Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-03
Corporation Tax Amendment
Adopted by the Senate.
INCOME TAX IS REJECTED
Steady Fire of Oratory From Begin
ming of the Session.
ALDRICH ALWAYS IN CONTROL
Keeps His Lieutenants Busy Hold
ing His Adherents in the Cham
ber-Vote Near PM.

By a vote OF IL to 81 the Senate yes
trrdav substituted for the Railey-Cum-
minis general income tax amendment to
the tariff bill the corporation tax amend
Iaent suggested by President Taft. drafted
by Attorney General WickershaIn. with
the assistance Of Senator Root of New
York and presented by Senator Aldrich
Of Rhode Island. chairman of the finance
committee. The corporation tax amend
ment was then adopted as integral
part of the tariff bill by the decisive vote
of ~ 10 IL
The vote was reached after a day of
trials. and the result was announced only
short time before adjournment at pm.
After the Taft-Aldrich measure had been
substituted for the Bailey-Cumrlins
amendment most of the democrats voted
With Mr.. Aldrich. as did all of the repub-
lirans except eleven. Three democrats
voted against the adoption of the cor
poration tax, but few others refrained
from casting their ballots at all
The test vote was the substitution
OF the corporation tax amendment for
the income tax provision. On this ballot
all the democratic votes We're cast in
favor OF the income tax. which also re-
ceived the support of a number of the
insurgent republicans.
AlQElCH always
The reaching Of a vote came as some
what Of "A surprise to large majority
of the senators, but not to Senator AL
drich and his intimate advisers. Mr.. AL
dricIi himself had been confident from
the time of his arrival in the Senate
early in the day. after a brief vacation,
that he would succeed in getting vote
before adjournment The result shows
that although the situation seemed eX-
tremely critical for a time, the chairman
of the finance committee did not act
without thorough understanding Of the
situation. He therefore kept his lieuteD-
ants busy holding the supporters in the
chamber. and at no time during the day
was the Senate without a quorum.
The debate was somewhat more ami
mated than on Thursday. and there was
a steady fire of oratory from the Begin
ming of the session at 10 o'clock until
$50 pm. During that time Senators
Hepburn, Hughes, Cummns. Newlands,
Rayner, Brandegee, Root and Aldrich
discussed all phases of the income tax
question. OF these Mr.. Newlands was
the last speaker. and when he closed Mr..
Aldrich took the floor and made request
for q unanimous agreement for vote on
the corpora ton tax amendment today at
I o'clock.
Prior To presenting this request there
had been much comforting between Mr.
Aldrich and Messrs. Bailey, Cummins,
ment, and il was generally supposed that
they had reached an understanding that
the vote should he taken today, as sug-
2eSted by Mr.. Aldrich. When IL seemed
that such a compact was probable SEN
ator Cummins came TO the front with an
objection
While many senators were dispIeased
with the idea that because of the par
liamentary status of the corporation
amendment 1t was not capable of modi-
fIcat1on, the Iowa senator took the re-
verse position. He opposed the agree
ment because the provision would be
amendable 1t case it should he substituted
for the Lodge countervaiIing duty pro-
vision. which everyone understood would
result His theory was that there should
lie square vote the issue as it had
been presented and no vote upon any
amendment which might now be present.
ed and on which there would be no op-
portunity for debate. He therefore en-
tered formal objections to the unanimous
agreement, which not only had the eff
feet of preventing the fixing of the vote
today. but of forcing it yesterday
Even after Mr.. Cummins' objection had
been recorded and Mr.. Aldrich had called
for vote il looked as if he would be
disappointed. Senator Frazier, who has
amendment and an opponent of the
corporation tax. was absent from the
chamber on account of illness. Desiring
that he should he present when the vote
was taken Mr.. Bailey took the floor and
announced his determination to hold it
until Mr.. Frazier could make his appear
ance- Mr., Frazier soon came in and
+hereupon the Texas senator Welded and
the voting began.