Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-29
Mr.. McMillin Opens the General
Debate on the Bill.
WEALTH MUST PAY It's SHARE.
Object of the Committee in Franz
ing the Measure.
IT'S GOOD EFFECT PREDICTED


the republican party started out for high
protection. then clamored for higher protec-
don, and at last, under the act of 1890. reach
ed the highest protection ever known here.
They pretended first that 1t was for the
purpose of protecting infant industries.
But finally they candidly proclaimed that
they wanted to legislate for capital also.
and they did 1t.
Why IL 1t that In the midst Of plenty we
are starving? Why Is 1t that when we
should be all prosperity we are all advers-
tty? Why Is It that Americans under a
system that was promised to yield 10 them
such plenty are doomed to suffer in such
penury and want?
Why is 1t that nearly a million Of the
people Of the United States are unemployed.
without wages, and more people are begging
for aims at this hour on this continent than
ever did before since America was dscov
cred?
VIII Reduce Tariff to q Revenue Basis
Mr.. Chairman. we will not discharge our
duty to the people who suffer; we will not
keep the pledges that we have made to
them; We will not deserve that continued
support that theAmerican people have given
the democratic party from time to time
IL we do not, like men, come resolutely to
the discharge Of these duties and deter
mine. whatever else occurs. robbery shall
no longer be carried on by operation Of
law.
Sir. let come what will. we will reduce
this tariff to a revenue basis: we will i'm
pose taxes for public purposes, and not for
private gains or to enable some individuals
TO accumulate private fortunes at the ex-
pense of others. The government of the
United States requires q vast amount of
revenue to carry on its various operations
less favored people could not meet the
excessive q
pose OF maintaining 1t. 1t requires nearly
$o federal taxes imposed upon every man
woman and child in the United States for
this purpose. This is raised almost exclu-
stvely from consumption.
II a man owns fifty or one hundred mil
lons worth Of property in the United
eats. what he drinks, what he wears and
the other things he uses The time has
come when this should be changed. aslx
OF any reasonable person whether II is un-
enormous revenue shall be placed upon the
accumulated wealth of the country instead
or placing 1t upon the consumption of the
country. Is 1t not time that great estates
wnicn are protected by the army, which are
detended by the navy. which are benefited
by the various operations of government
should contribute in some greater degree to
carry on that government through which
alone they could have been accumulated
or by which they are protected? The peo-
pie Of the United States do not ask that
all OF 1t shall be placed on accumulated
Wealth Must Pay It's Part.
But they do insist that it is not unrea-
sonable or unjust to require that a very
small proportion Of 1t shall be. And vet.
when 1t Is proposed to shift this burden
from those who cannot bear 1t to those
VINO can; to divide 1t between consump-
ton and wealth; to shift 1t from the laborer
who has nothing but his power to toll and
sweat; to the man who has a fortune made
or inherited, we hear a hue and cry raised
by some individuals that 1t is unjust and
1nqufsitorial in its nature and should NOT
De adopted. Others say that it cannot he
collected, while still others claim that n
VIII tend to perjury and corruption among
the people.
In answer to those who say 1t cannot
be collected We give the naked facts of his
tory. We point back to the time when
there was less chance to enforce law in
this country than there is now; when by
reason of the unsettled condition that sue
ceeded the late war it was more difficult
to collect revenue than now; We point
back to that day and show where we coll
lected from forty to seventy million dollars
year from this source. In reply to that
class who say that it will be fruitful of
perjury say that have greater con-
fidence in the American people than they
have / am willing to trust the American
people. / do not believe that the masses
of the rich or the poor of our country are
capable OF committing perjury to escape
very small portion Of just taxation.
The Effort of the Committee.
Mr.. Chairman 1t has been the effort Of
the ways and means committee to so con-
struct the bill as to leave it as free as possi-
BILE from this criticism. Unlike the old law
1t does not require a schedule from every
citizen. Only those who have 81 900 income
have to make a return. There is nothing in
this against which any man can complain.
There is nothing to arouse fear that any
Ill can come from 1t. 1t is no tax on bread.
1t Is no embargo placed upon prosperity. 1t
is no effort to prevent prosperity. 1t Is not
a death blow aimed at commerce; but it is
an effort to in some way require each citi-
zen to contribute to the government In pro-
portion to what he has.
Now let us see some of the advantages
that will flow from 1t. Today there are great
contentious and strife among our people,
some feeling that the others do not con-
tribute their proportional part to the SUD-
port of the government.
Who would be discontented with a system
of government which taxed only in proper
ton to the wealth that was possessed? But
we see around us such fortunes as were
never accumulated in one generation or two
before In the history Of the whole world
Dukedoms dwindle into insignificance when
compared to the great estates that are ac-
cumuiated by one or two generations under
the institutions of free America l believe
one OF the best methods that can be adopted
prejudices and class distinctions will be TO
let 1t be known that in the matter of the
payment of taxes there is absolute equality
between all citizens Of the whole country.
The Good Effect of the Law
Mr.. Chairman, he concluded, here we
have the most wonderful government that
ever arose, flourished, or fell, "A govern
ment of the people, by the people. and for
the people" We have at last discovered
how govern man and still Ieaya bi,,,
free. This is best done by protecting him
In his life. liberty and pursuit of happiness,
and leaving him to work out his own saliva
one class of citizens and in favor of anoth-
er cannot long stand. The spirit Of Justice
which anmates our people will forbid this
1t should be the duty and pleasure of every
American citizen to that each other
citizen has equal and exact justice admin
istered to him under the law, and that
wealth. not poverty, should be taxed We
think that the enactment of this law will
insure that Justice which has so long been
denied. We believe that by 1t many who
have, heretofore, not contributed their pro-
portionate part of taxes to the support of
the government will be required to do So
Sir, If believed that this law did not tend
in that direction, 1 would have my tongue
cleave TO the roof of my mouth and NV
right hand forget its cunning before I
would give my voice and vote to this meas
ure. But, believing / do that its adop-
whole heart goes forth in its advocacy and
i am ready to stand or fall with the prin-
ciple Of equity which 1t carries.