New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-18
SENATOR SMITH JOINS HILL.
ANOTHER VIGOROUS ATTACK or THE
INCOME TAN.
ELIMINATE IT. SAYS THE NEW-jEEsEY SENATOR
OR GOD SAVE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
HE DECLARES THAT THE TARIFF
BILL IN IT'S PRESENT FORM
CANNOT PASS

by TELEGRAPH TIE TErbgNz
Washing;on AprN Nv ednesiay, April - WId
see the end Of genera; debate" in the senate on
tho Tariff bill according 20 tae terms OF an ann
cable agreement reached to-day Ny Ny. harris
and Mr. Aidr!ch on tha: date the wilson BIZ. viii
be taken up for consideration by paragraphs
amendments 10 each paragraph to be subject TO
debat. 10 any limit which may be desired NJ
Harris by to-days arrangement, apaAoohS en'"'H
his demand for the reading Of the bill in lis 'A-
tirety on which he was disposed at hrst 10 HSlS'
strenuous.y.
The Chinese treaty having been led over un'H
MAY at Senator Morgans request, part OF TINS
afternoons session became available for tarin de-
bate Mr. McIaurin of Mississippi made the nIsi
speech OF his Senatorial career in defence oil the
bill as reported from the Senate Committee on
Finance although the main drift; OF his argument
was toward the abandonment of all tarin duties
even for purposes of revenue and the unrestricted
application OF the principle OF Free Trade
Mr Smith Of New-Jersey, began j speech late
in the afternoon. and had finished only sma,. por-
ton Of II when the time for adjournment came J.
the New-Jersey Senator goes on io-nofro" ne
should have a large and attentive audience. 10Y
rr m The Irift OF h's remarks to-day, he VIII de-
velop an opposition to the BIZ as Il now stands as
vigorous and unconditional as Senator HENS MI
Smith has been home recently, and las henr1 IN
no uncertain tones what New-J'rsey thinks OF m"
measure now pending in the Senate, ana u i IN
ccrstOod that before ne nnieA"S DIS Si'eV! III "''
declare his fixed intention 20 against the WI
son bill unless the income tax feature Is stricken
Oh. and material changes made In The rates
which affect New-JerseS and other Eastern iHdus-
tries
Mr. Smiths speech to-day was devoted mainly
however. 10 a denunciatioH OF tho income tax SOC
ton The defects In the tariff schedules. he an
rounced were 10 be dealt with the various Items
were reached In the reading OF the BIZ. NJ. Smith
was unfortunate in getting the floor 50 late this
afternoon FOR his speech. Ike Senator Hils. has
marked political interest ana Significance AM
should attrac; attention for rs admrabi" b'lnes'
OF tone.
Mr. Smith said in his opening sentences:
Al some future time | may consider 1t my duty
TO the State which / know l.repressnt, ami 70 the
sSY few words in general way concerning the
Tariff bill nov under consideration Fog the pres.
ont however | shall cOnilne my remarks 10 that
portion of the measure which provides for tax
upon incomes.
which shall enieavor TO MAZE i.'in o-
pose II, and shall DO everything In my power -
because it is unjust: third: because II IS qnsp,-
cause is undefnocratc sixth because It is IN
American seventh. because IL Is unWlSt, anu
finally on general principles because Fl, il IN
WORTH OF an intelligent Government supposed 70
represent a free and enlightened peope.
The whole question he said was one o. re-
ceipts and much Of his argument In this lne was
devoted TO figures to show that the proposed tax
was unnecessary and that. by the admission ~
NJ Voorhees,. tho biz was not expected TO yield
surplus equnl u the amount expected 10 be realized
by the income tax.
WOULD CREATE SURPLUS.
ut seems to me- therefore" continued Mr. Smith.
"a plain business proposition that any amount OF
money raised by this tax will serve no other pur-
pose than that Of forming a surplus In the National
Treasury OF no use TO ANYBODY and a constant
temptation to extravaganza on the part OF IcSlsla-
tors who to the prciudices % IN" so-caIed
debtor classes u this really be the case the lax
Is not only unnecessary. but positive menac" -
safe. conservative and economical administration
O: the Government"
The corollary Of the proposition that the tax was
unnecessary was that Il was unjust one fact was
certain. Whatever OF logic or fairness or wisdom
there may be in the theory Of an income tax was
wholly elm nated by this absurd limit. IL was
neither the ono thing the other From the point
Of view OF those who honestly contendcd thn' this
method may afford equitable taxation. u was OBJ
vlously too high II every citizen was 10 bear me
burden Of government In proportion - his earn
ings. there was surely reason why he who re-
ceives $3.50 year should escape while ms n"'sh-
Dor earning $500 must pay.
Mr.. Smith devoted some time 10 the statistics
showing what States had paid this tax when en-
forced in this country during and after the war
period and then. taking up the charge OF sectional
ism. continued:
But we arc told that the unsedsh patriots who
are driving this bin through Congress depore ne
Injection OF sectionalism into the dlscussl0n rs
noes II istry raising tie Sectional question; Is
II we OF the West and South who raise IL; Vel
let who has raised II II not I'VE ~ inc Nts'
and South" VINO is responsible for IN" propos'-
ton? Would the scheme ever have been mentioned
except by Populsts in the House Of ReIrtscnta-
tives II I'VE OF the West and South haa not
forced IL upon the Committee on Ways ana Means?
WHAT THE VOTE INDICATED
What does the vote indicate? For reasons best
known to themselves the majority refused TO sub
nit the tax 70 Il separate test and tho vote was
taken on the interna, revenue amendment az a
whole one hundred and eghty-two Represcnt1-
ves voted aye. BY geographical divisions this
Southern States-Texas II: West Virginia. 4. North
Carolina s; Mississippi. !: Missouri, -, Alabamn
9: Kentucky 10: Georgia, II; Louisiana, 3; Arkansas
6: Virginia. 3; Tennessee, :, flurIca = South 'dr"
Western States Kansas. 3; Minnesota. T. Wiscon
sin 6; Illinois, u; Nebraska 81 Indiana. ~ My2,
Dakota. /; Idaho. l. Colorado, 2; California o.
Middle states Pennsylvania. 3; total. 3.
New England achusetts, J; 'onnectcut l.
There were no votes favor OF the income tax from
New-York. New-Jerrry. Maryand Dela%are Maine n
New Hampshire. Vermont or Rhode Island. one
hundred and severty-seven from the South ana
West; Ave from New England and tho Middle
States-that is the record Because OF the East
have accumulated ana are accommodating money by
hard work must stand and deliver.
And such policy say with the utmost respect
those who err wilfully-is more than unjust II ia
positively dishonest and wholly discrcdnable
In arguing that the tax was unsuccessful Mr..
Smith referred to the experience OF England and
her inability TO collect fl. What proportion then"
said he may ask. would be likely 20 be paid In
this country whose Constitution prohibits direct
taxation. whose people have tolerated 1t.