Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-05-30
DEATH OF The INCOME TAk..

NationaI Prosperity in No Wise Endan-
gered by the Supreme Courts Action.
Surprise that the income tax law
should be decided unconstitutional was
discounted by the fact that such a fnd-
ing was generally expected It was
known that the Sfficialsof the treasury
department had given up all hope OF
its being sustained, and, despite the
profound secrecy which Is supposed to
attend the movements of the supreme
court, it was practically known that
Justice Shiras had receded from the
position which he had taken but little
more than a month ago and that,
whether Judge Jackson was for or
against sustaining the law, it was
doomed. Regret that it should be pro-
nounced in conflict with the fundamen-
tai law Of the land was modified be-
cause the law in its entirety is definite
~ and finally disposed of. No uncer-
tainty remained and no further litiga-
ton bearing upon the matter is posi-
BILE. The country knows exactly tho
situation which it has to face.
When an equally divided court de-
creed that the rentals from real estate
and the revenues derived from state,
county or municipal bonds could not
be constitutionally taxed, popular dis
appointment was created. The shifting
OF the burden from speculative capital
and bondholders to the productive
business and manufacturing interests
of the country was foreign to the pur-
pose that created tax upon incomes
The law, in it's restricted operation,
would manifestlv work an injustice
and would exempt the very classes that
were most able from their abundance
to contribute to the needs of the gov
eminent. For this reason and because
the constitutionality of the measure
other points, it was a matter of gen.
eral satisfaction that the law was to
be passed upon as a whole.
Even those who were anxious that
the law should remain in full force and
operation preferred its complete rejec-
ton by the final judicial authority to
which it was submitted rather than
the restricted and inequitable applica-
ton that must follow under the hold
ing Of the supreme court on April 8.
There is nothing for the people to do
but philosophicaIly accept the inev-
liable. While there are those who
will rail at the highest tribunal of the
land for reversing itself and declare
that there is more of politics than of
justice in its finding, they will do bet
ter to exercise the wisdom which
gracefully yields when there is no ap-
peal There is nothing to be gained
by making faces at the court, and the
future of the nation is in no wise inn
periled BY the action of its judiciary.
The prospect of special session of
congress will. of course. receive gen.
eral attention once more. Anticipating
the contingency that has now arisen,
the matter has been much discussed.
Remedial legislation to meet the de-
mands of the situation has been pro-
posed-beer being selected to stand
dollar or two more per barrel and
stamp tax imposed on bank checks
Some of the presidential
boomers in the republican party have
been trying to create a public senti-
ment in favor of an extra session, and
many of the newly-elected statesmen
are anxious to enjoy the novelty of
actual service. The rapidly improving
times and the consequent increase of
the national revenues lend faith to the
claim of the secretary of the treasury
that an extraordinary assemblage of
congress can be dispensed with, and it
is to be hoped that the afdiction will
be spared the country. netroit Free
Press