Great Falls weekly tribune., 1895-01-18
MR.TELLER TALKS
The Senate Regaled with His Opin-
ions on the Great Cur
rency Question.
II IS BADLY OUT OF GEAR
He Thinks the Executive Branch of
the Government Is in the
Wrong Hands.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12-The senate gal.
lerles were fairly we'll filed today in an
ticipation of a speech by Senator Morgan
on the currency question, in which it
was thought he would propose some
solution of the currency problem from
the senate standpoint. Quay spread
beforl him on his desk roll Of manu-
script. which looked like one of those
formidable and carefully prepared
speeches, for which he is noted. Cock
rell called up the urgent deficiency bill
Presiding Officer Harris explained the
parliamentary situation coming over
from yesterday. Hill offered an amend
meDt to the item, appropriating funds
for the collection of the income tax, so
that the legality of the tax might be
referred to the courts. The chair ruled
out the amendment on point of order.
Hill appealed from the decision of the
chair, and Morgan moved to lay the
appeal on the table, in order to permit
the senate further discussion of the
income tax. Morgan agreed to with
draw his motion and then proposed a
vote on Hills appeal. Teller then ad-
dressed the senate in support of con-
tinuance of the income tax. He pointed
to the large treasury deficits which had
been temporarily met by bonds issued.
The gold supply was down to 100000
and was rapidly disappearing. Any pro-
position to do away with the income tax,
therefore, should be accompanied by
plans to raise the revenue the govern
ment required. Teller gave it as his
opinion that the income tax would be-
come permanent. even though it was
limited to five years by the present law.
He believed it was such an equitable
tax that the people would insist on its
continuance. Import duties could not
be put SO high as to entirely keep out
goods, and without these high duties
there was certain to be deficit in the
revenue. 1t was essential, therefore,
that some middle course should be
adopted and the income tax was the
most just means. Teller spoke of the
vain and fruitless efforts of the executive
branch of the government to do
something to relieve the present distress
of the government and the people, 1t
ecutive branch is in the wrong hands,
He spoke caustically of the scheme of
banking coming from the treasury de-
partment. He referred to current re-
ports that the bill had been jotted off
in thirty minutes to stenographer. 81
wish to show all due respect to this BILL"
he said, coming, as it does, from such
high sources, but if such a measure
came from any other senator or member.
il it came from any populst, it would be
branded as the height of lunacy' Tel.
Ter declared that the currency bill pro-
posed to inaugurate the old era of wild
cat paper. 1t violated every principle of
finance in this country or any other He
ridiculed the talk about elastic and
"flexible" currency when banking cor
porations had charge of the elasticity.
There are ABOUT six weeks remaining of
this congress- said Teller. Now does
any person seriously believe that a revis,
ion of the vast currency system can be
accomplished in that time?' The sena-
tor argued that it was time the execu-
tive authorities stopped what he char
acterzed as "frantic demonstrations of
fright"