The Washington times., 1894-06-22
Hill Hurls Rhetorical Javelins Against
the Income Tax.
FOLLOW ITS ADOPTION
Democratic Party Would Then Draw the
"Ragtag and Bobtail" Elemsuts Of the
conmunity-Hs Rspudistss Spurious De.
mocracy-Refuses to Be Further Deceived.

| the sultry weather. Ladies', as IL usual, when
the New York Senator addresses the chamber,
were present in large numbers and the GAL
leries were unusually well filed.
A large number Of Senators wore duck or
| mer costume, and looked cool and comforta-
BILE. Mr.. HILL who never bends to such uH-
digniAed garments as these, waded right into
his three hour speech In his usual black suit,
and was cool only in temper.
At times the New York Senator spoke with
much fire. but It was plain from what he said
that he realized that he was fighting q hope
less battle.
At the close he was warmly congratulated
by Senators Smith, Murphy, and a number Of
others, but it was pretty plain that the ma
jority Of his party were not pleased by what
he had to say. None Of the Finance Commit
tee had any pleasant words for him.
In part Senator Hill said:
I'VE have now reached the consideration Of
one Of the most important features of the pend
ing measure. Important not only because the
tax which it seeks to impose equals in the aggre-
gate about one-nfteenih Of the whole Federal
taxation in the United States. but because Of the
peculiar nature Of the burden as well as the
vast and varied interests which It in1uriously
affects. The Democratic party wss substantially
united In favor Of tariff revision, but II IL well
known that irreconcilable differences Of opinion
existed concerning the propriety Of restoring
a war tax in time Of peace, and yet, In spite of
such recognized differences and in the face OF
the protests of Democratic constituencies and
against the advice of public men who have
cratic principles, this income tax feature has
been engrafted upon this measure, and We are
persistenly asked TO accept it against our better
Judgment as q condition OF obtaining any tariff
legislation.
Senator Hill presented petition from num-
Der OF prominent business men of New York
city asking that the income tax be stricken from
the tariff bill The petition was signed by Evan
Thomas, William Steinway, Louis Windmuller,
D. Edward Simmonds s. d. Babcock, ". Bayard
Cutting, John II. lnman, and Alexander Orr.
IL. said Mr.. Hill, do not wish to drive such
men out of the Democratic party by our unwise
hesitation In the hope OF supplying their places
with Abdullamites, Coxeyites socialists, and all
the 'rag-tag and bobtaif elements OF the COM
munity who will be attracted by our proposed
raid upon the wealth of the country.
"Mr. President, the narional victory Of 1892
meant reduction of the tariff; II did not mean
an income tax. II did not mean an invasion of
state rights, a usurpation OF state privileges,
nor the abrogation OF state sources of taxation.
"ihey have taken pains TO fix the exemption
high enough that their states will be COM
PEELED to contribute little Or nothing Ii is the
great Democratic state of New York which they
are afier-that is the state TO be punished Its
chief city, which has always been the target for
every Republican attack, is now TO be raided by
its own party friends In Congress. The state
which has ever been friendly TO the South and
its people. which has everdefended their const!-
tutionai rights and prerogatives the state which
has always opposed force bills, carpet-bag gov
ernmeni, federal election lrws, arbitrary
rests and Federal interference in state affairs
the state which isone Of only three Northern
states which have Iull Democratic represents
ton in the Senate, and thereby gave the Demo-
cratic party its control here.
NONE OF THIS KIND WANTED N d. B.'s.
This is essentially war tax. Heretofore We,
as Democrats, have clamored against it and
others like it, Look at the spectacle which we
now present!
"lf this is true Democracy, / want none of it
II this is the best leadership which We can
present in this great crisis, /, Tor one. must de-
cline 10 follow it prefer 10 stand with Jeffei-
sen anu jackson and Iilden in opposition to all
income taxes and direct Federal taxation, but in
favor OF revenue for Federal purposes and
direct taxation for stale purposes
ii repudiate the spurious Democracy Of these
modem APOSTLES and prophets, who are part
Muga ump, part Popuiist, and the least p ,rt
Democratic, who s.ek TO lead US astray after
false gods, false theories, and false methods l
object 10 our restoring war tax which the Re-
puplicans themselves rejected years ago with
our appreciation
This is a tax the imposition of which viii
Dive lew York New Jersey, and Connecticut
into the Republican column. there TO perman-
emily remain. a tax the individual feature of
which has not been recommended by any Deinc-
cratic President Or Secretary of the Treasury or
mmssioner of internal revenve. but tax sug-
gesteu, ads socated, ana now perS.stehtly pushed
10y majority which is temporarily in the sad
die in this Congress, and is driving the Demo
cratic party with ie-kless and headlong speed
INTO the abyss of political ruin
pr.rurxn VT OF Tur rnrSrpy
"Mr President. the excuse for the restoration
of income tax is the avowed purpose Of
reaching the wealth of the country. This is the
oft-repcated answer which is made to every OBJ
lection raised. assert that it is not n tax per
ealth Is property either real or personal
and this IL tax upon neither, 1t is a TAX upon
what man earns-upOn his thrift, his industry,
his capacity. his pluck, his savings, his pru-
dence; bat il is not a tax upon wealth-upon
what he actually has. II is not tax upon what
a man has :eaiiy acquired; but it is a lax upon
what he is earning Or acquiring-a tax imposed
Guired.
.incornes are uncertain with men of business |,
they have large incomes one year and large |
losses The next. tax once paid cannot lie re- |
stored and there IS no method of eQpalizing the |
tax for given period of years. A man may
earn $4,000 one year and nvessi; in his business
the next year and Tor five years annually lose |
money. Until he has lost all or more than he has
ea:ned, Yet he paid the income tax-not upon |
the net result of Eve years business, but |
upon the result OF one years venture.
IAN income tax works manifest injustice, be- |
cnus- like AL war taxes Ii is founded upon no |
princip.e. That is the very nature Of a war tax. |
II reaches out for Whatever is in sight, regard
less of justice, circumstances or resnlts. lucoms
is not property according to the usual or proper
acceptation OF the term 1t may be due, but not |
realized-t may not have been reduced to pos |
session, IL cannot always we'll be reached on a |
sheriffs execution.
NO one expects that any one system of taxa |
tion is 10 reach every class We must not forget |
that while there Is one general government, |
there also forty-four states, with local systems
OF taxation OF their own Cur Union Is one body, |
united Ike the ocean, but divided like the waves.
The Constitution contemplated that the general |
government would resort to tariff taxation for |
its revenues and that the states would resort TO
direct taxation upon property, and together the |
two systems would work harmoniously together,
and reach all classes and all property, and our
fathers before constituting the Constitution, |
inaugurated the present system OF tariff taxa
tion which has been In existence from the |
of the government The rich man |
owns the houses and lands and pays state, |
county, and municipal taxes thereon according |
to thrir value. and he pays his tariff taxes be- |
sides upon whatever he consumes.
WHAT THE POOR MAN PAYS.
"The poor man, however, who owns no prop |
erty, of course, pays no state, county or muni- |
cipal taxes but simply his tariff taxes
"1f income taxes should be substituted for |
tariff taxes then the poor man would pay moth |
ing, ther TO the state or local national gov. |
No person should be exempt from |
ell taxation-both direct and indirect-simply |
because he owns no property.
.ihe poor mans right to vote is strengthened |
and intrenched by the fact that he is not drone |
in society, bur that. while he pays nothing for |
police. fire. and other local purposes, nothing for
lighted streets or good roads, nothing for the |
Of courts of Justice or for schools |
WHARF his children are educated, yet he does pay |
his shart Of taxes upon consumption through |
the imposition of customs duties. His enemies |
rre those who would suggest the substitution Of !
the income tax for these tariff taxes, whetoby I