Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1906-12-07

competition and reduces former competi-
tors to a position of utter inferiority and
subordination.
inheritance and Income Tax.
It was expected that the president
in the necessity for the curbing of enor-
nous fortunes, and. he has done so by
recommending legislation for both in
4 come and an inheritance tax. He be-
lieves the government should impose a
graduated inheritance tax, and, IL possi-
| Bile a graduated income tax. He sayst
II am well aware Eat such a subject
as this needs long and careful study in
order that the people may become tamil
may clearly see the necessity of proceed
ing with wisdom and self-restraint, and
may make up their minds just how FAR
they are willing TO go in the matter;
while only trained legislators can work
| out the project in necessary detail. But
| l feel that in the near future our nation
| al legislators should enact law prOvid-
| ing for a graduated Inheritance tax by
! which a steadily increasing rate of duty
should be put upon all moneys or other
valuables coming by gift. bequest. or
| devise to any individual or corporation
| 1t may be well to make the tax heavy
in proportion as the individual benefited
is remote of kin. In any event in my
judgment the pro rata of the tax should
increase very heavily with the increase
of the amount left to any one individual
after a certain point has been reached.
1t is most desirable TO encourage thrift
and ambition, and a potent source OF
thrift and ambition is the desire on the
part of the breadwinner to leave his chill
dren well off. This object can be attained
by making the tax very small on moder-
ate amounts of property left; because
the prime object should be TO put con-
stantly increasing burden on the inner
ltance of those swollen fortunes which
IL is certainly of no benefit to this coun-
try to perpetuate.
There can be no question OF the eth
cal propriety of the government thus de-
far nj he which
gift or Inheritance should be received.
Exactly how far the inheritance tax
would as an incident. have the effect OF
limiting the transmission by devise or
gift of the enormous fortunes in question
il is not necessary at present to discuss
Ii is wise that progress in this direcuon
should be gradual. At first a permanent
national inheritance tax, while 1t might
be more substantial than any SUCH tax
has hitherto been, need not approximate,
either in amount or in the extent of the
Increase by graduation. to what such
tax should ultimately be-
inheritance Tax Constitutional.
This species of tax has again and again
been imposed, altho only temporarily by
imposed by the act of July s, 1871. when
the makers of the Constitution We're
alive and at the head of affairs. 1t was
a graduated tax; tho small in amount
the rate was increased with the amount
left to any individual. exceptions being
made in the case or certain close KIN. A
similar tax was again imposed by the
ACT of July l. 1862; a minimum sum of
$1,000 in personal property being excepted
from taxation, the tax then becoming
progressive according to the remoteness
of kin. The war-revenue act or June d.
1888, provided for an inheritance TAX ak o on
any sum exceeding the value OF $4,000
the rate of tax increasing both IN accord
ance with the amounts LETT and IN .ac-
cordance with the legatee's remoteness
of kin The supreme court has held that
the succession tax imposed at the time
of the civil war was not direct tax but
an impose of excise which was both con
stitutional and valid. More recently the
court. in an opinion delivered by Mr.
Justice White. which contained an e&-
ceedingly able and elaborate discussion
of the powers of the congress to impose
death duties. sustained the constitution
ality of the inheritance tax feature OF the
war-revenue act of 1898
is Income Tax Constitutional?
I'm its incidents, and apart from the
main purpose of raising revenue, an
income tax stands on an entirely differ
ent footing from an inheritance tax, be-
cause il involves no question OF the per-
petuation of fortunes swollen to an I'M
healthy size. The question is in its
essence a question of the proper adjust
law now stands it is undoubtedly diff
cult to devise a national income tax
which shall be constitutional i,tsS1,I: But
other question: and if possible it is most
certainly desirable. The first purely in
come tax law was past by the congress |
in 1851 but the most important law deal
ing with the subject was that OF 1894
This the court held to be unconstitu-
"The question is undoubtedly very in |
tricate. delicate. and troublesome The |
decision of the court was only reached |
by one majority. II is the law of the |
land and of course, is excepted as such |
and Loyalty obeyed by all good citizens |
Nevertheless. the hesitation evidently |
felt by the court as a whole in coming
TO a conclusion. when considered to- /
gether with the previous decisions on
the subject, may perhaps indicate the
possibility of devising constitutional
income-tax law which shall subStan-
TALLY accomplish the results aimed
at The difficulty of amending the con-
stitution is so great that only real ne
cessity can justify a resort thereto.
Every effort should be made in dealing
with this subject, as with the subject
of the proper control by the national
over the use of corporate
wealth in Interstate business. to devise
legislation which without such action
shall attain the desired end: but If this
fails there will ultimately be no al
tentative to a constitutional amend
ment."
Agricultural Interests.
He appeals for every encouragement
that the congress can give to the agri-
cultural interests of the country. He
points to the good that is being done by
the various forms OF grange organlZa-
Several factors must cooperate in the
Improvement of the farmers condition
He must have the chance to be educated
in the widest possible sense-in the sense
which keeps ever in view the intimate
between the theory of edpI
cation and the facts of life. In all
education we should widen our aims. II
is good thing to produce certain num-
Der Of trained scholars and students;
but the education superintendent by the
state must seek rather to produce hum
bred good citizens than merely one
scholar. and ii must be turned now and
then from the class book to the study
81 the great book OF nature itself. This
oeen pointed out again and again by all
observers most competent to pass prac-
.ical judgment on the problems of our
life All students now realize
hat education must seek to train the