The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-05-03
SENATOR B0RAH
ARGUED FOR AN
INCOME TAX Law
He Declared That Extrava.
gance Had Become Almost
q National Disease
SENATOR PILES WILL ADVOCATE
The D|AGlEY LUMBER RATES
He Will Answer the Recent Argu.
ment Of Senator McCumber Favor.
ing the Placing Of Lumber on the
Free List.

ing the Placing of Lumber on the
Free List.
Washington, May 3.-The lumber
schedule and the income tax amend
ment Of the tariff bill received spe-
cial attention in the senate today.
Senator Piles late this evening will
reply to Senator McCumbers appeal
for free lumber and will represent
the views of the lumber states of the
northwest and the Pacific coast.
Senator Borah sought to maintain
the constitutionality of the income
tax.
Declaring that extravaganza has
become almost a national disease,
Senator Borah argued for the tax as a
means for wiping out the deficit in
the treasury as we'll as awakening
public interest in national expendi-
lures. He said the tax. which he pro-
posed. should be used to build up a
great navy and great army for the
purpose of covering the nations of the
earth, but that the burden of taxation
should he taken from those who dig
the earth and put upon the purses Of
those who would never miss 1t.
II believe in an income taX." said
Mr.. Borah, not 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 burden which it does not da
under system OF taxation resting
entirely upon consumption. Every
system of taxation resting upon con-
sumption should be supplemented
with an income tax, not alone for the
purpose of raising extra revenue, but
for distributing the burden of what
,Wer revenue ia necessary more equi-
ably and more in accordance with the
lbility to pay"
Contending that the income tax
was equitable and fair, not class leg
lslation, and not an attack upon
wealth but simply a reasonable de-
mand that the burdens of government
should be met in due proportion by
the great property interests and accu-
mulated wealth, Mr.. Borah asserted
that it was tax which guages itself
according to mans success or fail
of the professional man. who may now
escape almost entirely. Declaring
that it was no more an incentive to
purjury or fraud than the personal
tax laws in the various states. Mr..
Borah claimed that the income tax
was no more inquisitorial than the
system Of national taxation of today.
He referred to the recent smuggling
cases in New York.
II believe in it," continued Mr..
Borah, strange as it may seem to
some, as an educator in public ex-
penditures. For a. hundred years we
have been making speeches in favor
or cutting down expenditures, and
voting the other way. The congress
in which 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. appropriat-
ed $50,000000 unnecessarily. Mr.. Bo-
rah said; "if that be true, and be-
lieve the figures to be modest. what
an awful indictment of this congress,
and how vane and futile seems all
prophecy as to the future in the mat
ter of retrenchment. do not want
20 be misunderstood. I have no kind
Of doubt that the senator from Rhode
Island is entirely sincere and wholly
in earnes when he says that we must
curtail expenditures. Neither do l
underrate his ability or his power. If
he succeeds, he will have performed
q greater service to his country than
has been performed by any man in
forty years."
Extravaganza Disease.
Mr.. Borah, asserting that extrava-
gance has become almost national
disease, said. 1T permeates the home,
it permeates college and church, it
every department of government
that it has reached almost the point
of criminality is proven by the words
of the senator from Rhode Island. 1t
is disease of the blood and you can
not cure it like appendicitis by cut
ting it off. You will have to rehabili-
tate the system. This will take time
and great deal of attention and i'm
measurable persistence of purpose. In
other words, you will never do it un-
til public opinion is thoroughly
aroused"
So long as the sole system of tax
alton 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 80 long as it taxes the poor and
rich to the same extent, Mr.. Borah
contended that public opinion will
take that specific information, the di-
rect. concrete example as to extrava-
gance necessary to arouse it to care
full scrutiny and a awakened interest
in what is being done with the money
collected He said there is no way
by which public opinion can he arous-
cd % deeply and SO quickly as by