New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-05
SU4LLOUJNG THE INCOME TAX.

The passage by the Senate OF the nondescrlpt
Tariff bill with H. income-taX rider now seems
probable The latest forecast OF the SITUATION
points TO the ultimate withdrawal of opposition
TO il on account of the income-tax feature by
all the Democratic Senators who have been
conspicuously hostile TO that provision; with
thc possible exception Of Senator Hill OF this
State This will be done. of course under
resolution Of a party caucus. by which the bill
as finally reported from the Finance Committee
will be adopted as n party measure. and sup
port Of it in its entirety made test of party
fooltv Senators Mcpherson and Smith. of New
Jersey. who have openly proclaimed their hos
tility TO the income tax. and among the most
cocept reasons assigned therefor have repeat
edlv asserted that it will damage still further
the prospects of their party in New-Jersey-al-
ready weakened by the criminal folly OF local
leaders and the blunders of the National Adj
ministration-wl reluctantly yield Senator
Bricr Of Ohio. who has not concealed his opin-
ion of the unpopulariy OF the measure. but mas
cndeavored by all the means in his power to
have it eliminated from the bill, VIII vote 1or IL
undar tbe dictation of the caucus. Senator Cor
man. the smoohcst and most flexible or the io'
who has on every occasion warned his associ-
atos against the impolicy OF the measure VIII
fall into line with his usual doclty and grace
And Senator Hill, with clearer foresight than
any of them. from present indications VIII stand
alone of his party in opposition 10 the INCOME
tax and the bill which carries it.
Then what? Why. this. Unless all signs 1aii'
the Democratic party will be OVERWHELMINGLY
defeated next November and lose the next Coh-
gress. When that disaster comes one Demo
cratic Senator untangng himself from 'he
debris and rising above the wreck. will be able
to look his constituents in the lace ana say
II have no responsibility. direct or indirect, TOT
This defeat ! not only forewarned my assocl-
ates of the consequences OF the passage Oh
Tariff bill including an income tax, but en-
phasizcd my warning and recorded my protest
hv following my own CONVICTIONS Oh uuS
against the dictation Of party caucus ana
voting against the bill. Had my advice been
followed we would not have been handicapped
with the odious enactment which has Drousht
lis disaster" And that Democratic Senator can
afford TO wait until the next Democratic Ma
tional Convention begins looking about for
the most sagacious and far-seeing. the least
objectionable and most available of its public
mon nc its Presidential candidate. The view OF
Senator David b. Hill is not INSTRUCTED by any
of the notify considerations which govern the
action Of his colleague He sees rather more
Than tyepty-four hours ahead. He is not regli-
latinc his movements by the clock. but by the
calendar He may be lonesome for while,
1ut he con well afford TO be. Unless his party
&c i,retrievably ruined by the laundering policy
II Is now pursuing and actually goes into
liouidation before 1896, what there is left OF II
will be his to lead.
Meantime the party is blindly following its
traditions in one regard. 1t was always snug
autocracv. made up of a few obstinate leaders
and an minimizing following. The minority al
WAYS governed it with whip and spur. A mi
noritv of slaye-oWners controlled the Southern
wing and the Southern wng-tself a minority
directed the policy of the party. This con-
dtion Of things continues. No better illustra-
ton OF minority rule could be afforded than the
action of the Democratic party upon the meas
ure in question offers. Its adoption as party
measure when followed down to the last
ANALYSIS turned upon single vote. Five votes
against four carried il in subcommittee; Il
bare ma ority carried II in the full committee;
the action of n party caucus will be directed
by the same thin margin. and finally. when II
comes UP for action. it will 90 through with
pos Sbv one vote TO spare, or perhaps only by
the aid Of the casting vote of the Nice-Presl-
dent Had the question been submitted upon
IFS bare merits TO the full committee and Sen
ators voted on it according TO their expressed
convictions it would have been killed then and
there 4 direct vote in full Senate under the
same conditions would have had the same re-
suit II is the same old story: small knot OF
Southern leaders with the genius for govern
monf" constituting the wheel within wheel,
running the Democratic party. not for the adj
vantage of the party. but for their own selfish
sectional purposes. and the whole body Of the
Democratic party Of the North blindly following
their dictatiOn. careless as well Of the future Of
the party ~ of the welfare of the country.
They were blind leaders Of the blind who led
their party 10 defeat and their section 10 dis
grace misery and loss in 1860 They are back
again. as blind and obstinate as ever Neither
they nor the poor Northern dupcs they are
driving seem to have learned anything from
experience
THE BLUEFIELDS CONTROVERSY