The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-04-28
An Income Tax Proposed As a
Substitute.
MOST NOTABLE SPEECH OF DAY
MADE RY MR.. DOLLIVER.

House and Galleries Aroused to Cheers
By His Eloquent words-Mr. Dingley
Led the Argument in Favor of tho
Bill and Mr.. Bailey Opposed-Mr.
sayers of Texas Thinks Too Much
Money Has Been Authorized.
Washington, April s7.-The opening
of the three days debate on the war reve-
nue measure attracted crowds to the
House galleries today and the attendance
on the floor was also large. The House
went into the COMMITTEES Of the whole
Immediately after the reading of the
journal and entered upon the oonsidera-
tion of tho bill. Owing to it's Importance.
Mr.. Dingley, chairman of the ways and
means committee, did not ask that the
first reading of the bill be dispensed with
as is usual with bills of minor impor.
lance.
The reading of the bill occupied an
hour and ten min utes.
Mr.. Dingley then took the floor to open
the debate. Owing to hoarseness he said
he should confne himself to general
statement and reserve particulars for the
nve minute debate. The bill, he said,
was distinctly war measure forced up
on the country by the war with Spain in
which we were now engaged. In war,
he said, it was essential that we should
stand as unit, shoulder to shoulder, as
it was only through such united action
that the hostilities can be abbreviated
and brought to an end at the earliest pos
sible moment. He followed closely the
lines of the report which he drew to &C.
company the bill when it was reported to
the House yesterday. He emphasized the
necessity 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 Ameri-
can Congress and the American people
stood shoulder to shoulder without regard
| to party In the determination to prose-
cute to successful termination the war
we had undertaken.
| Mr.. Dingley spoke with great earnest
ness and was listened to with profound
attention.
Many of the Democrats left their places
and took seats n the Republican side in
order to hear the better.
| With great impressiveness Mr.. Dingley
said that unless all signs failed the war
1
a month affair and that the more prepa-
rations we made both for offense and de-
| Tense, the shorter it would be.
When he reached the question of the
bond issue he was beseiged with aues.
lions by Mr.. Mcmillan, Mr.. Sayers and
other Democrats, and there was some dis
cussion of the probable cost of the war.
Mr.. Sayers ventured an estimate of
$500, 900, 900 per annum, which Mr.. Ding
ley rejected, calling attention to the fact
that the civil war cost 81 100, 0OO, 900 per
annum. Mr.. Sayers, while avowing his
willingness to vote every dollar necessary
to prosecute the war, commended that
there was no necessity for authorizing in
this bill the raising OF 500, 100000 when
Congress would meet again in December.
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 carry on
the war and they stood willing to CO.
operate by placing at the disposal of the
government every material aid for the
prosecution OF the war to successful
and speedy termination. There would be
no difference of opinion that the govern
ment should be abundantly provided
with revenue. But, said he, the minori-
ty would not be either led or driven into
the support of measures which commend
ed themselves neither to their conscience
or Judgment.
States 81 roo, 600 of deposits. Proceeding
| with his criticism of this and some other
features of the bill MIR. Bailey declared
that imperfect as it'was. his side would
take it if the other side would accept
their proposition for an income tax which
| would nroyide an additional increase of
500, OOo, COO. democratic APPLAUSE
He thought the estimate of Mr.. Dingley
| ($25, GOO, OOO) month for war expenses,
a reasonable one and said that If the in.
come tax provision were made a part Of
the bill we would not need to mortgage
the future to fight single battle of this