The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-01-12
QUAY'S Logical Speech
An Earnest Protest Against the In
iquities of Income Tax.
HIS AMENDMENT IS REJECTED
Mr.. Hill Did Not VOtc-War Claims Dis
cusscd in the IIouse-An Effort to
Protect the Salmon Fish.
cries Of Alaska.
Hy the United Press.

ny the United Press.
Washington, Jan. 1.-THE debate IN
the senate today on the subject OF IN
come tax occupied the better part or
five hours. Most of that time was
used by Mr.. Hill Dem., N. W In ad-
vocacy of the amendment offered py
him the preceding day, giving courts
of the United States jurisdiction 10
hear and determine suits to test the
constitutionality and validity of the
tax. He assailed the tax as unequal,
un-uniform, and unjust, and expressed
his conviction that the senate Woulu
agree with him that the provision as
it now stood was unconstitutional, uh-
wieldy and n-workable, and that IL
. ought not to be inflicted on the taXpay-
ers, the executive officers or congress.
Mr.. Sherman CRep. o. said that, IN
the main, he agreed with the senator III
regard to the tax but he held that re-
fusal by the senate to appropriate
money to carry It out would tend TO
overthrow the principles on which the
government Is established and would
be particularly wrong in regard to a
revenue measure which the senate had
no power to originate.
Speeches were also made by Mr.. Dun
bois (Rep., Idaho) Mr.. Quay Rep., Pao
and Mr.. Mitchell Rep., Ore).
MIR. Quay's Remarks.
Mr.. Quay Rep., Pa) said:
l believe It is the duty of national leg
islature to exercise its power to the point
of exhaustion in order to prevent the car
rying into effect the provision of the tar
iff act of 1894 for the collection of the in
come tax. ! believe 1t to be the highest
privilege of the majority of this chamber
to prevent the carrying out of this, the
highest crime of the criminal tariff act
placed upon the statute book by the last
session of this discredited congress. There
Is no disputng the proposition that this
congress has been limited by the popular
verdict to the simplest and most restrict
ed function which it can exercise under
the constitution. This congress has
been forbidden by the overwhelming
voice of the people to do anything
further than to vote the necessary
money supplies for the maintenance of the
machinery of the government. 1t has no
right to do anything else. There is at
present Democratic majority in the
house OF representatives as well as In the
senate. This majority has been rebuked
by the people, 1t has been commanded by
an overwhelming voice to do no further
mischief 1t has since the verdict of last
November repaatsdly ly-aad -empnatically
exhibited its inability to do anything.
ParaiyZed by the voice of the people 1t
has been further hypnotized by its own in
ternal disorganiZation.
1t cannot be believed that the policy eX-
emplfied by the present chief executive
of the nation can be carried into its leg
islative chambers. The popular will has
expressed itself with an emphasis al
n-t with in ha higtnrNr nf
the republic. The expression of that pop
uar will is that there shall be an entire
reversal of the legislation enacted by the
last session of congress. Involved in this
is the declaration by the people that there
shall be no collection of the income tax.
The appropriation proposed to pay for the
expense of the collection of this inquisit-
orial and obnoxious levy upon the private
business of the people of this country
should be at least postponed 1t should be
indeed, absolutely defeated. The next
congress, which will be controlled by a
Republican majority In its lower branch
and which will at least have full mem
bership in its upper house, will find as
one of its first duties the obligation of
passing a bill to repeal this income tax
1t is my judgment that such an act of re-
peal, after passing both branches of con-
gress, will not encounter the veto even II
1t were not to receive the approval of the
president.
1t is my belief that even the present
administration does not care further tC
excite the popular resentment by enforc
ing this obnoxious provision. The only
purpose, therefore, of making an appro
priation to pay the expenses of collecting
this tax would be to create an army o1
mercenaries, who like our ancient enc
mics, the lHessans, of the Revolutionary
war, would be hired by an administration
more British than American, to enforc,
revenue policy foreign rather than do
mestic in Its sympathies. 1t Is not wortf
while to incur this tremendous expense
to create this band Of inqustors wher
that army, almost as soon as hired, mus
be dismissed and disbanded
The equity of parliamentary procedur,
demands also another consideration. i
is a fact beyond dispute | think-it |:
certainly an assertion which l think M
senator upon the other side of this cham
Der will venture seriously to deny-that 4
the three seats now vacant in this cham
Der from Washington, Montana and Wy
oming had been filled last summer the en-
actment of the present tariff law woulc
have been impossible The people o
those states have right to n voice In thi
senate equal to any of the other states o
the Union.
Those states will, within a few days
elect senator's to FIJI seats now vacant
Their senators will be fruits of the elec
tion OF Nov. G. 1893 They will be educate,
by It's lesson. 1t is proper that until thos
states are fully represented no legisla
tion so important to this country as tn
collection OF this income tax should b
authorized. The delay Is non-essential
There Is no reason to object to this brie
interval which must result in the ful
representation of these three great states
l..r A..
appropriation for the creation OF thi
army of revenue collectors. 1t Is m
opinion, the duty of the Republican part
in this chamber is to prevent the colec
ton of this inquitious tax, the statute 70
which will certainly be repealed perhap
within few months, and certainly With
another year.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Quays re
marks his motion to postpone was de
feated-yeas, (Mr Quay; nays, AZ.
Mr.. Hill did not vote.
Two financial bills were introduced
one by Mr.. Vest Dem., Mo- to subst
tute for the treasury notes and gol
and silver certificates notes of equf
amount payable sin gold and silver col
of the United States" and one by NJ
Mcpherson Dem.. N. j. authorizin
the issue and sale of bonds.
Private Bills Considered.
Under the rules of the house this wa
private bill day. and three hours wei
spent in an unavaillng consideration
in committee Of the whole, Of a bill tha
enjoyed the attention of the body o
the day last devoted to the private ca
endar in July. 1894. 1t was for the pa,
ment Of $4,000 for stores and supple
from a lovaI Tannaqcaanu In tho ya