The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-29

The suit to test the ccnstitutionality of
the income tax. which has been begun in
the equity court OF the District OF Column
bia. by John C, Moore, a rich New Yo..
broker, is to be pressed to decision as
quickly as possible Both MIR Moore and
the government desire an early settlement
Of the question at issue. Those who are
liable for the tax must make returns of
their incomes on or before March /, and
the government is already making prep
arations to collect the tax. 1t is highly
important that the government should
know as soon as possible whether or not
the income tax law is valid. It would be
waste of money to prepare the machinery
for collecting the tax If the law authoriz-
ing IL is Unconstitutional
The government hasn't the necessary
money yet for collecting the tax A bill
appropriating a sufficient sum for that
purpose was passed by the House just he
iore,the holiday recess but the Senate does
not seem to be in a hurry to pass IT, 1t
Is not absolutely certain shat the Senate
will pass it
1t is pretty well Understood that Sem
ator Hill will use every means in his
power to defeat 1t. He believes he would
have the approval of his own state if he
should succeed in defeating it. and also
that OF those who are liable for the tax
in all the other states. The bill is not a
very popular one in the east, but it has
strong friends in the west and south.
1t is a question whether the revenues
would be sufficient for the needs of the gov
eminent without the income tax. BY
many Of those who have studied the mat
ter the opinion is freely expressed that
it would and that therefore there is no
good reason for the income tax.
AS to what the income tax would yield
there is a great difference of opinion.
some holding that it would turn into the
treasury sSooOo,O0O year while others
think the amount would be much less
than that. They do not hesitate to saw
that it would not yield S15.00O,O0o
It might not yield the latter amount this
year, because the times are hard ana in
comes of rich men are greatly reduced.
Mr.. Moore has secured the services OF
some of the ablest lawyers of the country
and intends to make the best light posi-
bic against the tax He may have as q n
ally in the Senate senator Hill, who mas
always opposed the income tax, am who
may use his influence TO defeat the bill
pending in the Senate, providing for an
appropriation with which to carry out the
provisions of the law The case viii. Of
course, so to the supreme court whatever
the result in the equity court may be.
Commenting on the fact that Gov
Mitchell Of Florida has honored the reou,-
sition of Gov. Hogg of Texas for Mr.
Henry NJ. Flagler. and the farther fact
that Mr.. FIagler has announced his in
tention 10 be in Florida on or about Jan.
20, the Washington Post says: Mr..
Flagler is a man of his word. and VIII
undoubtedly be in Florida at the time men
toned, no accident preventing, but it is
very much in doubt whether Gov. Mitch
e,i. after rlaturer deliberation, will under
take to honor the Hogg requisition. II
may occur to him that TO deprive a citi-
zen of his personal liberty, without con
sttutional or legal warrant, is rather too
serious responsibility for even the chief
magistrate of a state to assume"
"Populists" is only a nickname APP
Piled to the people Of the political party
now in conference at ST. Louis The only
name the organization has is the Peoples
party, and it has never been christened
with that A year or two ago the leaders
Of the party endeavored to find a name
for it that would be characteristic and
distinctive. but they were unsuccessful
The st. Louis conference viii resume the
hunt for name.