Evening star., 1909-04-28
LEGAL|zE INCOME TAX
Senator Brown Proposes Con-
stitutionaI Amendment.
WOULDLET PEOPLE DECIDE
Urges That Voters Want It and
Economists Advocate It.
SHOULD HAVE CHANCE TO SAY
Nebraskan Speaks in Advocacy of
Resolution Proposing
This Course.
WOULD LET PEOPLE DECIDE
SHOULD HAVE CHANCE TO SAY

Another turn was given to the de-
bate on the income tax in the Senate
today by Senator Brown of Nebraska
He advocated the passage of a resoiu-
tion submitting to the states an amend
ment to the Constitution permitting
the enforcement of such law without
question.
Opportunity Due People.
lie refrained from considering the
merits of the measure, but merely con-
tented himself with saying that he
favored an income tax.
When the discussion of the tariff was
resumed in the Senate today Mr.. Brown
took the floor in pursuance of the no
tice given by him yesterday.
He argued that the people of the sew
eral states should have the opportunity
of voting on the question in order that
the validity of such u law never would
be questioned.
We owe this to the people," he said,
because there has long been an earnest
and determined demand for an equitable
income tax.
They had, he declared, accepted the
decree of the court and had become re-
signed to the fact that such law was
unconstitutional. But, he claimed, Con-
gress owed 1t to them to be given a
chance to say whether the Constitution
should be made to sanction a system of
taxation approved by the majority of
American citizens and by the economists
OF the entire civilized world.
Sees Imperative Need.
1t seems to me-" he said. that the
discussion of the past two days in this
body, led by the able and eloquent sena-
tor from Texas, brings home to every
senator the commanding and imperative
necessity for the adoption of such an
amendment
Mr.. Brown expressed the wish that he
might have the power to reach the under
standing of the senators on the subject
hecause. he said, he felt that conditions
demanded unanimity on the part of all
the men in the Senate in the effort to give
the people Constitution whose meaning
should be so certain as to forever close
the debate on the question to whether
Congress should have the power to tax
incomes without the necessity of making
the apportionment according to popula-
tion.
Rayner Says Power Exists.
In the course of his remarks Mr.. Brown
was interrupted by Mr. Rayner Mary
idiuJ, WHO lHSiSlSu tIidt SOHSTeSS ALREADY
had the power to lay and collect taxes
on incomes, and that even were the
amendment to be adopted it still would
be necessary to have an apportionment.
The suggestion was not accepted with
any too good grace by the Nebraska
senator, who said he was not SO beside
himself as to believe that his resolution
would meet the critical judgment OF. the
senator from Maryland
Interrupting the speaker, Mr.. Paynter
(kentucky) expressed the view that the
United States Supreme Court as now con-
stituted might change it's former opinion
holding an income tax law. unconstitu-
tional
Replying. Mr.. Brown said that so inn
pressed was lie with the subject that he
was ready to support any bill provid-
ing for such tax
At the close of Mr.. Browns remarks
and upon his request the resolution was
referred to the committee on the judi
ciary.
Simmons on Lumber Schedule.
Discussing the lumber schedule, Mr.
Simmons IN. Co. said that lumber and its
products represented the principal indus
try of twelve states, affecting more than
q thousand cities which were largely de-
pendent upon it.
He opposed the proposed reduction in the
duty on lumber principally, he said be-
cause labor constituted a larger element
in the cost of producing lumber than in
The cost of producing any other manu-
factured product. and further, that lumber
was competitor with some of the articles
which added to the cost of its production.
Il submit" he said, that there can be
no more cruel repression of an industry
than by law adding 80 per cent to the
cost of its production and then forcing 1t
into competition on the one hand with the
fol eign product, which. on account of the
difference in labor cost Stumpage cost
and the cost of transportation, can be
produced at 30 per cent less. and, on the
other hand, forcing competition with a
product of our own country, the price of
which has been enhanced 80 per cent by
the protective tariff
Not a Free Trader.
How do you square your advocacy Of
tariff on lumber with the declaration of
the national democratic platform of
1852" Mr.. Dixon (Montana), inquired.
Mr.. Simmons asserted that there was
no difficulty about that. That platform,
he maintained. declared for a tariff for
revenue, and he did not believe the Ding
ley rate on lumber was more than a
revenue rate.
why single out this industry for dis
elimination and Slaughter he asked
Such action, he said, could not be
justified except upon grounds and reasons
of extreme necessity and Overwhelming
urgency. But he did not believe that
such reasons existed.
In this connection Mr. Simmons took
free trader.