The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-22
NO INCOME TAX.
Senator Hill Makes His
Protest.
ASSAULT UPON CAPITAL.
That Has Never Been the Policy
of Democracy.
Mr.. PETER TAKES THE CREDIT.
The Measure Is One Which the
Popuiists Have Favored All
Along.

eOOu attendance In the galleries In antlcl-
patton Of the opening of the income-tax
debate when Viee-Presdent Stevenson
called the Senate to order today. Bills
were passed as follows: TO authorize a
commission to draft = code Of laws for the
| district OF Alaska; to promote the eff
cheney OF the navy, and to define the bOun-
daries Of three judicial districts 10 Alaska
and regulate the jurisdiction of the United
States courts therein.
As soon as the clerk had read the first
section OF the income-tax provisions of the
tariff bill Hill, who assumed the leader
ship Of the opposition to those provisions.
delivered carefully prepared argument.
I'VE have now reached the considera-
ton of the most important features of the
! tending measure, important not only be-
| cause the tax which il seems to impose
equals in the aggregate about one-fifteent h
OF the whole Federal taxation of the
! United States. but because of the peculiar
! nature OF The burden, as well as the vast
| and varied Interests which it injuriOusly
affects. With all due respect to what has
been said in favor of the tax bill by dis
/ tinguished Senators il is confidently sub
United TO the Senate without he arguments
| presented in opposition t. the necessary JUS
tiee and advisability of any such tax hay-
ing ever been successfully answered. The
arguments have been eyaded, but not re-
! futed.
I'm the first place, considered from the
standpoint of political expediency, it was
unWlse TO Incorporate an income tax in a
reform bill. There were honest differences
enough already existing among party
friends relating 10 the debts of the legti-
mate tariff legislation which necess arily
had TO be IecoDciIed without going out OF
our way TO seek fresh causes of contention
in an effort to incorporate this tax, an ex-
perlmentaI scheme of taxation at best,
upon a measure for thu revision of the
tariff.
Tine Democratic party is substantially
united in favor of tariff revision, but
il is well known that irrecOnciiable differ
ences Of opinion existed concerning the
propriety of restoring war tax in time Of
peace. and yet in spite of such recognized
differences and ID The face of the protests
| of the Democratic constituencies and
against the advice Of public men who have
never faltered in their devotion to true
! Democratic principles this income-tax
feature has been engrafted upon this
measure, and we are persstently asked to
accept il against our better judgment as a
condition of obtaining any tariff legis-
| latiOn.
''It would have been good policy to have
avoided this unnecessary issue. Prudence
dictates that this Congress should not at
tempt to formulate new doctrines to
which we have not been committed.
Rather should it carry out the pledges that
we have already made. Perhaps | over
estimate the importance of party platforms
and appreciate COO keeuly the binding oh
legations of party pledges. | believe that
1t is the solemn duty of a political party to
redeem the promises upon which it OBJ
tanned power and that reputation thereof
will sooner or later bring disaster upon
it al the hands of a betrayed and indg-
Dant people. l protest against this
reputation of the promises OF the
Democratic party in order to carry
out the promises of the Populist party |
am tempted to suggest that the Democrats
OF Oregon ought to see, after inserting in
their platform clause favoriDg that tax,
and then awakening 10 their senses after
The election 10 discover that their ticket
was third In the race, that their party was
dsmoralzed and that they had divided
themselves instead of dividing their oppo-
nents. The most disastrous defeat ever
experienced by the Democrats in Oregon
was the result of the effort to substitute
new-fangled Populstic principles for the
| good principles of true Democracy. Here
and now | ntuTe the prediction that the
same result will follow the same effort
| everywhere"
Senator Hill presented petition from a
number of business men of New York
City asking that the income tax be stricken
from the tariff bill The petition was
signed by Evan Thomas, William Stein
way, Louis WindmuIer. j. Edward SIM
mons, S. d. Babcock. w. Bayard Cutting,
John II. 1nman and Alex E. Orr.
81" said Hill. do not wish to drive
such men out of the Dem ocrntic party by
our unwse legislation in the hope of sup
plying their places with Adullamites.
Coxeyites, socialists and all the rag, tag
and bObtail elements of the community
who will be attracted to US by our pro-
posed raid upon the wealth of the country.
This is essentially war tax. Heretofore
we Democrats have elamored against 1t
ana others like it. Look at the spectacle
which we now represent If this is true
DcfDOcIdcy i want none Oh ". III tntS Is
the best leadership which we can present
in this great crisis 1 for one must decline
to follow it. / reDudiate the spurious
| Democracy of these modern apostles and
prophets who are part mugwump aud part
| Populist, who seek 10 lead us astray after
false gods, false theories and false meth
DDS. l object to our restoring a war tax
which the Republicans themselves rejected
years ago with our appreciation. / protest
against that lack of foresight and judy
ment upon the part of some protested
Democrats who always seek an excuse TO
adopt whatever the Republican and Peo-
pies parties repudiated.
II cannot follow the leadership which
shifts and turns and temporizes upon
every public question, which compromises
every well-establshed Democratic princi-
pie for which the party contended when
out of power. which stands ready to adopt
every passing ISM of the hour, which sur
renders principle for expedIency and pur-
sues ostentatious courses from year to
year. If the political success of my party
Is only to be purchased by such methods
and with such sacrifices / prefer defeat
and the preservation of self-respect. And
this is tax the imposition OF which shall
drive New York, New Jersey and Connec-
ticut IN 10 the Republican column, there to
permanently remain; a tax the Individual