The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-07
I. the wilson Bin In DANGER

The inference from the reported re
marks of Speaker Crisp in the caucus OF
the democratic members of the House
Friday night, is that there is danger of
the defeat of the Wilson tariff bill. He
urged that the bill be considered at once,
and that the objections which democrats
have to particular features of it be pre-
sented at the proper time for offering
amendments.
The opposition TO the bill has become
particularly noticeable since the ways
and means committee decided to report in
favor of an income tax. Among demo
cratic congressman from the south and
west there is not great deal of opposition
to this tax. but among the eastern
democrats there is a great deal. So great
is their opposition that the democratic
majority Of the House was unable to get
a quorum either Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday or Saturday of last week.
The eastern democrats are confident
that an income tax would destroy the
chances of the Democratic party for re-
tanning control of the government, and
they argue, therefore, that it would be
folly for the democratic majority TO insist
upon the tax. The national democratic
platform does not call for such tax, and
the democratic party is on record against
it. An income tax is called for by the
national platform of the populist party.
The action of the ways and means com
mittee, therefore, in reporting in favor Of
the tax is a concession to the populist de-
mands and a condemnation of democratic
declarations.
The suggestion has been made by dem
ocratic congressman that the income tax
be presented in separate bill. The sug-
gestion seems to be a wise one. If pre-
sented in that way it would not endanger
the Wilson bill. 1t would be considered
on its merits, and democratic congress
men would be free to do as they pleased
in respect to it, If it is made part Of
the tariff bill those democrats who are
opposed to it might vote against the
whole bill in order to defeat it.
Among the rumors is one to the effect
that the administration is against the in
come tax; that 1t prefers raising the ad-
ditional revenue that is needed by tax
on sugar. Whether or not there is any
foundation for this rumor only the
President and the members of his cabinet
know. 1t is highly probable that there
is, because the Secretary of the Treasury
did not recommend an income tax in his
annual report. He favored tax on the
net incomes of corporations.
Evidently the President is extremely
anxious that there shall be no division in
the ranks of the democracy. A division
would make it practically impossible to
pass the Wilson bill, and the Democratic
party would be unable to fulfill its pledge
to the people in respect to tariff reform.
A failure to pass tariff bill would be ex-
tremely disastrous to the Democratic
party. It would furnish the Republican
party with the most effective kind of po-
litical capital.
If it be question whether or not the
Wilson bill can be passed with the in
come tax attachment, there ought to be no
hesitation In providing for consideration
of an income tax in a separate measure
The harmony Of the democratic congress
men ought not to be disturbed by legislation
not demanded by the national Democra-
tic party, and which would have been
condemned If it had been suggested In
the national democratic convention.