Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-11-10

them If we are compelled, in order 10
meet q necessity, to use its interest
bearing credit, ! will vote to use Ii. but
not until them. That is our position,
and we should not be asked upon the
threshold Of q struggle which may be
short and comparatively Inexpensive
the length of it and the cost Of ID the
gentleman from Maine [Mr. Dingleyl
himself says no human intelligence can
forecast-to provide for two years In
advance, when congress will be in ses.
sion, to make appropriations ~ the need
for them may arise.
"The gentleman from Maine says
that instead Of providing for the ex-
penses Of this wal by a loan we propose
to provide for it by q lawsuit. He shall
not escape us in that way. We intend
first to propose the income tax as q sub
stitute for section 81, which will be
asking you to tax the rich men OF the
present rather than the poor men of the
next generation. We shall propose to
collect the money rather than to borrow
10, but If you defeat that motion and
persist in borrowing when 1t ss unnec-
essary, we shall attempt at the end Of
this bill to ingraft upon it ar income
tax that shall raise the money to pay
the bonds which you intend to sell.
Tax the Wealthy.
"This will give you the money now
and at the same time provide q fund
for its repayment hereafter. The bill
with this amendment will not postpone
the expenses Of the war for the decision
Of q court. It simply presents-and the
people Of this country are intelligent
enough to understand 1.-THE question
Of whether, having determined to bor-
row money, you are willing to lay taxes
upon the Weather and more prosperous
classes in order to provide for its pay
ment. II the majority vote down
our motion to substitute an income tax
for the loan provisions Of their bill,
they will still be compelled to face q
other proposition, to provide for the
payment Of these bonds by the levy Of
an income tax, and 1t will not answer
us at that point of the argument to say
that we are attempting to make the ex-
penses Of the war depend upon the re-
suit Of a lawsuit"
Justice of the Tax.
After an elaborate and luminous ar
gument in favor Of the constitutionality
Of the income tax-an argument which
no man attempted to answer and which
no man can answer-Bailey said:
mi. Chairman, II It were psrmissi-
BILE at this time to enter upon q discus
sion of the merits Of the income tax,
more could be said than this house
would have the patience to hear or I the
strength to speak. It is the justest tax
that the wisdom Of congress a devise.
It is the only one that rises with a
mans ability to pay it and falls with
his inability to pay it. 1t is the only
tax that is high when the citizen is
prosperous and low when the citizens
prosperity fails. If a great establish
ment this year realizesa profit Of $780,
600, it can easily pay the tai. If the
reverses Of trade or the misfortunes of
the country next year reduce that bust
ness to a loss, it is required to pay no
taxes. Such a law oompels the citizen
to contribute to the support Of the gov
eminent according to his ability to do
it, and only when he is able to do it.
An ad valorem tax upon property worth
o., 600, 0o0sthis year, with a profit Of
800, 900, would be neither more nor
less than it would be on the same prop
erty next year still worth 81, 900, 900,
but operated at q loss Of SOC, 600. The
direct ad valorem tax il the same wheth-
aa an aDkonNHsca 1o~0rsol1n1 nv prnanaNG
The income tax is large when profits
r good and ceases when profits cease.
Blood and Treasure.
1.-THE statement that an income tax
cannot be collected is oontradicted by
the experience Of this and every other
government that has levied one. That
some men escape it ! grant you, but
some men escape the direct taxes Of the
state by refusing to render their prop
erty for taxation, and would anybody
On that say thet we ought to
repeal those tax laws? The argument
that an income tax ought not to be
levied because some men will perjuIe
themselves to evade ID does not appeal
to me. II is a weak plea to save the
souls Of rich perjurers from hell, where
they ought to go If they swear to a lie
to escape their taxes"
The Ohairman-The time of the gen.
tleman has expired.
Mr.. Bailey-I will ask but two or
three minutes more.
The Chairman-The gentleman from
Texas asks unanimous consent that he
may proceed for five minutes. Is there
objection?
There was no objection.
Mr.. Swanson-I ask that the gentle
man be allowed to proceed until he con
cludes his remarks.
Mr.. Bailey-I have no desire to de-
tain the committee and shall do so only
long enough to say that IL I belonged to
the rich and prosperous class I would
testify my patriotism now by saying to
the government, IT am ready to con-
tribute Of my abundance to help my
country in a crisis" would say SO, if
for no higher reason, because I would
not want it written in our history, to
be read by succeeding generations, that
in this struggle the poor gave more
freely of their blood than the rich did
Of their treasure.