Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1906-12-17

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before the National Civic Federation,
Melville E. Ingalls, of Cincinnati,
speaking upon the advisabiliy of an
income and Inheritance tax, declared
in favor of the income tax as the
best and fairest tax that can be
levied; that a graduated income
tax would be tax on thrift and
energy; that the inheritance tax
should be left to the states as a
means of meeting local expenses.
There has been in the last few
years, he said, three prolific sources
of multi-millionaires which are open
to criticism. These, he pointed out,
are the tariff, illegal favors and con-
tracts given to shippers by the rail
ways, and the securing of contracts
at nominal prices for the use of the
streets of various cities for purposes
of transportation and lighting. Of the
tariff question he said that it is not
a question of protection or free trade,
but one ''of SO modifying the tariff as
to protect legitimate business, and
prevent extortion and unfair combi-
nations. The mass of the people in
this country have made up their mind
that there should be some modifica-
ton and the powers in control will
be wise If they heed it and amend it
before the evil grows so bad that it
will be turned over for amendment
and, possibly, destruction by hostile
hands"
With reference to the second cause
noted, Mr. ingalls, expressed the be-
lief that illegal favoritism by the rail
ways is happily ended" a fact well
come alike to the railways and the
people.
Of the third and greatest evil the
speaker declared that the promoters
of these companies-hghting and
urban and nterurban transportation
have bought what ought neither to be
purchased nor sold-they have cor
rupted legislatures and city govern
ments, and have thereby obtained
special privileges which have enabled
There has been, however, a great
awakening of the people in the last
few years on this subject and they
are now alive to the fact that they
must not give away their streets
that corrupt officials who attempt to
do so must be turned out of Office and
punished. There are two remedies.
One is to make contracts such as a
private Individual would make, for
the use of the streets, reserving pro
per rentals and a proper division of
the profits for the future; and the
other is for the municipalities to take
possession of the lighting and street
transportation and manage it the
same way as they do the water works
and sewerage system,-for the ben
eft of the people"
Looking into the future, the
speaker said that there is danger in
the present condition of public
opinion that We will drift into
hysteria that will enact legislation
that will seriously hurt our business
and produce disaster. Especially is
this true in reference to the railways,
and we must keep in mind that they
always construct the largest bust
ness force in the country. One-fifth
of all the population depend upon
them for their existence, either as
employees or in the business of man
and producing supplies,
etc. And while we set our face like
a stone wall against any of the lille
gal conditions of the past. being con-
tinued, we should give them a fair
opportunity to carry on their bust
ness in the future and thus prevent
disaster to the community.
Speaking of the trusts, Mr.. ingalls,
said that properly conducted they
are not the enemies of the people
and in the fanaticism of the hour
should not be condemned if properly
managed.
There is hardly an agreement he
declared between employers but
what in the end, under the law, will
be called a restraint of trade. Your
stock exchanges that fix prices for
commissions, your associations of diff
ferent trades that agree upon prices
no matter how reasonable those
prices may be-all are violations of
the law. Business cannot long sur
vive such restrictions"