Evening journal., 1895-01-12

Z
given to the commissioners Of internal
revenue or tu aay other officer to return
taxes enormously ccllccteds
Prophrsioa Legal Tangies.
Mr. Hill spoke Of how hard It would he
10 maintain a law which the legal profes
sion was opposed TO, and Of how the money
involved would be enlisted in the services
Of lobbyists and lawyers at both ends Of
Pennsylvania avenue. 1t was the duty Of
the senate 20 remove the antiquities Of
the statutes That was true. but for all
practical purposes and effect the law was
just going on the statute books. It was
not properly part Of the tariff reform
legislation Of last summer 1t was insist
cd ON as the price of legislation and as a
condition why senators would support it,
Mr. Hill then referred to the support OF
the senator from Kansas (Mr Peifer( in
favor of the appropriation. and said it
carried out a principle of his party and
not of tho Democratic or Republican par
ties 1t was therefore right for the soma
tor TO come forward as the chief represent
ative of measure and Co advocate it here
Continuing, Mr.. Hill reminded tho SEN
ate that he had said the income tax pro-
vision had been placed in tho bill TO suit
certain senators. certain members Of con.
gress--not to carry out a single Democratic
doctrine. 1t had never hoen declared to
be Democratic doctrine by any national
convention Of the party.
Mr.. Hin then referred to the remarks
Of Mr.. Cockrell when he alluded to the
fact that the candidates of the last New
York Democratic state convention were
defeated.
He (Hill) would point the senator to
the fact that the same disapproval Of the
income tax as that contained In the plat
form Of the Democratic party was also
in the Republican platform. So far as the
state Of New York was concerned, there
was and is but little difference of opinion
on the subject.
If the antiquities were not removed, it
was reasonably certain that the expe-
riences connected with the direct tax Of
the war period and its refund would be
repeated. Taxpayers would besiege the
treasury, court Of claims and congress for
a refund Of the tax.
'Ihe Inquisitorial Forms"
The senator also questioned the right OF
congress under the constitution to tax the
incomes from notes, bonds or other seouri-
ties issued by states on minor divisions OF
states The income tax was not for secur-
ing revenue only, but to harass and wor-
ry, and he asked:
Shall the inquisitorial forms proposed
by the treasury department be tolerated
by congress?n The great newspapers Of
New York city, he added, were organized
as corporations under the New York laws
and must return their annual profits and
pay 2 per cent thereon. Why, the senator
asked, could not the government be CON
tent with O plain. trustworthy statement
of the net profits Of the enterprise. Many
Of the questions put forward in the treas
ury regulations had no warrant in the law
unless the law empowered the department
to put any question it pleased. Many Of
the questions were, he asserted, absurdly
inquisitoriaL
Speaking further. Mr. Hill said the
election was a condemnation of the in
come tax. q condemnation of the Wilson
German Brice- Smith bill, or whatever It
was q condemnation of the legislation of
last summer, and he thought the less said
about it at this particular time tho better.
Further on in his remarks Mr.. Hill refer
red to the statement from President Cleve-
land in his famous Wilson letter. in
which he told the country how he depre-
Gated the income tax, and he (HilD did
not think it probable that the president
would disapprove its repeal If congress
should see fit to repeal it.
Mr.. Dubois Ida. followed in support
of the appropriation to make the law oper-
ative but soon drifted into a discussion Of
the silver question in which he said that
no currency bill could pass that was not
| liberal toward silver
Mr.. Quay (Pa) supported Mr. Hills
amendment and said it would bo the duty
Of the next Republican congress to repeal
i the law.
Messrs, sherman %. and Mitchell Cor
thought the appropriation should be made.
Before adjournment Mr. Morgan Gala.
raised and the chair sustained a point of
order against the amendment, from which
Mr.. Hill appealed, and action on this will
bo had today.