Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1894-06-21
HILL ON THE INCOME TAX
HE SAY3 1T ~ A POPUI,ISTIC
MEASURE.
Accuses President Cleveland and
The senate. of Violating Pledges
OF The Chicago Pla,form-The
STATE Bank Tax.

WASHINGTON, June 2l-In the Senate
at 1890, the tariff bill was taken up, the
pending question being on the income
tax sections. Senator Hill of New York
addressed the Senate in opposition to
the tax.
He began his remarks by announcing
that I'VE have now reached considera-
ton of one of the most important fea-
lures OF the pending measure; important
not only because of the tax which it
seeks to impose, which equals in the az
gregate about onc-fiftcenth of the whole
federal taxation of the United States,
but because of the peculiar nature of the
burden, as we'll as the vast and varied
interests which it injuriously affects"
Hill alluded to his previous speech at
the opening of the debate, lat that
time, said the Senator whereof the
memory of man runneth not to the con-
trary," when he opposed the pending
measure, and he also referred to the
speech on the same side by the junior
Senator from New Jersey, Mr.. Smith.
The arguments then advanced had been
evaded, not refuted. Discussing the
proposition from the standpoint of ex-
pediencv alone, he declared there was
enough of honest difference in the party
relating to details OF the tariff bill with
out arousing farther contention by this,
at leasteXperimental, scheme OF taxation.
1t would have been wise craftsmanship
to have avoided this unnecessary issue.
"Pruuence dictates" said Hill, that
this Congress should not attempt to for
mulate new Democratic doctrines to
which we have never been committed,
but rather carry out the pledges we
have already made" Hill believed it
was the solemn duty of a political party
to redeem the promises upon which it
obtained power and on this point he re.
ferrcd to the President nominating and
the Senate confirming officers for the ter
ritories and the District of Columbia
who were non-residcnts thereof, in vio-
lation of the principle of home rule and
the explicit provisions OF the Chicago
platform. He referred to the refusal OF
the House to repeal the federal tax upon
State bank circulation, such repeal hav
ing been expressly favored in the ma
tional platform; while the same House
went out OF its way to inject the popu.
listic income tax into the Democratic
tariff bill land, he said, I'VE are now
asked to ratify that portion of such in
inconsistent action"
"For one" said the Senator, IL pro-
test against the reputation of the prom
ises of the Democratic party in order 10
adopt and carry out the promises of the
populist party. The income tax is a
war tax; it has never been approved by
vote of the people and there is no genuine
emergency calling for its adoption. 1t is
unfair TO those who might desire to sup.
tion or tariff measure to be Obliged to ac-
cept questionable provision foreign to
the principal subject matter of the bill
itself; orelse to record thcmselvcsin in oppo-
sition to the whole bill. II the Democratic
Congress is to be permitted to repudiate
well established Democratic principles
and to enunCiate new ones without the
sanction OF the national convention and
to compel their support as test OF
the party tealty, we may next expect to
hear of the adoption in the tariff or ap-
preparation bill of Henry Georges single
tax theory or a provision abolishng
all custom houses and resorting to fed.
cral taxation instead OF tariff for revenue
or providing for the assumption of gov.
ernment control and management of all
telegraphs, railroads and banks of the
country, or the adoption of any other
wild and visionary scheme of socialism
with the paternalism, or populisn
which the ma iority may see fit to sane
ton"
1t took Hill two and threc-quartcl
hours to read his speech. 1t was wei
understood, he said in conclusion, that
the Senator's intended to vote on the in
come tax sections not according to Their
convictions, but according to the decree
OF the party caucus. He trusted tina,
such lumiliating spectacle would not
be witnessed. 1t was even boastcd by
some, he said, that the income tax wa:
the best feature OF the tariff bill. II that
were so, then lie could only say in th'
emphatic language of the Senator from
New Jersey, Smith: God help the Dem
ocratic party"