three quarters, worrying alike
the Senators OF his own party and those
of the Populist party. He spoke Of the
latter as coming to the front like the
h0DbAoh nuQ Ill q DOU OF
wster," and he said that "barb bed wire"
the only thing that it mad obtained by
its coalition with the Democrats, was
its fit emblem.
Talking upon the income tax feature
OF the bill, Mr.. Hill commented on the
fact that the word cotton" appeared In
italics in the bill, showing that at frss
the profits on cotton were not to be
accounted for; and he intimated that
the intention had been at first to
exempt the profits made from cotton,
and that that was one indication of Sec
tionaliEm in the bill.
Mr.. Hill was followed by Mr. Gall
niger in speech against the tariff bill
in general and agains. the income tax
in particular.
After some remarks by Mr. Allen. the
committee amendment to section fifty.
fcur-the first Of the income tax sec
tions-were agreed to without divis-
ion. An inquiry was made by Mr..
Allison as to the amendment offered
yesterday by Mr.. Vest to reduce the
exemption from 81, 600 to $4,000.
Mr.. Vest said he withdrew 1t. He
had offered it under Misrepresentation
supposing that his colleagues on the
finance committee favored it. He had
learned this morning, however, that
they did not favor 1t. His action had
not been Influenced by any argument
made in the Senate. He took the re-
sponsibility of withdrawing the amend
ment.
Mr.. Hill then offered an amendment
reducing the exemption to $1,000. 1t
was rejected-yeas Is, nays AZ.
The exemption remains fixed at
$4,000.
Mr.. Hill then moved to postpone for
one year the time for the income tax to
begin and to end-1s96 and 1901. This
was rejectet by vote of, yeas, 26; nays,
Al. This finished the amendments to
section Sd and section SIS was then taken
up. The committee's amendments,
mostly Of formal character, were
agreed to. Mr.. Hoar offered an amend
mont to except from the tax inheri-
tances from lineal ancestors or descend.
ants and between husband and wife. It
was rejected yeas, %; nays, 80. Mr..
Hoar then moved the same amendment,
only restricting it to inheritances below
IS, 600. This amendment was also re-
jected-yeas, 81; nays 90.
On motion of Mr.. Hoar and without
opposition an exemption Of the income
tax was made in favor of judges of the
United States courts. Mr.. Plat moved
to strike out the proviso that only one
deduction of 1900 shall be made from
the aggregate income of all the mem
bers of family. The vote on this
amendment was: Yeas, 80; nays, 81. An
inquiry was made by Mr.. Sherman as
to the estimated annual yield of the in
come tax. 1t was stated in answer by
Mr.. Vest, that it had been estimated at
100000, 600, but that he could find no
reliable data for such an estimate. Mr..
Hill inquired as to the principle @on
which the salaries Of United States
judges were 10 be exempted.
Mr.. Vest confessed that the amend
mens did not commend itself to his iudg-
ment. There wss much plausibility,
however, in the contention of Chief Jus.
tice fancy that as the constitution pro-
vided that the compensation of United
States Judges should not be diminished
during their term of office, the exaction
OF an income tax from that compenaa-
ton would be an Infringement OF the
constitution.
Mr.. Hill then moved an amendment
to apply the sau principle to the Presi-
dent of the Unued States The Presi.
dent, he said, did not ask 1t. He (HilD
was not authorized to speak for him in
this or any otaer matter Qaughter).
But he thought that II the salaries
OF United States judges were exempted
at the personal ,equest OF the Senator
from Missouri, b, same exemption
would be given to the citizen OF New
York, who now occupied the place Of
President Of the Unitei States.
Mr.. President" said Vest. with
good humored satire, "as this is prob
ably the last President that we shall
have from the State OF New York the
appeal is almost irresistible" (Gen-
eral laughter, in which Mr.. Hill him.
self took part.)