The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-01-17
income TAX WRANCLINC
Mr. Vest Sincerely Hopes for an EX-
ira Session.
WHAT WILL REPUBLICANS DO
The Orator Wishes for an Opportunity
to Judge Whether the Republican
Party Can Bring Prosperity
to the Country.
By the United Press.

washington, Jan. l6.-After the rou-
tine morning business the urgency de-
ficiency bill was then taken up and
Mr.. Hill addressed the senate in re-
gard to the ruling out of his amend
ment giving United States courts jur-
isdiction of the question ,of constitu-
tionality and validity of the income tax
Mr.. Hill proceeded with his argument
sustaining it by reference to various
decisions in both houses, showing that
such bills-as for instance, a pensions
arrears bill or Il river and harbor bill
We're not general appropriation bills
under the rules
Mr.. Vest said that he was largely re-
sponsible for the form in which the
income tax provision now stood. He
did not claim that it was perfect, or
anything like perfect; but he asserted
that its imperfections We're caused by
the fact that in the absence of rules in
the senate to close debate, the finance
committee was compelled to put the
tariff bill through under whip and
spur. The entire country, he said, was
clamoring for tariff legislation. He was
tired of hearing the ceaseless charges
against the tariff law and it's defects
coming from those who knew the rea-
son why those defects existed. Those
who had charge of the measure had
endeavored to make the income tax as
unobjectionable as possible. There had
been grave defects in it and it had been
hoped that those defects would be re-
formed in the conference committee.
Mir. Vest drifted into a discussion of
the rules in reply to Mr.. Gormans de-
fense of them on Monday. He said
that on any political or financial meas
ure 1t was impossible to force action;
while on other matters any senator
might have almost any bill passed
under senatorial courtesy"
Not in Presidents Confidence.
On another point in his speech Mr..
Vest said: II have no right to say what
| the president Will do, for | do not en-
| joy the executive confidence. But |
sincerely hope that if congress adjourns
without financial legislation the presi.
dent will call US Immediately on tho
| final fall of the gavel, in extra session;
| and we will then see whether the Re-
| publican party, by its enactments, will
bring prosperity to the people of the
/ United States.
AS to the estimates of revenue, Mr.
, Vest said nc did not believe that the
| secretary of the treasury or any other
| man could make any intelligent conjec-
ture as to the future revenue of the
| government. For instance, the estl.
mate of revenue from the income tax
was $SO,OOO,OOO, but he believed that it
would be in the neghborhood of eighty
or a hundred millions.
Mr.. Quay again offered his amend.
ment by adding at the end of the bill
the provision that nothing in the law
should preclude any court having jurIs-
diction from hearing proceedings to test
the consbitutlonality or validity of the
act.
Mr.. Gray raised a point of order
against it and the chair CHR. Galinger)
sustained the point of order.
Quay's Amendment Defeated.
Mr.. Quay renewed his amendment 70,
testing the constitutionality and valid
ity of the income tax; and it was de.
feated-yeas, 10; nays. 80, as follows:
Yeas-AIessrs. Aldrich, Chandler, Davis,
Frye, Gray Hale, Hawley, Hill Lodge,
Mcmillan, Manderson. Mitchell (Ore },
Smith and Wison-19.
Nays - Messrs. Allen, Bate, Berry,
blackburn, Blanchard, Butler, Call, Cam
den, Cockrell, Dubois, George, Gordon,
German, Hunton, Jarvis, Jones CArll }
Kyle, Lindsay, McLaurin, Morgan, pugh,
Ransom, Roach, Stewart, Teller, Turpie,
Vest, Villas, Voorhees, Walsh, White and
Walcott-32.
Mr.. Hill offered an amendment pro-
viding that none of the appropriation
used be applied to the purpose of com
pelling taxpayer to make any return
or answer any question except as to
the sources and amount of his gains,
profit and income.
The bill was then reported to the SEN
ate Grom committee of the whole and
all of the amendments were agreed to
except the one inserting the word
fractional in the item for the re-
coinage of silver coins I'm the treasury
Mr.. Blanchard made an argument
against the adoption of that amend
ment.
Mr.. Cockrellreplied to Mr.. Blanchard
and the amendment was retained in the
bill Yeas. 25 nays, 19. The bill was
then passed.
A resolution was offered by Mr.
Aldrich, and agreed to, requesting the
president to transmit copies of all cor
respondence with or communication
from the representatives. from the gov
ernment of Germany or any other coun-
try I'm respect to the enforcement of any
of the arrangements under the tariff OF
1890.