The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1894-02-15
TWO VIEWS.

TWO VIEWS.
Two of the most celebrated orators
in Congress met Tuesday and crossed
swords in debate over the income
tax. One was Bourke Cochran, of
New York; the other, Mr.. Bryan, of
Nebraska.
Mr.. Cockran's objection to an in
come tax were many and varied. 1t
would be class taxation, he said, and
as such a blow at the fundamental
principal on which the government
was founded. 1t would be inquisia-
torial, and hence Ubiquitous. He
believed the rich men favored it he
cause they would thereby ultimately
gain a larger control of the govern
ment than they enjoyed today. He
quoted Democratic authority against
the proposed tax and, among others,
Alexander Stephens, of Georgia, who
declared an internal revenue tax in
defensible in this country.
Quite astonishing was Cockran's
complete hostility to the internal
revenue system 81 would be glad, )"
he said, 'to sea every gauger and in
ternal revenue collector in the coun-
try turned out of Office. I have al
ways believed that the duty of this
people is to support it's government
by tariff levied for revenue only. On
that position 1 have stood on this
floor and l continue to stand. l
have yet to discover the man who is
going to declare that the teaching OF
Alexander 81. Stephens is a heresy.
What gentleman is going to declare
that we have outlived the leadership
of Bayard, Thurman and Jefferson p
He protested against any change
and concluded as follows: 81 ask no
privileges for any class. 1 object to
them all. l demand for every citizen
of the country equality before the
law. AS l believe in equality of sal
walton and in the love of the Heaven
Iy Father, so I stand here now, for
one policy, one country, one law, one
God, one Democratic faith, one gen.
eral prosperity for all the people
without distinction of class, q
wealth, OF race"
MIR. Bryan in rising to answer Mr.
| Cochran complimented the New
Yorker on his eloquence but said lie
believed the "David pebbles of truth
would be more effectual than the
Goliath javelin of error" Continu.
ing, he said the objections urged
against the income tax are more
numerous than weighty. Some have
| denied the constitutionality of the
income tax, but the supreme court
settled the question beyond contro-
versy in the Springer case. A vel
few have denied the justice of the in
come tax. The principle is endorsed
by nearly all writer's on politica
economy, and commends itself tC
every unprejudiced mind. A New
York paper contained few days
ago, sketch of the richest woman
in the United States with property
worth 100000, and an income
of possibly more than three millions
annually. She lived in a cheap
boarding house and brings her living
expenses within $5OOor 5000. Who
will say that it is Just that sht
should pay the same amount of tax
to support the federal government
that is paid by family with an in
come of $500 or 5000?
While this is an extreme case, it il
nevertheless true that a tax upoI
consumption bears much more
heavily upon poor than upon the
rich in proportion to their means
The main objection which has beer
urged against 1t is that it is mex
pedient. 1t is accused of being in
| quisitorial, but it is no more SO thar
customs taxes, internal revenue
taxes and state taxes. The personal
property taxes collected in nearly al
the states are far more inquisitorial
/ than the income tax. It is said that
it invites perjury. This government
has too much important business on
hand to waste time looking after the
morals of men whose yeracity is not
worth two cents on the dollar. The
fact that some may escape the tax is
no objection to the law. It is OBJ
iected that this tax will endanger the
tariff bill. I am not afraid that any
Democratic member will refuse to re
lieye the common people of tie
heavy burdens placed upon them by
the Mckinley bill for fear that he will
impose light burden by means oil
an income tax upon those who ar
amply able to boar it.
From a very close personal friend of
Ex-Governor Campbell, and one who
is also an ex-State official, it is learned
that, Notwithstanding his declaration
that he is out of politics, the ex-Gov-
ernor is now intending to secure, if