The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-11-04
Sen. ALLEN DEFENDS The PEOPLE.
THE INFAMOUS SCHEME OF LOADING THE PEOPLE DOWN
WITH A HUGE DEBT is OPPOSED BY ALLEN.
CORPORATIONS FIGHTING THEIR PORTION OF TAXATION
The Sinister Purposes and the Craven, Cowardly Methods of the PIu-
tocratic Wolves in Congress Stripped of Their Sleeps Clothing.

Washington, D. c., June 1.-THE SEN
ate having under consideration the bill
to raise revenue to carry on the wal
with Spain, Senator Allen spoke as fol-
lows:
Mr.. Allen-Mr. President, 1 h not
undertake a very close analysis of the
pending bill nor enter into an extended
discussion of it's provisions. l shall
content myself at this time with calling
attention to a few obnoxious features
and to pointing out, as best l can, why
they should not be enacted into law.
The discussion thus far has developed
the fact that if the wishes Of the diff
ferent interests to be taxed are to be
consulted the bill will be converted
into a measure to authorize the issu-
ance of bonds alone, and will carry with
1t no taxation whatever.
The Junior senator from Massachu-
sets CMr. Lodge but a day or two ago
lnVeighed strongly against the imposi-
ton OF a tax on corporations, claiming
that 1t was unjust. The senator from
Connecticut (Mr. Platt) also spoke
strongly against the tax on corpora
tons, as did the senator from Maine
(Mr. Frye. Corporations are protest
ing against the imposition of a tax on
their franchise and property; and I do
not myself see much distinction be-
tween a franchise and property. The
manufacturers of patent medicines and
proprietary articles are protesting
against a tax on their wares. The
transportation companies are protest.
ing against a tax being imposed on
them. The tobacco interests are pro-
testing against SO large a tax being
imposed on them as the pending bill
provides for. In fact every interest,
every business hat car reach this
chamber by kilograms and by letters
is protesting that some other industry
or some other business could better af-
ford to be taxed than that particular
business.
Mr.. Butler-Will the senator from Ne
braska pardon me for a moment?
Mr.. Allen-Certainly.
MI. Butterfly state is a very large
tobacco state. There are only a few
states that are largely interested in
tobacco. Our people are not protest.
ing against a tax OF them similar and
equal to what we put upon others. In
fact they have not protested against
the tax being raised from 6 cents to
IL cents, which is 100 per cent increase.
They merely protest when it is proposed
to put it as high as 16 cents, and even
100 per cent increase is a great hard
ship when it bears on only a few states
in the union If all the states of the
union were tobacco states it would
be a very different thing, but we are
standing without protest a 100 per cent
increase. We do not, however, want
any more, for any more would be
clearly unjust.
Mr.. Allen-I do not see that the re-
mark is very germane to my discussion,
n l do not regard it as necessary to
notice it any further. I was trying
to make it appear, a. I think it does,
that every interest in the land, except
the agriculturists and laborers, are
protesting against the imposition of
a tax upon their particular industry
or occupation.
Mr.. President, it ought to be crafty
ing to every American citizen to pay
his equitable portion of the war tax.
l do not for a moment admit that just
and equitable taxation is a burden
and when writer's speak of taxes as
being a burden, 1 regard it as a mis-.
homer, for every citizen and every
industry ought to regard it as a privil-
eye to pay his or it's just and equitable
portion of the money expended to sup.
port the national government. We oil
tain our compensation for taxes paid
presumably in the protection the gov
eminent affords us.
The government extends to it's citi.
zens and owe their property and in
terests a certain protection by means
of its existence, and for hat the citi.
zen pays his certain portion of public
taxation to support the government. II
is not a burden when justly and equit.
ably levied n assessed against either
persons or property. So it is if these
different interests I have mentioned
could have their way, the pending bill
would be converted into a bill to in
GREASE the bonded Indebtedness of the
United States.
Yesterday we had a learned discus.
sion by the senior senator from Ken.
lucky (Mr. Lindsay on the constitu.
ton, which is considered here so fire.
quently. The constitution is invoked
on all occasions, not only in favor Of
certain measures, but against measures
as the convenience Of the particular
orator may require, and yesterday we
were treated to a disquisition by the
senator from Kentucky on the consti.
tutional powers of the state and ma.
tional governments to impose taxes.
hold, without referring to any judicia
decisions or other authority, that there
is no property and no individual OF
franchise in the United States that this
government may not lay a tax on, II
necessity requires it, outside, possibly
Of the mere administrative agencies Of
the respective state and national gov,
ernments. They cannot destroy them.
selves by taxation. But with that sin.
gle exception the national government
can reach every individual Of the 75,.
600, 900 of u people, every dollar OF
money and every article of property
by appropriate taxation; and when II
does it e%quitably, imposing a just tar
upon persons and property, no man and
no corporation and nc interest has any
right to complain.
Is there anything sinister, Mr.. Presi.
dent, in this avowed purpose to escape
taxation and to eliminate many of the
tax features Of this bill? 1t strikes me