Bisbee daily review., 1909-04-06
FIRST THUNDER CLOUD SEEN IN
 WAS HInCTON
Taft Takes Decided Stand When Asked By Senators If He is in Favor of An Income Tax

WASHINGTON, April 5.-Pres'dent Taft today sounded his first warliGe note to congress. In reply to senators who have anxiously inquired whether he actually favors an income tax President Taft curtly called attention to the statement upon the subject which he made in his speech of July 2S. 1908. when he accepted the nom ination of the presidency. He said then:
 T believe that an income tax. when the protective system of customs and the internal revenue tax shall not furnish income enough for govern ment needs, can and should be de- vised which. under the decisions of the supreme court, will conform to the constitution"
 Tn this way President Taft threat ems actively to use h S influence for an income tax measure if the tariff act, which is now in the making. does not provide the revenue needed to run the government.
 1 It is his answer to the numerous ! senators who have announced their ! intention to increase the rates of duty conta ned in the Payne bill. Tn the 1 cause of raising more revenue the Payne bill contains an inheritance tax provision, has reduced some sched- ules and has increased the taxes on many articles of food and clothing. ! Aldrich ct al have decreed that the inheritance tax must go out. Both in the house and senate strong combina- { 'ons are at work to increase the du- | ties where the Payne committee has allowed decreases.
 | A wave of indignation through the country. amounting to a general pop aiar protest. has arisen against the proposed taxes nn tea. coffee. edible oils, gloves. hosiery and the Ike. .. | In this situation. if the senate mauls the Payne D Il in the way indicated, | the question arises where will the government revenue come from? President Taft is using the income tax as a sort of big stick in the back ground. with which 70 compel con gress to make the Payne measure ad- equate as a revenue act.
 General debate on the tariff bill will not close untl the middle of next week. probably not until the Monday following.
 , Speaker Cannon and the republican leaders are not anxious that it should end before that time, Tor they are not at all sure that they can muster suf- , ficient votes 10 pass a gag rule which will prevent the adoption of any but amendments proposed by the ways and means committee.
 ! Until they are absolutely sure of a majority of the votes they will not i present the rule to the house. [ In the meant me the speaker is dragooning the republicans to vote for the gag rule when 1t Is brought in. The bolters among the democrats are also expected to help.
 i Mir. Cannon is taking the matter up with the state delegations separately. He Is finding out features of the bill with which they are ssatisfied. and to obtain the sufficient number of
 votes 10 fasten upon the house a rule which will kill individual amendments
 be probably will make concessions, in
 the way of permitting the ways ana means committee to propose the T Ispecial amendments. to some of the
 more influential of the delegations.
 In the present condition of affairs,
 however. with the republican insur gents still enthusiastic and many oth
 CT majority members rampant againsl certa n provisions Of the Payne meas
 ure. the republican machine of the house is between the devil and the . deep sea.