Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-05-28
Senator Daniels Speech.

In the United States Senate Friday
of last week Mr.. Daniel addressed the
Senate upon the general provisions
of the revenue bill. He said Con
gress had no intention of abrogating
its functions. 1t would come togeth>
err as usual next December and would
then be prepared to furnish an addi-
tional supply of men and means to
the Government. if at that time they
they should be needed. Ee could
conceive of no conditions in which
the President, could not be armed
with every man and every dollar
necessary for the conduct of the war
Every man in Congress. whatever his
political affiliations, stood squarely
behind the President. and individu.
ally and collectively would give him
earnest and sincere support.
He maintained, however, that alb
solutely no necessity existed for
plunging the country into a great
bonded debt on account of the war.
He was unwilling, he said, to mort
gage posterity, to burden future gen.
erations with debt, the example of
which would be a constant tempta-
ton to extravaganza.
He would rather, he said, the Dem
ocratic party should meet with any
reverses in the present war. 1t thepro-
posed issue of bonds were for the
purpose of effect upon Spain, and the
desired effect were assured, then he
was willing that any amount should
be issued. But" said he, ''if Spain
was not convinced at Manila that
this country was in earnest 10 this
war, then Sampson and Schley and
Miles and their lieutenants have
strong arguments to submit to her
that will prove to be even more as
sured vehicles of conviction than any
issue of bonds could be-"
Mr.. Daniel maintained that the
authors of the House bill had pro-
tected the wealth and taxed the
poverty of the country. They had
shown that they had poor opinion
of their own generation by shut
fling the debt Of the war upon the
next. This would, not in his opln
ion, meet the approval of the people
Mr.. Daniel addressed himself to the
excise tax of one-fourth OF per cent
upon the gross receipts OF railroad,
shipping, Geographic and telephone
operations. Arguing for the amend
ment embodying the excise provis-
ions, he said it was tax upon those
who were able to pay il. and it was
in line with presidents established
bv the Government in emergencies
like tie present. He declared Is
was moderate, compared its pro-
visions the act of 1864.
Mr.. Platt. of Connecticut, suggest
ed that the taxes might be construed
as laid upon the gross receipts. and.
there fore, obnoxious as a direct tax
upon personality to the recent deci
sion of the Supreme Court upon the
income tax.
Mr.. Daniel insisted the tax was
fax upon the exercise of certain cor
uorate and other privileges, and was
merely measured by the gross re-
ceipts
MIR. Daniel said he did not sympa.
thize with those who were continual
ly denounclng corporations. The
laws of the land clearly showed the
people were in favor of corporations,
but the people of the country had a
right to expect something in return
for the privilege granted to them.
The corporations ought to be willing
to be taxed their share of the burdens
imposed by the war. Many OF them
would be afforded great advantages
by the war, and many would receive
great sums of money from the Govern
ment itself on contracts for war sup.
pIes. In conclusion, he expressed
the hope that the committee amend
ment levying the tax on corporations
would be agreed to, as he was assured
many OF the corporations would not
object and the people certainly
would heartily approve it.