The Washington herald., 1906-11-12
LOOKS FOR REVISION
Senator Blackburn Believes
President Will Act.
SIGNS POINTING THAT WAY
Legislative Provision for the Fed
eraI Taxation of swollen Fortunes
Is Also Expected by the Kentucky
statesman-Says Minority VIII Sup
pert Roosevelt in Both Houses.

statesman-says Minority VIII sup
pert Roosevelt in Both Houses.
4 am willing TO venture the prediction
that the President, in his forthcoming
message TO Congress. win recommend a
revision of the tariff and a legislative
provision for the Federal taxation of
swollen fortunes
Senator J. c. s. Blackburn. Of Ken
lucky, the Democratic floor leader I'm the
upper branch OF Congress, made the above
statement last night The Senator has re-
turned 10 Washington for the approaching
! session Of Congress after a campaign in
his State, the result Of which was the
defeat Of his colleague. Senator McCTeaTy,
through the same fundamentally that
causes his own retirement next March
/ Governor Beckham.
Il may be in error" continued the Sen
ator, but all signs are pointing that way.
/ If the President does these two things
/ and works for them with the same degree
of energy he has manifested in railroad
/ legislation. IL viii place upon him the
stamp Of sincerity, and viii result in
much public good. An income tax and a
( revision of the tariff nre both popular
measures, and both are Democratic. The
minority in the Senate and IN the House
can be depended upon 10 give the Presi-
/ dent their united support on any Iegisla-
ton looking to the enactment Of laws on
these two subjects. What votes ne loses
/ IN the Senate snd House from the Re
publicans. I believe we can more than
supply him.
Warfare with Wealth.
Both propositions involve warfare with
I organized wealth and corporate greed. and
will undoubtedly develop Republican par
/ y opposition. just as the Presidents rec
! concentrations for railroad-rste legisla-
I tion invited Republican disafection. Do
not understand me 20 mean that Repub-
/ lican revision Of the tariff viii accom-
plish any more practical good than Re
publican railroad legislation. The Repub-
/ leans may undertake 10 cut of some Of
/ the 'excresences' Of the Dingley tariff,
"a Mr. Taft called them I'm Ohio. but
/ there viii be no sincere reduction OF
/ schedules in the interest Of the people in
stead OF the trusts until the Democrats
/ do the reducing. However. whatever IS
\ done viii be under the name OF tariff
/ revision, and viii have strong moral
/ effect toward genuine legislation in the
/ future
/ i do not regard seriously continued
/ the Senator, The so-caTed iusUrmounta-
/ bic obstacles standing in the WY OF in
come-taX legislation. as IS suggested by
she Supreme Courts decision on that sub
+ ject several years ago. You know when
+ the railr0ad-rate bin was pending its
/ opponents were constantly harping upon
/ It's uuconstitutionality. but now you hear
nothing Of this talk Every one believes
/ the supreme Court VIII hold the railroad
I bill constitutional.
Income Tax VIII Hold.
NO one has more respect for the Su-
Dreme Court than J. and I am not lacking
/ in respect when I say the court IS not
/ Impervious 10 public opinion. Let an in
/ come-Iaw tax be carefully drafted. and I
/ have not the slightest doubt that Il will 20
! through the court by a greater majority
+ than FIVE TO four The people want it.
and all that IS needed is "a vigorous cam
paign on the part Of the President There
/ is nothing to fear from the Supreme
/ Court"
And the effect on the Presidents fu-
/ ture IN case he is successful In bringing
about these two rcforms?' the Senator
was asked.
I am assuming" he replied that the
President means what he says in his an
/ nouncement that he will not serve in
the White House after March 1. 1853. But
either way. the President has nothing 10
/ lose. and II it be that he IS going to
/ accept the crown he has everything 10
/ gain by advocating them.
/ IF the President is not nominated, the
/ fight then turns upon his successor in the
/ Republican party. The nomination Of any
/ Republican who is not I'm sympathy with
/ the Presidents views on these two sub
jects, would mean the overwhelming de-
/ feat Of the Republican party. On the
other hand. the Democrats would not be
Handicapped by the nomination Of one Of
J the Presidents supporters Of these ideas.
\ For years the Democratic party has ad-
/ vOcated in and out Of season. these two
( reforms. and I'm the fight two years hence,
/ it will start, under the leadship Of Bryan,
/ on more than an even footing
]
Now. if the President has tariff re-
vision and this income tax in mind, next
! December is the time for him to say so.
/ This legislation could only occur during
/ the next session and the combined SEES
sions Of the Sixtieth Congress. If post
poned until the Sixueth Congress. only
| eighteen months Of Mr.. Roosevelt's ad-
ministration would De available within
which to press both propositions. Both
will undoubtedly arouse bitter opposition
among many Republican party leaders.
Both would be attacked with more de-
| termination than was the demand for
railroad rate legislation, and like the lat
ter. would undoubtedly take up an entire
! session Of Congress in preliminary jockey
/ ing and representation. The President is
/ fully aware II this and that is why / be-
/ lieve he wal spring the subject i'm his
message next month.
Senator Blackburn was asked for his
| opinion on the result OF the recent cleo
! lions. He expressed the belief that the
/ reduction of the Republican majorities
/ in the House. and Democratic gains i'm
/ the various States, were promising signs
\ for the Democratic party.
New York Elections All Right
AS for the election in New York. 20
continued the Senator. 1t ought to be
/ entirely satisf factory to every Democrat
/ in the country Had I been handed a
pencil and paper ir advance Of the cleo
tion and asked TO block out the situation.
l would have written only two lines
! Beat Hearst and elect the balance of
the Democratic ticket That is just what
the voters Of New York State did Mr.
! LIaa rst Us -h- -nnaLIa - L-s.-- ~. IL