The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-07
COMMENT ON THE DECISION.
other Flaws in the Act May b.
Picked by Shreyd Lawyers

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, April 6.-There is no good
reason to doubt the accuracy of the fore
cast printed this morning of the decision of
the Supreme Court the constitutionality
of the income tax The printed text of the
opinions of the justices verifles the sugges-
tion made in the Journal few days ago
that the court would be evenly divided on
the subject. four justices maintaining that
the law is constitutional and the remaining
four holding that it is unconstitutional. AS
explained on that occasion, an evenly di-
vided court affirms the constitutionality of
the existing law Two important portions
of the law, however, are said to have been
declared unconstitutional, namely, all in
comes derived from rents and all incomes
derived from State or municipal bonds. From
the fact of these exemptions. it is argued by
able lawyers here that other flaws can
eventually be picked in the law, and it is
said that these increasing exemptions will
materially affect the revenues which the
government hopes to derive from this
source.
President Cleveland and every member of
his Cabinet reiterate the assurance that
there is present intention of summoning
the Fifty-fourth Congress in extra session,
even in the event that the whole law were
overthrow by the Supreme Court. Certain
it is that the Morgan syndicate is, up to
the present time living fully up to its con-
tract of preventing gold exports There
have been no noticeable withdrawals of gold
for export since the Morgan syndicate un-
dertook it's well-paid contract, save COM
paritively small amount withdrawn yester-
day for shipment to South America. So long
as the syndicate holds out Mr.. Cleveland
can very correctly proclaim that there will
be no extra session of Congress
an entirely authentic source it is learned
that whatever the decision of the court
session of Congress. Even should the de-
cision declare the law unconstitutional the
President will adhere to his determination
not to call Congress together, and will so
announce in public declaration. All ef-
forts to secure from members of the Su-
preme Court either authoritative confrma-
tion or denial of the truth of the publica-
tion proved unavailing
Senator Voorhees,. chairman OF the finance
day, said: 1T may be that a portion of
the law may not be sustained. consider
/ do not know anything about it, and do
not believe that any one outside the court
knows anythng about snnnla IL b rns ne pat fSnt
and aae prai municipal al bonds should prove to be,
in the opinion of the court, uflconstitu-
tional. the law will not be materially i'm
paired 1t will still afford an immense
made are entirely too low on the revenue
which would be derived from the law as
whole Instead of it's yielding from If
teen to thirty millions you will see it viii
yield fifty, seventy~five or even hundred
millions of revenue.
Senator Harris of the finance committee,
declined to discuss the question at all, as
did Senator Jones, of Arkansas, who. though
still sick, has returned to. Washington to
close out little public business
comes from rents and bonds would be
eliminated. the efficiency Of the bill would
be materially crippled. Leaving out OF
consideration the question of the tax on
bonds' he said, 1.-The rent item is most
third OF the farmers in the country are
renters: that Sc per cent. Of the entire
population of the country at large and az
over 100. 600 population are also thus classed.
and that In New York city the percentage
suit in great spread OF pcpulisn1. =
The court was i'm consultation to-day as
usual on Saturdays. but it could not be