The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-12-14
WEALTH SHUOLD
BEAR ITS BURDEN
SPEAKER AT CIVIC FEDERATION
URGES INCOME AND INNER.
iTANCE TAX.
ANTITRUST LAW PERIL
Is Pointed Out BY Melville c. ingalls,
Who Says Pancs May Follow
Enforcement of "Hysteria
Legislation"

| CINCINNATI, Dec. IL. Melville II. In
gals was the principal speaker at tn
meeting of the National Civic Fedora
I ton.
II $ address in part follows:
| Il was invited TO address you to
! day upon he policy or advisability o
an Income and Inheritance Tax, es
pecially with view Of limiting tn,
large accumulatons of wealth In tn,
possession oi individuals.
The subject has been brought ba
fore the public by the presidents mes
sage and it has set ali oi eur citizen,
thoughtfully and seriously TO consid
ering it, The real thought, | think
running in the minds of the people I,
Ero the large individual fortunes
which have been ana are being made
today a menace to the prosperity OF
our country, and if so, how can they be
|limiteds
This involves, as | understand It.
mo indiviual criticism for there are
many large fortunes which are held by
people who consider the obligations
they owe to society and their fellow
men and endeavor to so manage them
as to benefit the community; but there
are others which are used for selfish
purposes and the increase of multi
millonaires has been so great In the
tpEt fn ihat l,
icns alarm among students of political
economy.
Wealth Should Bear Its Burden.
With reference to limiting these
fortunes by an income Tax. After con
siderfng the subject carefully, | have
In the last few years come to the CON
cusion that 1t is the best and fairest
tax that can be levled--but as tax,
like other taxes. for the support of
this government not for the purpose
Of destrc ying property-that would be
socialistic--for the purpose of making
wealth pay its share of the burdens of
the people. They will tell you that
II is tax difficult to collect, but no
more than any tax on hidden or I'M
seen property.
Il don't believe In a graduated In.
come tax, for | think that would be
putting a tax on thrift and energy:
each man should pay upon his income
he same proportion-pay il as tax
'or the protection of his property.
would tax all incomes of one thousand
iollars CT over on fixed percentage
Under Thousand dollars, the income
rom the lax would not be enough TO
)ay for the cost of collection.
u believe the proper law for do
ng this can be framed and be passed
~ congress to stand the test of the
courts. If it will not, then let MS go |
o the people with constitutional |
that will make It legal
The Inheritance tax has already |
Ieen taken up by the different states |
some OF them with a graded tax and |
Ithers with a straight lax. am in |
ayor of the inheritance tax as a tax |
or paying the expenses of the state /
Ike other taxes. II Is a question |
'hetber this is not more of A matter
Or each state totake up by itself and /
o ON as they are now stirling. If Il
annot be managed IN that way, then
he nationalgovernmen' should take
up and the money that Is obtained
-om these sources will enable II TO re-
uce the burden Of taxation in places
here It is advisable to do so. and
IN produce income which may be lost
'om the Modification of the tariff.
Sees Peril in "Hysteris Laws"
There is danger In the present con.
Ition OF public opinion that We will
-ift into a hysteria that will enact
gislation that will seriously hurt our
lsiness and produce disaster Is
scially Is this true in reference to
ie railways. and We must keep in
ind that the railways constitute the
rgest busines force In the country.
ne fifth Of all the population depend
lon them for their existence either !
employees or in the business OF man.
acturing. and producing supplies.
e. And while We set our face like I
stone wall against any Of the Illegal 7
If The past being continued. |
q should give them fair opportun 4
= to carry on their business in the fu- s
re and thus prevent disaster to the ]
immunity. II
The real menace. 20 my mind. Is
e Shermon antitrust law so-cailed. {
happen to know that the distinguish D
author. Of this law. when it was a
ssed. did not think 20 applied 70 the q
ilways and In there conduct Of busi-
e. n
The history Of this condition l. this o
In 1896 the condition Of rates among p
P trunk lines was so bad that ws o
{ together and made what was d
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