Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-12-11
Times Have Changed.

In 1896 the democratic national plat
form in declaring for an income tax
took occasion to grill the United States
supreme court for its decision invali-
dating the income tax provision of the
Wilson -Gormon act, "But for this de-
cision by the supreme court" the plat
form recites, there would be no deficit
in the revenue under the law passed by
the democratic congress in strict pur-
suance of the uniform decisions of that
court FOR nearly 100 years, that court
having in that decision sustained con-
stitutional objections to its enactment
which had previously been overruled
by the ablest judges who had ever sat
on that bench. We declare that it is
the duty of congress to use all of the
constitutional power which remains
after that decision, or which may come
from its reversal by the court as it may
be hereafter constituted, so that the
burden of taxation may be equally and
impartially laid, to the end that wealth
may bear its due proportion of the ex-
penses of government"
Immediately a howl went up from
the threats of the Republican politicians
and the democratic mercenaries that
had attached themselves to Hanna's
corruption fund that the democrats
were seeking the overthrow of the pal
ladium of our liberties. Anarchists"
and "revolutionists," enemies of the
courts and similar epithets were en-
ployed The whole crew of corruption
istsand INSCRIPTIONS partisans eager for
public plumber were shouting them
selves black in the face. Some got their
reward in cash paid in hard or in Of
fee and others in privileges to pluck
the public through tariff enactments or
immunity from the penalties of the law.
1t was the apothesis of buncombe and
debauchery.
In his message to congress, Theodore
Roosevelt, president of the United
States By virtue of his election at the
hands of the Republican party, discuss
ing the desirability of graduated in
come tax says:
As the law now stands it is undoubt-
eddy difficult to devise national in
come tax which shall be constitutional.
But whether it is absolutely impossible
is another question; and if possible it is
certainly desirable. The first purely
income tax law was passed by the con-
gress in 1861, but the most important
law dealing with the subject was that
OF 1894. This the court held to be con-
stitutional.
The question is undoubtedly very intri-
cate, delicate, and troublesome. The
decision of the court was only reached
by one majority. 1t is the law of the
land, and of course is accepted as such
and Loyalty obeyed by all good citizens.
Nevertheless, tie hesitation evidently
felt by the cours as whole in coming
to a conclusion, when considered to-
gether with the previous decisions on
the subject may perhaps indicate the
possibility OF divlslng q CONSTITUTIONAL
income tax law which shall substantially
accomplish the results aimed at. sThe
difficulty of amending the constitution
is so great that only real necessity can
Justify resort thereto. Every effort
should be made in dealing with this
subject, as with the subject of the prop
err control by the national government
over the use of corporate wealth in in
terstate business, to devise the legisla-
ton which without such action shall at
tain the desired end; but if this fails
there will ultimately be no alternative
10 a constitutional amendment.
There is no howl from the mercenar-
les. Times have changed Theodore
Roosevelt is president of the United
States. Hannaism if not dead is dying.
Truth crushed and right crucified have
risen.--Milwauke Daily News.