Mr. SCOFIELD. I move to strike out the words “nor permit the same to be copied for publication, so that the amendment shall simply provide that the oficer shall not furnish lists for publication. I would be glad if the Gentfrom Ohio [Mr. GAPFIELD] would acce pt that amendment. It seems that there is no Jody on the other side tonight to raise the constitutional question. When anything good is to be done, or anything bad is to be stopped, we always hear from the other side that it is not constitutional and Ihad looked for some gentleman over there to raise that question in regard to the amendment offered by the Gentfrom Ohio, to say that all the proceedings of this Government, except the secret sessions of the Senate, arepublic. The newspapers of the country are the eyes of the country and if the editors and their corre spondents are to be denied access to these records for the purpose of giving them publicity the public can have no real information upon the subject. Take a districtlikc the one I have the honor to represent, 200 miles in length, with the office of the assessor at one end of the district and the office of the collector at the other. How are the people to know who of their neigh bors are returning properincomes, when their returns have been given in and sent off 150 or 200 miles? Are they all to go that distance and examine the records, for the purpose of nse pertaining whether their neighbors are cheating the Government and compelling them to pay too much? Or are their neighbors who Wish to guard them in the same respect to travel 200 miles to look over the records? Let the editor who resides in the town where the assessor has his office, send his clerk if he chooses or go himself and copy from the records. That I think is constitutional; it is free speech and nothing else. Now, if the Gentfrom Ohio [Mr. GARFIELD] wants to fines a padlock on the records. I warrant you that every woalthy man in the House will vote with him on this subject. If the gentleman wants to put a padlock on the return which the wealthy man makes, so that the poor man shall not see it. though the bur den will fnll upon him if the rich man does not pay his full share, then let him say so. But if e is willing that the public, if they go to the trouble to have it copied, shall have this record published, then l hope he will accept my amendment to his amendment, as it will still leave all of his amendment that is valuable, and will give the public an opportunity to know what is going on.