The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-07-09
INCOME TAX IS PAID
DY3,0OO,OOOPEOPLE
ITS AUTHOR FIGURES
General Impression Of Only
100000 TaxabIes Wrong,
Congressman Hull Declares.
SPEAKER DEFENDS new BILL
fAr. Clark Declares It "Fairest"
Revenue Measure That Ever
Has Been Drawn.

Approximately 5000, 900 persons in the
United States are paying an income tax.
notwithstanding the general impression
that about 100000 only are income tax
payers.
This was the argument advanced in
the House late, yesterday by Congress-
man Cordeli Hull. author Of the income
tax and Inheritance tax sections OF the
Democratic revenue bill.
Speaker Champ Clark and Mr.. Hull
made the principal speeches, wind
tug UP the general debate yesterday
afternoon. Reading Of the revenue bill
for amendment will begin tomorrow and
Il will 60 to a vote at o'clock.
Speaker Clark amused the House by
saying he had heard many tariff de-
hates and there war more or less Lying"
always done about the tariff. He de-
scSfbed the income tax as the fairest
over devised and said no party ever
would propose its repeal
Discussing The income tax section Of
tho bill. Mr.. Hull said 1t was claimed
enormously that only one-half Of per
cent Of the population OF this country
pays an income tax.
VINO rays lax.
practically pne-half Of the income
49, he expleined o us paid by ESQ. 900
this country. Add these stockholders to
the 10000 persons who make individual
returns Of income tax and you will have
an idea Of how many persons are paying
This tax"
In extenuation OF the increased income
fax rates In the pending bill, Mr.. Hull
recalled that they are materially lower
than the rates Ia some foreign countries.
One nation. nc declared. now levies a
, Mr.. HUH commended that the interest
on the war debts Of the principal
countries now at war would exceed
the revenues raised under the levies
II do not see how anyone can de-
cline to support this measure. as II is
occasioned largely by the demands of
preparedness" he said. We are pre-
pssr ,hs now now against possible war debts
Mr.. Hull said 1t was folly tc talk of
raising all necessary revenues at the
customs houses when the world Is at
wss. ,...o, .,.,,, malta. -. ,..
since learned" said Mr.. Hull, us thai
during a period Of general war. tarifi
a means oS Meeting either ordinsss
or extraordinary expenses.
.."Ycu must turn to internal taxa
ton"
Madden Attacks Bill.
Representative Martin b. Madden. an
Illinois Republican. assailed the reve-
nue. bill as one leveled at the North
ern States.
-Four Northern States paid 3s5 900.
600 Of the S124.000.000 collected under
the income tax last year." he said.
these States were New York. Penn
sylvania. Illinois. and Massachusetts
Twelve Southern States paid only S..
8ss.670.
THE Democrats claim credit fol-
defense to the amount Of some 1900.
sspt to their eonstitusnts down South
for apprcpriating more than $3.50.
100000 for pork. II they had lived vi
to campaign promises there would b.
no necessity scs.ISy for this '2oo.ooo.ooo tar
Mr.. Madden said the majority hat
no understanding of governmental
@anagement and Industrial affairs
listed Of SEC, ooo. 900 for a nitrate 1t plant
96l. O00,O 900 for flood control, most OF
the SIS. 900. 900 appropriation for goct
roads, most of the $50.o00.000 appro
major portion Of the $4,000, 900 rivers
and harbors bill.
Speakers Argument.
Speaker Clark. who closed the Dem
pcratic speech making. said. in part:
''The tariff question. like the poor. W,
have always with us. The very frs
general bill put upon the statute book
in the United States was a tariff bill
and we have had them at intervals eve
After going through five of thes,
general revisions. think have com,
to the conclusion that there Is NOR,
lying done about the tariff than an,
other question that mortal man has eve
concerned his mind about.
Some men are very much In tn,
habit Of making epigrams, Presiden
Cleveland was. I think the wisest cpl
gram that he ever made was 1T is
CONDITION and not Q theory that con
fronts US and certainly that IL the cas-
here today.
II am not going to argue about thes
farin rates one way or another. I hav
done that In days gone by until 1t 1
Won at It and have lost at It. and
have heard every argument made in tn
House from the building of the Chimes
wall and Augustus Caesars almost alb
sohtely perfect tariff system-that II
II the tarin system Is intended to re
money out Of people-down to absolut
free trade.
Taxes Necessary Evil.
"Now everybody dislikes to increas
taxation. but taxes are a necessary evi
II. We lived according to the Golde
Aule We would not have very muc
use for taxes anyway. but you canno
eat your cake and Keep II. too. III
American people seem to have demand
ed extraordinary expenditures not onl
for the army and the navy and all til
Rppurtenances thereto, but for a varlet
of other things. And tax bills have gon
on increasing and II seems they are nc
ing on increasingly
Mr.. Clark said that II hc had tn
sovereign power to arrange the tart
bill he would put maximum revcnu
TAX on every item.
II can take this tariff schedule"
said, 'and so arrange 1t that the Amer
can people will not have to pay an
more than they are now paying and NJ
twice as much out Of this tariff systel
as we are getting now"
Mr.. Clark described the income ia
as the feirest tax that has ever bee
invented since man invented tn
"As long as the world spins on 4
axis and slides down to the ecliptic r
political party Of this country will eve
go to the people on proposition to y
peal the income tax" he said.
Mr.. Clark expressed some misgivini
about the inheritance tax and said th'
after all at Is better than to tax the
on tha necel2arkSa of lifa."