Evening star., 1895-05-21
NO OTHER HEARING
No Idea Of Bringing Up the Income
Tax Again.
DISCUSSING YESTERDAYS DECISION
Views of Public Men Concerning
Needed Legislation.
MIR. OLNEY'S REMARK S

er Miller of the internal revenue bureau
ridicule the intimaton in a morning paper
that the whole subject of the validity of
the income tax law may be gone over again
by the Supreme Court when the personnel
of the court changes by reason of the re-
tirement of one of the justices, not named.
The Plan Proposed.
According to the published report the
plan of getting the matter again before the
court was for the Treasury Department to
refuse to refund the income tax collected
and having the party enter suit to recover
the money. 1t is ingen.ously pointed out
that the money paid in on this account can
be refunded under section $500. Revised
Statutes, only upon the approval of the
Secretary of the Treasury, and If he should
withhold approval test case with chang
ed court might result.
The Attorney General said he did not
care to discuss the matter further than to
say that he did not see how the retire
ment of any one of the justices could be
used as basis for the belief that the de
cision of the court as expressed yesterday
might be changed on a rehearng.
What COmmissioner Miller Says.
Commissioner Miller disposed of the re-
port by saying that the income tax already
collected will be PAID as soon as the neces-
sary arrangements therefor can be perfect
ed. When that is done all those who have
paid the income tax have only to step up
to the captains Office and get their
money back.
Discussed by Senator Morgan.
The income tax decision, its effect upon
the revenues and the probabilities of an
extra session of Congress to provide means
for supplying the deficit We're the chief sub
jects of discussion in official and political
circles today. Senator Morgan of Alabama,
,Ft h,
the Senate, said the decision presented a
very grave situation, ard he did not care to
give an extended opinion of its effects, as
the subject would probably come before the
Senate.
Besides" said he, Il do not care to hold
post mortem. 1 am not coroner. In
nutshell l will say, however. that the de
cision leaves the taxing powers of the gov
ernment in a state of wreck. 1t will require
long time for us to gather up the frag-
ments. Principles of taxation which were
considered we'll settled are torn up by this
decision
How will the question come up in the
Senate?"
I'm connection with the question of re-
funding the $4,000 already collected and
the refund of the cotton whisky, beer and
tobacco taxes, all those taxes
much direct taxes as the tax on personally,
and as unconstitutional, according to yes
terday's decision of the Supreme Court.
The members of the court, as lawyers are
too apt to do, We're seeking around for pre-
cedents and ancient opinions They did not
hesitate to overrule recent decisions, and
Justice Shiras did not hesitate to reverse
his own opinion of month ago, but old
opinions and old decisions they held sacred
as though the value of decisions like wine.
increased with age"
What can Congress do?'
"Of course, replied Senator Morgan,
Congress will have to accept the decision.
but an amendment to the Constitution is
always possible
Senator Faulkner's Views.
Senator Faulkner is in the city, in at
tendance upon the sessions of the joint
commission of Congress to adjudicate the
Ford Theater claims Said he today to a
Star reporter: Il do not believe that there
is the least possibility that there will be IN
extra session of Congress; as a result of the
decision of the Supreme Court on the in
come tax. 1 do not think that there is any
need for such a session. In the first place,
the reasury is not in a condition that calls
for unusual legislation. There is surplus
on hand of S9O,o0U.c0O, in addition to the
free gold and l do not think there is any
chance that that will be exhausted before
the meeting of Congress next December.
The country is In a prosperous condition,
trade is reviving, and every thing is growing
more and more hopeful. What the people
most want just now is to be let alone, and
they need Congress less than anything else.
think that session would do more dam
age than good, for it would unsettle evecy-
thing.
There would be uncertainty where Low
there is reasonable certainty, and the tide
of returning prosperity might be checked.
LAS to the tax itself l can say nothing.
1t has been wiped away, and the effect of
the action of the court is yet to be judged.
do not think the Judgment will have
much effect upon my part oe the country.
We were affected less there by the panic
than any other part of the country. be-
lieve: We had less distress among cur
people, and we We're at no time a. very
low ebb. Our banks kept their heads above
water and continued payments through
all the trouble. We having good
is prospering. Our mines are being worked
at their full capacity, and some. of the
northern mines are getting more than their
share of business, owing to the strike in
the Pocahontas region. Some of the south
ern miners are on strike, but in the north
ern part of the state thare is work for
plenty of men. 1 think We are going to
have good season.
A Talk With With Mr.. Grosvenor
Representative Grosveror of Ohio was
one of the interested spectators in the Su-
preme Court yesterday afternoon when
the decisions on the income tax law were
rendered. Mr.. Grosvenor was deeply i'm
pressed by what he saw and he regarded
the scenes enacted in that historic cham
that have ever occurred there. When ask
ed by a Star reporter this afternoon what
he thought Congress would do in conse-
quence of this decision, he replied:
To BE Considered by Congress.
1.-THE first matter 20 be considered by
Congress seems to me will be to decide in
what manner and from what source suf-
ficient revenue to carry on the government
can be derived since the decision of the
court yesterday. If the southern members
OF Congress like McNIillin of Tennessee
and Turner of Georgia are sincere in the
belief that an income tax is a proper
source of revenue, perhaps they will intro
duce bill providing for a tax in round
numbers, say $G0,010.U0O per annum. to be
apportioned by Congress or the Treasury
Department among the states and terri
tories according to population, and then
permit the states through their legislative
bodies to raise the money they see fit
In that way the objection of the Supreme
Court would be avoided and the states
could levy taxes upon incomes.
Increase the Beer Tax.
'It is just possible, however, that the
zeal of these gentlemen and their associ-
ates will be tempered somewhat by a sys-