The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-22
He Charges Democracy with Abandon
ing Its Old-Time Principles and
Adopting Peoples Party Theories.
SAYS HIS PARTY is DOOMED
And Points to OregOn's Verdict as
Evidence of What Is i'm Store.
Chandler and Allen Renew Their Per-
sOnalities-The Senate Fixes the
Life of the Income Tax Law.

WASfdINGION. June 2l.-Ihe senate to-
day began consideration Of the income tax
provisions of the tariff bill. The feature
OF the debate was a speech by Senator
HILL who arraigned his party for betray-
ing its pledges and warned his hearers that
the country would repudiate Democracy, as
Oregon did. if the income tax was imposed.
There was also a sensational colloquy, in
which Allen and Chandler participated. and
later a debate to which Mr.. Hill added
spice.
There was a fairly good attendance in
the galleries in the anticipation of the
opening of the income tax debate when
Vice President Stevenson called the Senate
to order. Some preliminary routine busi-
ness was enacted. Bills were passed as
follows: To authorize commission to draft
a code of laws for the District of Alaska;
to promote the efficiency of the navy and
to oefine the boundaries of the three ju-
dicAl districts of the State of Alabama,
to regulate the jurisdiction of the United
States courts therein and the powers and
duties of the judges thereof. The tariff
bill was then laid before the Senate.
SENATOR HILLS SPEECH.
AS soon as the Clerk had read the first
section of the income tax provisions Mr.
opposition to those provisions, ok the
floor and delivered q carefully prepared
argument against the Incorporation of an
income tax in the tariff bill. He said. in
part:
OF one of the most important features of
the pending measure. Important not only
because the tax which 1T seeks TO impose
equals In the aggregate about One-fifteenth
whole federal
states, but because of the peculiar nature
of the burden, as well as the vast and
varied interests which IL injuriously affects.
With all due respect to what has been said
in favor of this tax by distinguished Sena-
tors, ii is confidently submitted to the Sen
ate that the arguments presented in opposi-
ton to the necessity, justice and advisable
ity of any such tax have never been sue
cessfully answered. The arguments have
been evaded, but not refuted. In the first
place. considered from the mere standpoint
of political expediency, il unwise TO In
corporate an income tax in q reform bill.
There were honest differences enough al
to the details of legitimate tariff legislation
which necessarily had to be reconciled with
OUT gong out OF our way TO seek fresh
causes Of contention in an effort to incorpo-
rate this tax, an experimental scheme of
taxation at best. upon a measure for the
revision of the tariff The Democratic party
revision, but IL Is well known that irrecon-
cilabe differences of opinion existed con-
tax in time of peace and yet, in spite of
such recognized differences and in the face
of the protests of Democratic constituent
cieS and against the advice of public men
who have never faltered in their devotion
to true Democratic principles. this income
tax feature has been engrafted upon this
accept 1t against our better judgment as a
condition OF obtaining any tariff legisla-
ton.
"It would have been good politics to have
a Q6 I'm 0rxy IDr-rdn
dictated that this Congress should not at
tempt 10 formulate new Democratic doc
Rather it should carry out the pledges that
We have already made. Perhaps l over
estimate the Importance of party platforms
and appreciate too keenly the binding obli-
cations of party pledges. / believe that ii is
the solemn duty of a political party to re-
deem the promises upon which il obtained
power, and that reputation thereof will
sooner or later bring disaster upon 1t at the
hands of betrayed and indignant people
For one, l protest against the Reputation
of the promises of the Democratic party in
order 10 adopt and carry out the promises
of the Populist party.
OREGON AS A WARNING.
'I am tempted to suggest" continued Mr.
Hill, that the Democrats of Oregon sought
to test the popularity of an income tax
among the business men and electors Of
that State by inserting in their platform
clause favoring that tax; and, awakening
to their senses after the election, they dis
covered that their ticket was third in the
race, that their party was demoralized and
that they had divided themselves instead of
dividing their opponents. The most disas-
trous defeat ever experienced by the Demo-
cratic party in Oregon was the result of
the effort TO substitute new-fangled Popu-
listic principles for the good old principles
of true Democracy. Here and now / ven
ture the prediction that the same result
will follow the same effort everywhere"
Senator Hill presented a petition from a
number of prominent business men of
New York city asking that the income tax
be stricken from the tariff bill. The petit
ton was signed by Evan Thomas, William
Steinway. Louis Windmuller, ]. Edward
Simmonds, s. ID. Babcock. w. Bayard
Cutting John H. Inman and Alex f.. Orr
a." said Mr.. Hill. do not wish to drive
our unwise legislation in the hope of sup
plying their places with adulamites, Coxey-
tail elements OF the community who will
be attracted to us by our proposed raid
upon the wealth OF the country.
This is essentially a war tax. Hereto
fore We, as Democrats, have clarnored
against it. and others like it, Look at the
spectacle which We now present. If this is
true Democracy / want none of ii. If this
is the best leadership we can present in
this great crisis. l. for one. must decline
to follow It, repudiate the spurious Dem
ocracy Of these modern apostles ana proph-
and the last part Democratic, who ssek TO
lead US astray after false gods, false the
cries and false methods / object 10 our
restoring tax which the Republicans
themselves rejected years ago without ap-
probation. / protest against that lack of
foresight and judgment upon the part of
some professed Democrats who always
seem anxious to adopt whatever the Repub-
licans and people have repudiated-
Il cannot follow such leadership, which
shifts, and turns. and temporizes upon
every public question; which comprises ev-
cry well-established Democratic principle
for which the party contended when out of
power; which stands ready TO adopt every
passing ism of the hour; which surrenders
princiDle for expediency and pursues no
consistent course from one year to anoth-
er. If political success of my party is only
TO be purchased by such methods and such
sacrifices i prefer defeat and the preserva-
tion OF my self-respect.
This is tax the imposition of which
will drive New York, New Jersey and
Connecticut into the Republican column,
there to permanently remain; tax, the in
diyidual feature of which has not been rec
ommended by any Democratic President,
or Secretary OF the Treasury, or Commis-
sioner of Internal Revenue, but tax sug-
gested advocated and now persistently
pushed by a majority which is temporarily
I'm the saddle In this Congress, and is
driving the Democratic party, with reck-
less and headlong speed. into the abyss of
political ruin"
INCOME TAX NOT NEEDED.
- 4oc.l ..f