Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1894-02-01
BURKE COCHRAN ANSWERED..
Congressman Bryan, the Eloquent
Nebraskan, Answers the New
York Member.

York Member
At the close of representative
Cockran's vehement protest utter
ed in the lower House of Congress
on Tuesday against the intome tax
bill, the enemies of that measure
experienced their first CLEAN of hope
and, for a brief while, were actual
" iubilant. But all of this feeling
of transient enthusiasm began to
give way before the sledge hammer
blows which were struck at the very
heart of their hopes, by the next
speaker. This speaker proved to be
the eloquent Nebraska Congressman
Mr.. Bryan, who, as champion OF the
income tax measure, has added new
laurels to his already brilliant rep
utation as an orator and statesman.
In his opening remarks Mr., Bryan
made reference to recent show
ing that 81 per cent of the people
of the United States own only about
80 per cent of the total wealth,
while the remaining 8 per cent own
y per cent of the total wealth, The
people of the United States who
have small incomes pay on an aver
age more than ten per cent of their
incomes to support the Federal gov
ernment while the rich pay small
er per cent. Why should not this
tax be added in order that the bur
dens may be partially equalized? 1t
is objected that this tax will endan-
ger the tariff bill. I am not afraid
that any Democratic members will
refuse to relieve the common people
of the heavy burdens placed upon
them by the Mckinley bill for fear
he will impose a light burden by
means of an income tax upon those
who are amply able to bear it, l
protest against the perversion of
language, which we have witnessed
in this chamber. They tell us that
those who make the load heaviest
upon those who are least able to
bear it are distributing the burdens
of the government with impartial
hand. but those who insist that
each citizen should pay in proper
ton to his wealth are blinded by
predjudice against the rich; they
call that man statesman whose
ear is turned to catch the slightest
pulsations of a pocket beol, and de-
nounce as a demagogue the man
who dares listen to the heartbeat
of humanity. Ward McAllister, the
Header of the New York 4000 said
the other day that if the income
tax were adopted it would compel
many of the best people of New
York to live abroad where living is
cheaper, but while there what will
they pay? England taxes incomes
more than 2 per cent; Prussia as
high as 4 per cent; Switzerland as
high as 8 per cent; Italy as high as
II per cent and Austria as high as
20 per cent; But who will expat-
rate himself rather than support
his government? Who will choose
life under a monarchy even without
an income tax rather than live in a
Republic with a 2 per cent taxi II
such there be let them depart. We
can better dispense with their
wealth than'submit to the contain
ination of their presence.
At the close of Bryan's speech he
was accorded an ovation rivaling
that which had just marked the
close of Cockrans attack on the in
come tax, The advocates of the
tax crowded about the Nebraska
member and for several minutes a
long line of members filed up tc
shake hands with him, while the
galleries joined in the repeated
sounds of applause coming from the