Evening star., 1909-06-12
Senator Overman's View Of
High Tariff Revenue.
DEMANDS AN INCOME TAX
North Carolinian Also Favors Head
Tax on Immigrants.
PENDING MEASURE UBIQUITOUS
Declared to Be Part of a Scheme to
Build Up q Moneyed Aristocraey
in America.

Declaring that he believed the Payne
Aldrich tariff bill to be one Of the most
iniauitous tariff bills ever passed by Con-
gress, If II is passed Mr. Overman
North Carolina, in the Senate today at
tackled the sincerity Of the trainers Of the
bill He announced himself In favor of
Senator Bailey's income tax amendment,
and declared that he proposed to offer an
amendment placing head tax upon inn
migrants and another one giving the
President the power to abrogate the col
lection of duties on articles similar to
those manufactured by corporation
which controls 30 per cent Of the Amer
lean output and which offers its goods
for sale in foreign countries at lower
prices than in the United States. Mr.
Overman also discussed the steel and
lumber schedules.
Asserting that he would vote against
the bill because he claimed it was unjust
and full of inequalities, Mr.. Overman
charged that the measure was framed in
the special interest of the privileged few.
while the great mass of the consumers
Under the heavy burdens OF increased
taxation. He said that the voters all
during the campaign understood that
there was to be a revision downward
and that he believed that the tariff plank
of the republican party was written with
an honest and sincere purpose to give the
people the relief they demanded. THE
President of the United States is today.
as he was in the last campaign. in favor
Of an honest revision Of the tariff down
ward" added Mr. Overman.
AN during this extra session-and es-
pecial1y since the bin was reported from
the House to the Senate-an army Of
trusts. have been here filling these halls
and hotels with selfish greed, lobbying
with senators. asking for more protec-
tion." continued Mr.. Overrnan. "They
have dogged our footsteps in Congress
to our offices and to our homes by day
and by night while the people at home
are looking forth and expecting us to
carry out our promise to give them a
fioor by some of our friends on the
other side land 1 have not heard 1t de-
nied) that some of those schedules have
actually been written. not by the finance
committee, but by those representatives
in their own interest.
Paying Toll to the Rich.
This high protective tariff is a part
Of the great scheme. devised more than
century ago. whereby moneyed
aristocracy has been created in this
country, and under it's blighting sys-
tenn discomfort and socialism have
grown and strikes become frequent It
is a system by which tolls are taken
from the vast majority of the people
to enrich the few
Discussing the tariff in it's relation
to the farmer. Mr.. Overman said that
the time has passed when the farmer
can be deceived by levyfng q duty on
corn wheat tobacco. cotton and other
th IS raised upon the farm. They
and clothe the world" he said. "They
have learned that they need no pro-
lection. and such provision In a tar
if bill In this day and time Is shame.
Under the cover of this pretended pro-
lection. which affords little or no pro-
lection on that which the farmer has
to sell. he is beginning to understand
that he has to pay an average Of
IS per cent or more on his cotton bag
ging. tin plates. milk pans. cooking
earthen and stone vessels. his chains,
wire fencing. axes. tools and farming
utensils Of every description which he
has to purchase. and that much Of this
tax. which he pays. goes not into the
Treasury Of his country to swell the
revenue, but goes into the pockets of
the bene1ciaries of such system"
Head Tax on Alien Immigrants.
Speaking to his amendment propos-
ing head tax of ten dollars for every
alien entering the United States. Mr..
Overman said that it had the hearty
Endorsement Of state legislatures and
various national associations. 1T has
been held by the Supreme Court to be
a constitutional tax" he said. "1t is a
just tax. Such an amendment as this
means not only revenue to the Treas
ury. but it means more select class
of immigrants and therefore the pro-
lection of American labor and every
thing American" He said it would
probably raise a revenue of nine or
ten million dollars.
Regarding his amendment for me
control of trusts and combinations. Mr..
Overman said that there could no long
er be any doubt about the constitu-
tionality of its provisions. and he
quoted several Supreme Court decisions
in support of his contention. His
amendment provides that whenever the
President of the United States shall be
satisfied that any company is produc-
ing more than 80 per cent of any prod
uct consumed in the United States and
that its products are exported and sold
in foreign market at a less price
thorized to suspend by proclamation
to that effect, in whole or in part, the
collection of custom duties on any
products or a like character which
may be imported into this country for
any period he may designate.
Mr.. Overman discussed the metal and
steel schedules. saying that everybody ex-
pected greatly reduced rates to be pro-
vided in those schedules. but that he had
been told by government expert that the
Senate bill. taken as a whole. made no
substantial reductions from the duties
imposed in the Dingley bill. In this con-
absorption of the Tennessee Coal and Iron
Company by the United States Steel Cor
poration and the Roosevelt administra-
ton. He also criticised the International
Harvester Company. which. he said. was
protected by the Senate bill. Mr. Over
man also deplored the duties on lumber
as being an instance wherein the farmer
is made TO pay tax on what he buys.
United in Principle.
In explanation Of the differences exist
ing between democratic senators Mr..
Overman said: I'VE have honestly differed
as to whether some few articles should
not go on the free list or the dutiable list
But however we may have differed in this
respect the party has been united on the
fundamental principles of a tariff for
revenue"
In reply to an assertion made by Mr..
wilderness twenty-five years ago. Mr.,
Overman reviewed the dark days OF re-
construction. denied Mr.. Aldrich's state
ment, and declared that the south today
is far richer than the whole country was
before the war. 1T has more money in