The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-09-30

private business of every one of its citi-
zens- Pry. Does not the tax collector
pry now' The holders of visible prop
erty have to list all from the SOW and
pigs to the sitting hen An income tax
eXempting incomes under three thousand
dollars will only reach those who now pay
less than their share, and will not be as
inquisatorial the present personal
property tax. And why not allow the in
come to be known? Except on assess
ment day possessors of large incomes are
not generally anxious to conceal their
wealth-they often make an offensive
display of it. Possibly an income tax
would make them more modest, and it
might also be helpful in restraining
some who live beyond their means
The transcript will have to avoke some
other name than jefferson s if it opposes
an income, for Jefferson had passion
for justice, and the income tax is just.
Possibly the Transcript is afraid that
the manufacturers of Massachusetts, who
have been taxing everybody else for a
generation, will have to pay their share
of taxes if the amendment is ratified.
The Chicago Record Herald, repub-
lican paper, prints this editorials:
UNANIMOUSLY the senate has voted to
submit to the state legislatures the in
come tax amendment to the constitution
of the United States which the president
recommended in his tax message. (The
house stood II against the amendment,
and 31f for its submission.) No one
now ventures to say openly in congress
that the federal government ought not
to be clothed with the power to levy in
come taxes in the only way in which they
can be levied in practice-without APP
portionment among the states or regard
to popu!ation-and it is a forcgonc con
clusion that the amendment will be the
paramount issue before the people and
their state representatives next winter
1t is no profound secret to any reason
able man that many of those who favor
the income tax within 4 certain radius
of the White House mean to work
against at home. The correspondents
tell us that the opponants of the amend
mcnt are confident they can muster
twelve state legislatures on their side and
defeat the proposition Some have gone
so far to publish lists of the legis-
aturcs that are excepted to vote in the
preparation.
1t now becomes the imperative duty of
the honest friends of the amendment to
start, in each state. an earnest campaign
in its behalf. Whether they believe in
early Legislation substituting Il fair
reasonably progressive income tax for
the corporation tax; whether they be-
lievc, with Senator Root, that the cor
poration is Wise and patriotic, - in itself,
and, that income tax should be re-
served for national cmergcnsies or
whether they believe that the corporation
tax is progressive, so grossly unjust and
discriminatory, 50 reactionary in its eff
fccts on the diffusion of industrial stocks
and the pcopleization of corporations,
that it is not even lessor evil-the con
stitutional amendment should at once en-
list their active support.
1t will be strenuously fought in a
number of states by fair means and foul;
there will be tremendous efforts put
forth to capture and control legislatures
in opposition to it, If it should be de
featcd the Objectionable corporation tax
threat on to become a fixture, especial
ly if expenditures should 90 on increasing
and the tariff should fail to Yield suffi-
cicnt revenue. To constitutional doubts
and misgivings alone we owe the corpor-
alton tax; to remove these doubts, to rey
store to the government the power to
levy just and equal income taxes, is the
most cffectual means of shortening the
life of the former
In the east the campaign is already on
The middle west should lose no time in
entering the fight and throwing its enor-
nous weight on the side of equity and
right in taxation.
ORGANIZE FOR TIE INCOME TAN.
Unqucstionably a majority of the dem
ocratic and republican parties favor the
income TAX. If proof on this point We're
necessary it is found in the fact that a
republican congress has been forced to
submit an income tax amendment. 1t
is no secret. however, that the republican
leaders who reluctantly yielded to this
necessity. expect that the proposed
amendment Will fail by reason of not
having II sufficient number of states to
support IT
The clause in the federal constitution
providing for the method OF amendment
Is rs follows:
''The congress. whenever two-thirds
of both houses shall deem II necessary