The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-13
DEBATE ON THE INCOME TAX
MssSrS. Cochran and Bartlett Attack and
Nh. KCEillin Defends il.
The APPROPRIATION IS SUyTAINED,
The House Refusing to Strike Out the Sum
Necessary TO Execute the Law-Ao-
ton to Reduce Pending.
WASHINGTON. Dec. l2.-As soon as

disposed OF the urgent teHtttttS btft was
taken up in committee of the whole, upon
motion of Mr.. Breckenridge. An effort
was made to agree upon Limitation or
general debate. The opponents of the
item apprOpriating money TO make the
income tax law effective and OF the item
increasing the appropriation for payment
Of special pension agents, and Mr. BrecK-
inridge could not come 10 terms, however,
and the discussion was begun under the
rules.
General Henderson (Rep., Iowa. autag-
onized the item OF $4,000 to pay special
pension examiners. The discussion was
participated in by Messrs. CoombS Dern'
\. y, Daniels Rep., n. ", Morse
(Rep.. Mass }. and Sickles Dem, y. -
ATTACK UpoN THE INCOME TAX.
Mr.. Bartlett Dem, n. y addressed
himself TO the item apprOpriating S2i3,V9o
to execute the law for the collection OF
the income tax. He said he had intro
duced in the first day Of the session
bill 20 repeal that portion or the tarIh
bill. but he recognized now that that
bill would never see the light OF day.
The only way in which the end soueh'
by that bill could be reached was by de-
feating any appropriation TOT the ehloiO0
ment Of the law.
Mr.. Bartlett discussed at some length
the lega! features Of the question, WIN
view 10 demonstrating the unconsutu-
tionality and invalidity of the income TAX
MR.. M'MILLIN DEFENDS TIE TAX.
Mr.. AIcMlnin, the author of the income
tax feature OF the tarln bill, replied to
Mr.. Bartlett disputng the latters asser-
ton that the income tax was unjust.
"Why uniust%' asked Mr. McMillin.
Whence the Injustice? Whom does 1t
hurt? lie says it falls upon the poor
man. because his rent will be Increased.
The poor man Is paying II now. He VIII
not be I'm any worse condition If the taxa
ton is put on some other Things tnan
clothes and other necessaries OF HE.
Man should pay 20 the support ot the
government that blesses him, that pro-
tects him. I'm proportion to the blessings
he receives through the protection oil ms
property If he has got big estate then
ne should pay a big tax II he has got a
little estate he should pay httle TAX
and the man with a thousand-doilar IN
come ought not 20 pay the same tax 10
the support Of the Government OF the
United states that is paid 10y The man
who has ten millions of income. To Nus
trate the point here. ] shall depart from
my usual course. In The whole or these
discussions. Mr.. Chairman, l have never
been IN the udDlL OF b1tIS Cli AAAf l'-''
of the House, as an illustration or other
wise. the names of individuals. But, in
order 10 show the nasrant wrong that Is
done by a system of taxation under which
we have been living / will cali your at
tentiOn to the name Of one man which
Is not unfamiliar to- many Of you, and
certainly NOT 10 every citizen OF the state
and city OF New York.
TIE WALDORF AsToR cAsY.
7 speak of Mr.. William Waldorf Astor.
This gentleman ran for Congress once
against the present Governor of New ork
air. Flower). and was defeated, and per
mitted that defeat to do for him what no
man ought TO permit to be done
in this country-that Is. II sour
cd and embittered him against the
Government Of the United states
ard cur institutions generally ne
moved abroad ana not content win What
he could say against America himself
md our American istiutions be p'W-
chased one 0f the ablest journals In the
great Government of Great Britain. He
lives there nOw, and this newspaper
which he owns and controls Is doing It's
work against our institutions. And yet,
Mr. Chairman, the income OF TINS mth' !
am creditably informed, on what l believe
10 be good authority, derived nom prop
n
lions Of dollars a year ana he I3es not
pav-he does pay state tax, he does
nav a county tax. and he does pay mu-
nicipal tax. II is truc-the Government OF
the United states a dollar, and has not
paid ten dollars I'm ten years, although ne
has this colossal fortune, which Is pro-
tected bv our army and defended by our
navy. Now. we say that, notwithstand-
ing his foreign residence, he should be
compelled to pay something Tor the sup
port Of the Government that protects MS
vast estate in this country. What say
Won addressing Mr.. BartletD? Where
is the man that will contend that there
is any Injustice i'm requiring him 10 bear
some rortion Of the burden Of taNatton2
Mr.. bartlett: / will answer the gentle
man that there Is no better taxpayer
i'm the state Of New York than Mr.. VIII
liam Waldorf Astor. | viii answer him,
further. that there Is no family In the
state or county Of New York that con-
tributes more largely 10 taxation pur-
poses. State county and municipal than
does the Astor family.
Mr.. NcMilliu: | respond to the gentle
man from New York, tax the rich and the
poor in proportion TO what they possess,
and not in proportion TO what they need.
II ought 70 be the dollar that pays the
taxes, and rot the man.
BouRKE cocKBaN's VIEWS.
Further along Mr.. McAullln became en-
gagged In a colloquy with Mr.. Cochran
Dem.. y. ". regarding the effect upon
the Government revenues Of reduction
OF tariff rates, which concluded with the
admission by Mr.. McMillin that he did
not believe that the Wilson bill, as FRAN
ed. would have the effect 10 raise the
revenues necessary 10 carry on the Cow
ernment without the Income tax measure
Mr.. Henderson Gowa) took the floor 20
defend the appropriation, but yielded most
OF his time 10 Mr.. Cochran IN. ". lie
argued that the income tax legislation,
mat is leyelled against prosperity and
success in life. is un-Democratic, Is un-
American, is revolutionary. Is anarch-
istical, and ough: to be condemned. as 1t
has been by the American people. ZAP
plause)
Mr.. Chairman, II has also. | believe,
been said that is a proper form OF taxa
ton. NV opposition is not directed
AGAINST the right of the Government 10
tax incomes. because | believe ii has the
same right TO tax income that II has TO
tax principal. But the gentleman from
Tennessee says he insists that all men
shall bear their proportion of taxation.
WHY. then, does he limit this tax TO
5000 persons? Why is it that this system
OF taxation sets aside a small portion OF
the population and forces them 10 bear
all this burden? If you can make this
distinction for burdens. you can make II
for privates II you can single out D,eW
persons for special taxation, you can
single out 5000 for special privileges
under the Government. Because Demo
cracy means equality. because all men
should be held equal before the law, be-
ueye that this Democratic party Will ul-