The Saint Paul globe., 1898-04-28
REVENUE BILL DEBATE
THE WAR MEASURE TAKEN
UP IN THE HOUSE
Mr. Dingley Defends the Act offered
by the Republicans, While Bailey
md Bell State the Nature Of the
Opposition of the Minority
Bond Feature the One Criticised
by the Silver Men.

|
| Opposition of the Minority
Bond Feature the One Criticised
by the Silver Men.
| WASHINGTON, April 27.-The de-
bate upon the measure framed by the
ways and means committee to meet
the expenditures Of the war with Spain
opened in the house today. 1t will con-
tinue through tomorrow, and on Fri
| day at o'clock the vote will be taken
There was an absence of partisan ran
cor. which has always heretofore char
acterized debates on revenue measures
The house went into committee Of
the whole Immediately after the read
Ing of the journal and entered upon
the consideration Of the bill. Owing
to its Importance, Mr.. Dingley, chair
man OF the ways and means commit
tee, did not ask that the first read
ing Of the bill be dispensed with, as is
usual. Mr.. Dingley then took the floor
to open the debate. The bill, he said
| was distinctly a war measure. He
emphasized the necessity Of united ac-
| ton In support Of the measure, in order
not only to impress Spain, but the
| countries Of Europe with the convic-
| ton that the American congress and
| the American people stood shoulder to
| shoulder without regard to party in
| the determination to prosecute to a
| successful termination the war we had
| undertaken.
| Mr.. Dingley said that unless all signs
| failed the war would not be a three
| months affair. nor six-months' affair,
| and that the more preparations we
made, both for offense and defense, the
| shorter it would be.
| When he reached the question of the
bond issue, he was besieged with ques-
tions by Mr.. McMillin, Mr.. Sayers and
| other Democrats, and there was some
discussion of the probable cost of the
war.
| Mr.. Savers ventured an estimate Of
| $500, 600 per annum, which Mr.. Ding
| ley rejected, calling attention to the
fact that the Civil war cost $1,100, 900, 900
per anaum. Mr.. Sayers, while ayowing
| his willingness to vote every dollar
necessary to prosecute the war con-
tended there was no necessity for au-
thorizing in this bill the raising Of
| $100,000,000 when congress would meet
again in December.
Bailey's Views.
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 raising revenue to car
ry on the war, and they stood willing
| to cooperate in placing at the dis
posal Of the government every material
| aid for the prosecution of the war to
| speedy termination. There would
be no difference of opinion that the
government should be abundantly pro-
| Vided with revenue. But, said he, the
minority would not be either led or
driven into the support of measures
which commended themselves neither
to their conscience nor judgment.
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" .e
Discussing the question of the SUI
| preme courts decision of the income
tax 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
| ality of an income tax, combating the
| theory that it was direct tax inhibited
| by the constitution.
Mr.. Bailey was followed by Mr. Dol
| liver (Rep., Io.), who delivered a
patriotic Grafton rather than an argu-
ment on the merits of the pending
measure. In conclusion he said:
We have not acted upon sudden provo
| cation, great or small Again and again
| the nation has ignored it's interests, con-
quered its sympathies and restrained it's
! wrath that no just imputation might be
made against in the supreme court of
the worlds opinion. There is not coun-
| try of Europe which, IL situated as we have
| been, would have endured what we nave
| suffered in the succession of civil wars,
| which, for the last generation, have DESC
lated that helpless island OF the seas. His
| tory will be our judge that in all these
| years, for the sake of the worlds peace.
| we have chosen to wrong ourselves rather
! than to give warrant to suspicion OF in
| justice against the government of Spain.
Populists' Position.
| Mr.. Bell Pop., Col.), in stating the
| position of the Populists, announced op-
position to the bond provision, and Mr.
Sayers Oem., Tex.), while announcing
his Willingness to vote all the money
| needed, thought provision was being
| made for two large a sum. Such ac-
| ton would be only to invite attempts
| at swindling.
| Then, discussing the provisions of
| the bill, he asked why the taxes were
| to be exclusively levied against the
poor. Why did not the rich railroads
bear part of the burden? Why did not
the colossal STANDARD Oil Company"
bear its share? The burden should fall
| equally upon all interests.
| Mr.. Lacey Rep., Io.) gave notice of
an amendment to prevent the invalida-
| ton of instruments on which the
stamps due were inadvertently omitted.
Mr.. Ridgley Pop., Kan.) closed the
| debate for the afternoon with some
| brief remarks in opposition to the bond
feature Of the bill.
At 5 o'clock the house recessed un-
| til o'clock.
| The night session of the house was
devoted to brief speeches by members
who We're unable to secure time during
| the day. Many of the speakers only
! had time to ask permission to extend
their remarks in the record. Only two
Republicans, Mr.. Gibson (Tenn) and
MIR. Omstead On. " spoke tonight. The
| Democrats and Populists all opposed
| the bond provisions. The speakers
were Messrs. Kleburg Oem., Tex),
| Wheeler Oem., Ky), Lewis Dem..
| Wash.), Green Pop., NebD, Cowherd
| Oem., Me-, Benton Oem., MOI, Van
Diver Dem., Mo-, Davis Oem., Ala),
De Vries Oem.. Cal), Lentz Oem.,
| o., and Mr.. Mcdowell Oem., o..
At 1890 the house adjourned.