New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-28
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.
HOUSE.
DEBATE ON rHD WAR REvErUE BILL. BEGUN
SPEECHES OF CHAIRMAN pINoLEY MR.
BAILEY AND MR.. DorLrvER


SPEECHES OF CHAIRMAN pINoLEY, MR.
BAILEY AND MR. porLrvER
Washineton. April 27-The opening Of the three
days debate on the War Revenue bill attracted
crowds to the House galleries to-day, ana tho at
tendance on the floor was also large. Witnout my
evidence OF excitement preniinaries OF any
kind the House went into Committee OF tho Whoie
Immediately after the reading OF the journal and
began consideration OF the bill Owing to Its I'M
portance Mr. Dingley. chairman OF tho ways ana
Means Committee. did not ask that the nrst read
ing be dispensed with. as Is usual with oils Ok
minor Importance The reading OF the BILL which
consists o. fortyfour pages. occupied an hour ~no
ten minutes
Mr.. DINGLEY EXPLAINS THE BILL
Mr. DINGLEY then took the floor to open tho de-
hate The bill he said was distinctly war
measure forced on the country by tho war with
Spain In war II essential that tho people
should stand unit shoulder TO shouioef' as IL
was only through such united action that noshtles
could be brought to an end at the earliest poss'o'e
moment Mr. Dingley called attention to the vast
cost ot modern engines OF war, which made war
now much more costly than formerly. This de-
rnand came Just the country was emerging nom
q long period OF deficiencies OF revenue ana was
Just beginning to see the light MI Oneiey theh
pointed out the condition OF mo treasury lhe
extraordinary demands upon It. and the necessity
not only of providing the additional revenue which
would be raised by the bill. but OF authorizing the
Secretary Of the Treasury to borrow money on tho
credit Of the Government. He followed closely the
lines OF the report which ne drew 10 accompany
the bill He emphasized the necessity o, united
action IN order to impress only Spain but the
countries O. Europe with the profound conviction
that tho American Congress and tho American peo-
ole stood shoulder TO shoulder without regard 10
party In the determination to prosecute the war to
Q successful termination.
THE WAY TO SHORTEN THE WAR
Mr.. Dingley spoke with great earnestness ana
was listened TO with profound attention Many OF
the Democrats left their places and took seats on
the Republican side In order TO hear the better.
With great tmpress!veness Mr.. Dingley said that
unless all signs failed the war would not DO
three months affair. nor a six months anair. and
that the preparations made both Tor onenco
and defence the shorter it would be-
When he reached the question Of the bond issue
he was besieged with questions by Mr. McMihn.
Mr. Savers and other Democrats, and there was
some discussion OF the probable cost OF tho war.
Mr. Savers ventured estimate or $%VVVW
year. which Mr. Dngley rejected. calling ATTENTION
to tho fact that the Civil War cost NlWoNoW
wear. Mr. Sayers while declaring his willingness
10 vote every dollar necessary TO prosecute the war;
contended that there necessity for author
izing in this bill the raising OF sooooo,N when
Congress would meet again in December plethoric
Treasury In time OF war. he argued. would invite
endless schemes
Mr.. Dingey pointed out that the authorization FOR
200 900 900 OF bonds was simply authorization.
II not needed all the bonds would not be Issued.
He briefly discussed the proposition which the
minority would advance for an income tax as a
substitute for the bond proposition. The Supreme
Court had decided the tax unconstitutional. and
vet Il was proposed In place OF an authorization
to borrow money TO remand the Government TO
what would out OF lawsuit which had al
ready been decided against the Government 1t
seems so preposterous in such an emergency said
Mr. Dingley. that can hardly believe such
proposttion Is TO be seriously presented
The proposition 10 coin the silver seigniorase ne
characterized as one OF the absurdites Of finance
which was heard OF beyond the borders OF
the United States. Seignorage was the profit from
coinage and silver was not now being coined MI
Dingey received hearty round of applause when
he concluded.
AIR RAI1,EY ADVOCATES AN INCOME TAX.
Mr. BAILEY Dem. Tex) followed Mr.. Dingley
with the opening argument his side He said
that his side realized as much as the other the ne
cessty OF raising revenue to carry on the war. and
they stood willing TO cooperate in placing at the
disposal Of the Government every material aid for
the prosecution OF hostities to successful and
speedy termination. There would be no difference
OF opinion that the Government should be abun-
dainty provided with revenue. But the minority
would not he either led driven into the support
OF measures which commended themselves neither
10 their conscience judgment They reserved
the right to oppose the measures by which the ma
5ority proposed to provide war funds.
Mr. Bailey spoke with trace o. bitterness OF
the treatment the minority had received at the
hands o. the majority The chairman OF the
Ways and Means Committee had said that the pend
ing bill followed closely the system OF war taxa
ton which obtained at the close OF the Civil War
That system, Mr.. Bailey said. had been followed
IN respect to those which fell most heavily
on the producing and consuming classes. Beer
tobacco and other articles were taxed. but In one
respect in his opinion utterly ndefensibe. the sys-
TEN In vogue In the Civil War had been discard
ed The tax bank capital and bank deposits
was omitted. At one-half OF per cent such tax
would produce 100000. II there was one species
OF property above all others that ought TO be tho
subject OF extraordinary taxation It was bank de-
pos!ts the only form OF property owned by one
class and used by another. There were in the
banks OF the United States N.7oo 10000 Of deposits
Proceeding with his criticism OF this and some
other features Of the bill. Mr.. Bailey declared
that. imperfect as IL was. his side OF the House
would take II II tho other side would accept their
proposition for an income tax which would provide
en- additional increase OF $4,000 600. democratic
spplause)
He thought the estimate OF SIS 10000 month for
expenses reasonable one. and said that II the
income tax provision made part OF the bill
there would be no need to mortgage the future to
fight a single battle Of this unhappy strife. Mr..
Bailey also contended for the proposition coin
sls 900 Of the silver seignorage and to that he
thought an Issue OF $5sooo.Wo Of egaltender notes
could be added with proprety. The greenback cir
cuation could be extended that far without danger.
He was himself as far from believing In hatsm as
ANYBODY but he had no doubt than he had
that there was a God in Heaven that the Govern
ment could safely issue sos.Joo0o OF non-interest
bearing notes. and he did not think man on the
floor would rise in his place and deny IL
BOND ISSUE OPPOSED.
Mr. Dtngley had advocated the placing Of a bond
ed debt OF 500 10000 this country. Whenever
the countrys credit ought to be pledged he would
be willing do this but there not In his opin
ion any necessity for mortgaging that credit at