The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-03-27
INCOME TAX BILL
BEING PREPARED
BY W|CKERSHAM
PRESIDENT TAFT BELIEVES THIS
SYSTEM MUST Sc ADOPTED OR
COUNTRY WILL CO INTO HANDS
OF RECEIVER

WASHINGTON. March 26.-Presi
dent Taft believes in an iacome tax
He also believes that the country Will
soon have TO have Income tax or 90
into the hands OF receiver. says A.
fred Henry Lewis III dispatch To the
New York American. Mr.. Payne's
tariff bill is intended TO take care or
the present deficit. but no ore believes
IL will. MIR. Taft In particular has
doubts. Wherefore. he is driven back
on that scheme OF an income tax.
Mr.. Lewis continues:
Confident that the country must by
soon day come TO II. Mr.. Taft has
had Mr.. Wickersham. his. attorney
general. prepare the crude draft Of a
bill. II is a graduated plan OF tax,
ton. and begins by examining incomes
under $4,000 a year.
Mr.. Taft had Representative Stew
ems. who also believes in an income
tax, up 10 the White House TO
over il with him. Not even a crudo
outline OF what Mr.. TAFT has IN mind
can be gained He guards the secret
OF his income tax feeling. at least so
far as details are concerned, very
jealousy He does not hide his belief.
however, that the popular alternative
Is income tax trouble.
Aided by Mr.. Wickershan,, Mr.. Taft
and Mr.. Stevens. whose Minnesota
constituents, like hilself, incline to
ward an income tax. will lick what
Mr.. Wickersham has got ready into
final shape. Mr.. Stevens will then in.
troduce II.
The measure will be offered during
the present session. There will be
10 effort TO pass II or make 1t a part
OF the greatest tariff bill. Mr.. Taft
believes in every Tub on its own bot.
TOM" and will make the income tax
tub a thing by itself At the regular
session. next December, he will press
the matter in a special message
Meanwhile the members % congress
may look the business over in the
hope OF being inspired 20 suggest
something better than this Tart
Wickersham measure which Mr. Stew
ems Is to introduce.
The supreme court. 40 odd years
ago, decided that an income tax was
constitutional; something more thar
decade ago, IL decided that Ii was
not. Mr.. Taft is willing to put an in
come tax to third and final test be
fore that tribunal. The decision de-
claring an income tax to be In the
face OF the constitution was arrived
at by a majority OF one. Mr.. Taft
thinks that, given third chance, the
court will go back To- its original view.
Before an income tax could come
before the supreme court for adjudi-
cation as TO its constitutionality. at
least two, and perhaps three, SUI
preme court vacancies will have &C.
CURED. and no one will be named.
therefore. who is not a believer In the
legality OF an income tax.
Mr. Aldrich, the war chief of the
senate Republicans. Ia against an in
come tax, just as he is against an in
heritance tax, tax upon company
dividends, revenue stamps and a tax
on coffee. This position Mr.. Aldrich
has laid bare to Mr.. Taft. The lat
ter. however. keeps regging away at
the idea, and the words OF Mr.. Aldrich
go by him like the idle wind With
a president urging Ii, and a deficit
crying for II, an income tax within
the twelvemonth need not be a sur
prise.
Speaking OF tariff. Mr.. Aldrich's
finance committee is already going
through every dark and winding IT.
and-out of the Payne bill with
lantern. Mr.. Aldrich wants his COM
mittee work to be In as forward
state as Is possible when the bill
comes over from the house.
Yesterday chemicals was the sub
ject. Today the esrthenware sched
ules came In for looking over. With
ell this time-saving INDUSTRY and work
In anticipation. however, the old ex-
perienced scouts OF tariff do not say
that the bill will be ready for the
signature of the president before
August
They refer to the Dlngley bill Con-
gress convened March Is. An in
dustry equal TO the present was shown
at both ends OF the capitol. And We.
II was July 20 before the completed
measure was sent tn the White House.
-nDENEn IN LANnonMr nrNA