The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-04-28
THE EXPENSES or WAR
Congress Discusses the Means For
Meeting Them.
OPPOSITION TO A BOND ISSUE.

Democratic Leader Bailey Argues For an
Income Tax and Mr.. Sayers Declares
That an Issue Of Five Hundred Millions
Would Be Excessive.
Washington, April 28-The general
debate upon the measure framed by the
ways and means committee to meet
the extraordinary expenditures of the
war with Spain opened in the house
yesterday. 1t will continue through
today, and tomorrow at 4 o'clock the
vote will be taken. There was a signal
absence of the partisan rancor which
has always heretofore characterized
debates on revenue measures. Both
sides, speaking through their respective
leaders. Messrs. Dingley and Bailey.
concurred in the necessity which exist
ed for immediate raising Of hundreds
Of millions to prosecute the war, bu.
the opposing doctrines which they held
clashed on the first account over the
methods by which the revenue should
be raised.
The section providing for $500, 000, 900
of bonds became the target of the
Democratic and Populistic opposition,
and Mr.. Bailey, In an hours speech,
argued for an income tax, which would
raise $100,000,000 a year, the coinage
of the silver seigniorage and the issue
Of s5S,0O0,O00 of legal tender notes as
an alternative proposition. Mr.. Ding
ley declared that 1t was almost in
credible that any one could seriously
propose In such crisis that the gov
eminent should rely for funds upon the
proceeds of another lawsuit over
proposition which the supreme court
had already decided against the gov
eminent.
Mr.. Sayers, of Texas, the ranking
member Of the appropriations commit
tee, devoted his time to an argument
to demonstrate that the monew to be
raised by the bill was excessive, and
would brood reckless profigacy. The
expenses Of the civil war, in 1864, when
the government maintained 100000
men in the field and had four times as
many ships as 1t has today, were only
$1,100000,0 900. In view of this fact, he
commended that to raise $500, 900, 900 to
carry on a war insignificant in COM
parison must result in useless waste
and extravaganza.
The Populists all vigorously opposed
the bond proposition. Mr.. Dolliver, of
Iowa, in by far the most notable
speech of the day, added to his reputa-
ton as a brilliant orator. He assailed
the position of the opposition in the
early portion of his speech, but its
partisan flavor disappeared toward the
close, and he aroused the house and
galleries to cheers as, with eloquent
words he touched the high, unselfsh
cause of humanity In which the Uni
ted States had drawn the sword, and
then melted his audience to tears as he
referred to the blowing up of the
Maine and the new commonwealth we
would rear as a monument to guard
the memory of the unforgotten dead.
The evening session was devoted to
brief speeches by members to secure
time at the day session.
In the senate yesterday Mr.. Stewart, |
of Nevada, introduced the following |
resolution, for which he asked immedi- |
ate consideration:
THAT the secretary of war be, and Is |
hereby directed, to furnish the senate |
with an estimate of the amount of ap-
preparation necessary to arm, equip, |
subsist and furnish with munitions of
war the Cuban army now at war with
Spain and such additions as NAV be
made thereto from the people Of Cuba,
until the Spanish army shall be ex-
PEELED from the Island of Cuba, or until
the next session Of congress-" Mr..
Stewart agreed that the resolution
should go to the military affairs COM
mittea