Evening star., 1909-06-21
by putting over the whole subject OF
extra taxation to the regular session OF

by putting over the whole subject Of
extra taxation to the regular session OF
Congress.
The reason for this belief is the in
creasing indication OF extreme dlssat-
isfaction with the corporation tax among
senators and representatives, an echo
and expansion of the dissatisfaction and
uncertainty among members or tne
finance committee over its provisions.
There is no evidence now that the re-
publican committeeman themselves are
in harmony upon the form the amend
| ment shall take in covering the various
features Of the proposed tax. They may
ultimately agree and report an amend
ment, but their dissatisfaction Will be
well understood
When the amendment Is reported to
the Senate there will be a free-for-all
expression Of views. and from present
prospects most of them will be unfavor-
able to the corporation tax. 1t is freely
predicted that the Senate will adopt the
amendment. When it reaches the House
bedlam promises to break loose. The
House may accept it or may stand pat
for it's own inheritance tax. If the lat
ter course is followed, The conferees will
find an excuse which some of them may
be glad to avail themselves of. to drop
both propositions with the understand
ing that the subject shall come up in
December with preferred position on the
calendars Of the House and Senate.
Schedules to Be Settled First.
1t must be borne in mind that all the
time this wrangle over the extra tax is
on, the tariff bill will be waiting. The
Senate leaders have carefully arranged
to get the schedules out of the way in
the Senate before taking up the troub-
lous question. The same order will doubt
less be followed in conference. Right of
way for the schedules will be insisted
upon. and the extra tax regarded as a
rider
So Congress will come to the condition,
along in the dog days, with everybody
worn out by four or five mopths' hard
work. of having a customs tariff bill
ready for signature and estopped only by
| failure to agree upon a collateral feature
| Of taxation which 1t will be claimed is
no part or parcel of a revenue-ra raising
customs law. Then some choleric per-
! son will move to pass the tariff bill and
postpone the other subject.
/ Doubtless such a prospect would be
| very pleasing to many of the conserva-
| tives In Congress who object to the va
| rious extra tax propositions. But the
| pleasing prospect is marred by a cloud.
| What will the income takers and the pro-
gressive republicans be doing all this
time? Will they sit idly by and see their
pet project jockeyed into the fence? They
| answer vociferously and in private con-
| yersation, and some of them profusely
profanely. in the negative.
Support oe Income Tax.
| The conservative leaders are not OBJ
| lvious Of the danger which threatens
| from this source and one can rest assured
| that the thought brings the perspiration
| to their brows many q time and oft. In
point OF fact there will not be a moment
In this long and precarious route of the
Taft Aldrich compromise proposition
through the legislative grind when there
will not be the possibility of a majority
vote sticking an income tax amendment
on the bill.
And once attached. by whichever house
| or whatever combination of progressive
republican and democratic votes. it will
stay in the bill. according to the best
Judgment of statesmen It is this dread
| ness in every move and will make them
move with utmost caution. Their safety
| lies in holding their party lines to the
support of the Taft-Aldrich compromise
of an income tax later by constitutional
| amendment and corporation tax as the
| bird in hand.
| Cynical statesmen in both houses do not
conceal their belief in the ultimate failure
of the income tax amendments incorpo-
ration into the Constitution. That Con-
gress will submit it to the states they
/ regard as a foregone conclusion That
| twelve sta ates can be found to refuse rati-
| Hcatlon tney pToIouHuiy peiIeNe 10 De
| likely These men would prefer to run
| the risk Of another rejection by the Su-
preme Court than what they consider to
| be the almost certainty of failure to get
the approval Of three-fourths of the
| states.
| The republicans who hold to that view
are now in the dilemma of following their
| own instincts and insisting upon an in
| come tax amendment to the bill or Yield
ing to the arguments of President Taft
| for orderly procedure and consideration OF
the Supreme Court.