Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-31
SENATE BULWARK OF
PREDATORY WEALTH

l am within the limits Of the truth
when / say that the senate has been
| for some years the bulwark of preda-
tory wealth, and that it even now con-
tains many members who owe their
election to favor-seeking corporations
and are so subservient to their masters
as to prevent needed legislation.
The popular branch of congress has
four times declared in favor of this
reform by two-thirds vote. and more
than two=ttirds of the states have de-
manded 1T, and yet the senate arro-
gantly and impudently blocks the way.
The income tax, which in our coun-
try is defined as a socialistic attack
upon wealth, l am pleased to report
has the Endorsement of the most con-
servatiVe countries in the old world.
1t is a permanent part of the fiscal
system of most of the countries of
Europe, and in many places it is
a graded tax, the rate being highest
upon the largest incomes.
England has long depended upon the
income tax for a considerable part of
her revenues and an English commits
sion is now investigating a PROPOSE
ton to change from uniform to a
graded tax.
1 have been absent too long to speak
with any authority upon the public
sentiment in this country at this time,
but l am so convinced of the justice
of the income tax that l feel sure that
the people will sooner or later demand
an amendment to the constitution
which will specifically authorize an in
come tax and thus make it possible
for burdens of the federal government
to be apportioned among the people
in proportion to their ability to bear
them.
1t is little short of a disgrace to our
country that while it is able to COM
mand the lives of it's citizens in time
of war, it cannot, even in the most
extreme emergency, compel wealth to
bear it's share of the expenses of the
government which protects it.
| l have referred to the investigation
of international controversies under a
system which does not bind the parties
to accept the findings of the court of
| inquiry. This plan can be used in dis
putes between labor and capital, in
fact it was proposed as a means of
settling such disputes before it was
applied to international controversies.
| 1t is as important that we shall have
peace as that we shall live peaceably
with neighboring nations. and peace is
only possible when it rests upon JUS
tice. In advocating arbitration of diff
ferences between large corporate en-
|
we are defending the highest interests
Of both partier to the dispute-namely,
the employers, the employees and the
public.
The employe cannot turn over to the
employer to be dealt with as employer
may please. The question sometimes
asked, Cannot l conduct my business
to suit MYSELF" is a plausible one, but
when a man conducting his business
attempts to arbitrarily fix the condi-
tion under which hundreds of employees
are to live and to determine the fu-
ture of thousands OF human beings,
/ answer with no hesitation that he
has no right to conduct his own hus-
ness in such a way as to deprive his
employees of their right to life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness.
To support this position / only need
refer 20 the laws regulating the safety
Of mines, the factory laws fixing the
age which children can be employed,
and usury laws establishing the rate
Of interest. The effort of the employer
to settle differences without arbitra-
tion has done much 10 embitter him
| against those who work for him and
TO estrange them from him-a eondi-
tion deplorable from every standpoint