The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-02-08
PLEAFOR INCOME TAX
Mr.. M'MilllN, OF TENNESSEE,
IN ITS FAVOR.
SAYS the Rich should Pay More Taxes
Measure Is Opposed by the Republican
acknowledgements at Rio Taught a
uab bic Lesson.

The debate on the internal revenue
hill. including the provision for the in
come tax. began in the House Monday.
Mr.. NcMil!in Dem, Tenn. J. Chairman
~ the subcommittee of WAYS and
Means on Internal Revenue. began his
argument. Said he:
II man owns s5U, 900, 900 or 500, 900, 900
worth Of property in the United States, AS
some do, he pays only on what he eats,
what he drinks, What he wears and the
other things he uses. The time has come
when this should be changed. / ask Of any
reasonable person whether 1t is unjust to
expect that Il small per cent OF this enor-
mous revenue shall be placed upon the ac-
cumulated wealth OF the country instead
Of placing all upon the consumption Of the
country. Is II not time that the great es-
tate-. which are protected by our army,
which are defended by our navy,
which are benefited by the various opera
t,ons OF our Government, should contri Butte
in some greater degree to carry ON that
government through which alone they could
have been accumulated. or by which they
are to be protected? The people Of the
United states do not ask that all OF 1t shall
be placed on accumulated wealth. But
they do insist that 1t Is not unreasonable
or unjust TO require that u very small pro-
norton shall be. And yet when it Is pro-
poscd 10 shift this burden from those who
cannot bear IT to those who can; to divide
II between consumption and wealth; to
shift 1t from the laborer who has nothing
but his power to toll and sweat to the man
who has 3 fortune. made or inherited, we
hear a hue and cry raised by some individ-
uals that it is unjust and inQuisitorial In
it. nature and should not be adopted.
Then we insist. Mr.. Chairman, that 1t Is
not unreasonable or unjust that a small
part OF this money should be collected
from this accumulation. | know Of no ar
gument that is at all conclusive or rational
that can be urged against this form OF AK
alton. l believe that once 1t is inaugu-
rated 1t Will not cease to be a source from
which 10 draw some Of the vast revenue
Mat We need. Mr. Chairman. it has been
the effort Of the Ways and Means Commit-
tee to 50 construct the bill as to leave it,
a. iar a. possible. free from criticism.
Unlike the old law. 1t does not require a
schedule from every citizen Only those
VIII have 81, 900 income have to make a
1 return. There Is nothing in this against
| Which any just man can complain; there
T., nothing to arouse fear that any Ill can
come from it. 1t IS no tax on bread. 1t
IS no embargo placed upon prosperity. 1t
$40 effort TO prevent prosperity. 1t Is no
death blow aimed at commerce. But II Is
al effort to in some way require each citi-
zen TO contribute to the government In pro-
portion to what he has.
other Arguments Pro and Con.
M McMillin was followed by Represent
alive Ray rep. y. I.(, who opened the
debate for the Republicans In opposition
& tho income tax. lie attributed the
business depression to threatened tariff
Changes and contrastei a Democratic poll
icy on an income tax during the war and
al present
Nh Tarsuey Dem, Mo- }. member OF the
Ways and Means Committee. followed.
The income tax was first resorted to in the
DARK days II the civil war. When the war
ended and the people began demanding a
deduction of their excessive burdens, in
sta. OF taking the taxes Off the necessa-
iic, OF life by lowering the tariff rates one
By one, The iuternal- evenue taxes were
reHuN ID. The taxes which the rich were
abe 10 bear were repealed; the taxes OF
~ poor were retained. This was unjust.
Men should pay according 10 their wealth
for the support aud Protection of the Gov
einmeht There were so, 900, 900, 900 worth
Of lropcitv in this country. IL one man
c"n'd >l.'.9, oO0,O 900 worth would it not be
Du'l that ne should be taxed his equitable
fharr for the proportion Of his property
Mt hlu~inore dem, Ark. said this hour
w. an aue picious one, as II marked a new
ia ia TAXATION. 1t meant that the realth
the country was to pay IA just tribute to
Government for the benefits 1t received
ti"lu the governmental system. 1t meant
tiai M -reat burden OF taxation was to
taken from the shoulders OF the poor.
1E Daniels tfep, n. W called atten-
tioH to tie hostile attitude occupied by
" I'eh4otratic party toward the income
aA i1r years and quoted the words OF
r. Democratic leaders like Samuel j.
'teA In condemnation Of it. He pro-
e'''d WITH IA careful argument against
D. income tax.
M Williams Dem, Miss }, in supporting
~ income tax. said that IL was not "a new
pm 1t has been resorted to by every
eIAocrac' since the days Of Scion as the
psi equitable of all taxes.
ne was followed by Mr.. Hall (Dem., Mo J.
M mas Oeen one Of the most earnest adj
p'a,es OF an income tax. Taxation, as
l. nal! asserted, came from one OF three
PD'cos-rcnt, profit or wages. He quoted
,H Adam smith, John Stuart Mill, and
Tner eminent political economists In sup
~ VI the principle OF an income tax.
overt dem. n. " in criticising
action OF the Ways and Means Com
Sald he was opposed to free trade
u the income tax.