The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1909-05-07
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
Washington. May 3.-DeoIaring that
extravaganza has become almost a
national disease, Senator Borah today
argued for an income tax as a means
for wiping out the deficit in the treas.
ury as well as awakening public in
terest in national expenditures. lie
said the tax which he proposed, should
be used to build up a great navy and
great army for the purpose of COW.
ering the nations of the earth. but
that the burden of taxation should
be taken from those who dig the earth
and put upon the purses Of those who
would never miss It.
Il believe in an income tax" said
Mr.. Borah mot that we may impose
the whole burden of government upon
the rich or upon wealth, but that
wealth may bear its just proportion of
that which 1t does not do under a
system of taxation resting entirely
upon consumption. Every system of
taxation resting upon consumption
should be supplemented with an In
come tax, not alone for the purpose
of raising extra revenue, but for dis
tributing the burden of whatever re-
venue Is necessary more equitably and
more In accordance with the ability TO
pay"
Contendng that the income tax was
equitable and fair, not class legislat.
ion, and not an attack upon wealth but
simply a reasonable demand that the
burdens Of government should be met
IN due proportion by the great proper.
ty interests and accumulated wealth
Mr.. Borah asserted that It was a tax
which gauges itself according to a
mans success or failure He said II
reaches the income of the professional
man, who may now escape almost en-.
tirely Declaring that II was no more
an incentive to purjury or fraud then
the lrsonal tax laws In the various
states, Mr. Borah claimed that the in
come tax was no more inquisitorial
than the system of national taxation of
today. He referred to the recent
smuggling cases in New York
Il believe in il. continued Mr.. Bo
rah strange as it may seem to some
as an educator in economy in public
expenditures. For a hundred years We
have been making speeches in favor
Of cutting down expenditures, and
voting the other way. The congress
in whicn the voice Of retrenchment
was loudest has been followed almost
invariably by the congress carrying
the largest appropriations"
Referring to the statement which
was made by Mr. Aldrich that con
gress, in the last session appropriated
50.000,00O unnecessarily, Mr. Boral
said. If that be true and believe the
figures to be modest, what an awfu
indictment of this congress, and how
vain and futile seems all prophecy as
to the future in the matter Of retrench
ment. do not want to be misunder
stood have no kind OF doubt that
the senator from Rhode Island Is en-
tirely sincere and wholly IN earnest
when he says that we must curtall ex
penditures. Neither do ! under rate
his ability or his power. II he sue
eeeds, he will have performed great
er service to his country than has
been performed by any man In forty
years
Mr.. Borah, asserting that extraya
gance has become almost national
disease, said Il permeates the home
Il permeates college and church. Il
prevades society and 1t is rife In ev.
cry department of government-that
It has reached almost the point of
criminality is proven ~ the words
.of the senator from Rhode Island Il
is a disease of the blood and you can
not cure It like appendicitis by cutting
1t off. You will have to rehabilitate
the system, This will take time and
a great deal Of attention and lmmeas.
ureable persistence Of purpose. In
other words, you will never do II untfl
public opinion is thoroughly arous.
ed
So long as the sole system Of taxa
ton for national expenditures con.
sists of that form of taxation which
does not inform the man who pays the
tax, of the specific amount he pays.
and SO long as it taxes the poor and
rich to the same extent. Mr.. Borah
-.