Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-03-29
almost Persuaded."

| Like the revivalistS when engaged
in rescue of the perishing, we feel
almost impelled to rise and pitch
the tune" to that favorite old hymn
suggested by the caption of this ar
ticle, when we read in an Eastern
magazine a symposium of statesmen,
business men and profound thinkers
in America, upon the subject en-
braced in the query, Shall we tax
wealth." There are letters from
Letter, Carnegie. Taft, Maxim and
others, and from many of the State
Governors, including our own Gov
ernor Mead, who in unqualified Ian
guage declares that There can be
no doubt of the wisdom of taking an
enforced contribution for the main
tenance of the government from those
who receive that for which they toll
not, neither do they spin" Here is
his letter in full:
81 am in receipt of your letter, asking
an opinion from me on the ACCESSIBILITY
OF an inheritance tax and progressive
income tax as national policy.
"Students of economical conditions in
the State of Washington early appreciat
ed the equity and benefits to be derived
from q graduated inheritance tax, and
the same is now a fixed policy of our
State. The revenue derived therefrom
amounts to considerable sum, and will
be augmented with the growth and de-
velopment of our State. Coming as it
does from the right Of succession of
distant kindred, whose sole right is
based not upon natural laws but upon the
States statutory law of descent, there
can be no doubt of the wisdom of taking
an enforced contribution for the main
tenance of government from those who
receive that for which they toll not
neither do they spin.
"After a reasonable exemption to
lineal descendants, this tax should and
can be graduated according to the amount
received by bequest or inheritance. Not
only is this wholesome and just as a
revenue measure, but to some extent it
will prevent the acquisition of abnormal
fortunes.
"The same can be said Of progressive
income tax. Most of the fault found with
this tax is failure of its administration.
This can be overcome not only by the
quickening of public conscience, but by
speedy punishment of its infraction.
"Should taxes derived from this source
be paid into the national treasury or the
local treasury? 1 favor the latter unless
the scheme would embrace collection by
the national government and distribu-
ton among the several States along some
equitable plan.
"By reason of State government as
Stunning many of the burdens which have
heretofore been borne by the individual.
taxes steadily increase from year to year.
How to meet these increased demands
is worthy Of, and is receiving the atten-
ton of, earnest statesmen everywhere.
To deprive the States of this source
of revenue and turn the same into the
national treasury would increase burden
which is now most grievous. Let the
policy embrace payment Of this tax into
the several State treasures and the
same will meet my hearty approval"
ALBERT E. MEAD.
Gov. Mead, like President Roose-
welt, is more than half Democrat,
and only wants to see Democratic
apple-jack served through a Repub-
lican spigot. It will be remembered
that partisan vote Of 5 to 4 in the
U. S. Supreme Court, defeated the in
come tax law, q few years ago, and
it was declared illegal by a bare Re-
publican majority. Can it not be
probable that its constitutionality
was 50 uncertain as to be decided by
such q vote that partisan zeal real
ly directed the final vote? Have not,
therefore, the Democrats a right to
claim the principle involved in rolling
up majority of Congress for it, only
to be defeated by a single vote in the
branch of our triune government that
had the last whack at it?