The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-04-28
$25,OOO,OOO.
That Much Per Month is
Thought Necessary
By Congressman to Carry on
the War;
BILL is TAKEN UP
Which is to Provide the Need
ed Funds.
Opposing Parties Clash at the
Outset.

the eXtraO ordinary expenditures OIL the
war with Spain opened IN the house
yesterday. 1t will continue throughout
TODAY. and on Friday at o'clock the
vote will be taken. The section provid-
ing for $500, 900, 900 of bonds became the
main target of the Democratic and
Populist opposition. The Populists all
vigorously opposed the bond PROPOSE
ton.
The evening session was devoted to
brief speeches by members unable to
secure time at the day session.
The house went into committee of the
whole after the reading of the journal
and entered upon the consideration of
the bill. Owing to its Importance, Mr..
means committee, did not ask that the
first reading of the bill be dispensed
with as is usual with bills of minor i'm
pOrtance.
The reading of the bill, which con-
,sists of A pages, occupied an hour and
ten minutes.
Mr.. Dingley then took the floor to
open debate. The bill, he said, was dis
tinctly a war measure. 1t was essen
tia1 that we should stand as a unit,
shoulder to shoulder, it was only
through such united action that hOStil-
tiles could be abbreviated and brought
to an end at the earliest possible mo-
ment. War now was much more cost
ly than formerly. This war demand
upon our resources, he SdIQ, CAME JUST
as the country was emerging from
long period of deficiencies of revenue
and was just beginning to see the light.
Mr.. Dingley then proceeded with his
argument, pointing out the condition of
the treasury, the extraordinary de-
mandS upon it for war purposes and
the necessity not only of providing the
additional revenue which would be
raised by the bill, but authorizing the
secretary of the treasury to borrow
money on the credit of the government.
He followed closely the lines of the re-
port which he drew to accompany the
yesterday. He emphasized the neceS-
sity of united action in support of the
measure, in order not only to impress
Spain, but the countries of Europe with
the profound conviction that the Amer
lean congress and the American people
stood shoulder to shoulder, without re-
prosecute to a successful termination
the war we had undertaken.
Mr.. Bailey, the leader of the minority,
followed Mr. Dingley with the opening
argument on his side.
He said that his side realized as
much as the other the necessity of rails
ing revenue to carry on the war, and
they stood willing to cooperate in
placing at the disposal of the govern
ment every material aid for the prose-
cutiOn of the war to a successful and
speedy termination. There would be
no difference of opinion that the gov
eminent should be abundantly provid-
ed with revenue. But, said he, the mi
nority would not be either led or driven
into the support of measures which
commended themselves neither to their
conscience nor judgment.
They reserved the right to oppose the
measure by which the majority pro-
posed to provide the war fund.
Mr.. Bailey spoke with a trace of bit
ternesS at the treatment the minority
had received at the hands of the ma
jority.
The chairman of the ways and means
committee had said that the pending
bill followed closely the system of war
taxation which obtained at the close
Of the civil war. That system, Mr.
Bailey said, had been followed in re
spect to those taxes which fall most
heavily upon the producing and con-
Stunning classes. Beer, tobacco and
other articles were taxed; but in one
respect, in his opinion, utterly indefen-
sible, the system in vogue at the close
of the civil war had been discarded.
The tax on bank capital and bank de-
pOSitS was omitted. At one half of 1
per cent such a tax would produce $10,-
100000. If there was one species of
property above all others that ought to
be the subject of extraordinary taxa
ton 1t was bank deposits, the only form
of property owned by one class which
was used by another. There were in
the banks of the United States 81, 700,-
100000 of deposits.
Proceeding with his criticism of this
and some other features of the bill, Mr..
Bailey declared that, imperfect as it
was, his side of the house would take
it if the other side would accept their
proposition for an income tax which
would provide an additional increase of
500, 900, 0O0 democratic applause.)
He thought the estimate of Mr.. Ding
ley (S25, DOC, 900 a month for war expenS-
esq a reasonable amount.
Mr.. Bailey also contended for the
proposition to coin $48. 600 of the sill
yer seignOrage and to that he thought
an issue of $58, O00, 900 of the legal tend
er could be added with propriety. The
greenback circulation could be extended
that far without danger. =
The gentleman from Maine CMr
Dingley) advocated the placing of a
bonded debt upon this country of $780,
100000. Whenever the country's cred
it ought to be pledged he would be will
ling to do this, but there was not, in his
opinion, any necessity for mortgaging
the credit at this time
I'VE propose said Mr.. Bailey "to
tax the rich men now rather than to
mortgage the energies of the poor men
for coming generations" applause on
the Democratic Side.)
Discussing the question of the su-
preme courts decision of the income
lax case, he declared that no question
was ever settled until it was settled
rightly.
Mr.. Bailey then entered upon an ex-
tended argument upon the constitution
AMY OF an income tax, combating the
theory that it was direct tax inhibit-
ed by the constitution.
Mr.. Bailey said the income tax pro-
vision which the minority had drawn
and which would be offered by Mr. Nc
M1liln, had been drawn to meet that
portion of the courts decision which
was unanimous and in which he con-
Cured. by exempting federal, state,
county and municipal bonds
Mr.. Bailey declared that the income
tax was the most just tax ever con-
ceived.
IF I were rich and prosperous"
continued Mr.. Bailey, at would contrib
ute of my abundance to my country in
this time of stress. because I would not