Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-05-20
NO INCOME TAX IS NEEDED
President and Members of Con.
gress Agree It Is Unnecessary.
Practice Of Economy Ia More Needed
Than Money-Income Tax Law,
-President Cuts Down white
House Expenditures

A Washington special to the Albany
Journal says; Income tax sentiment is
wa ming in Congress. There was no sur
r rise when Senator Aldrich announced a
tow days ago that he was ready for n
,otc on either the Cumrains or the Bailey
proposition. a poll of the Senate shows
that either or both will be defeated by a
safe majority
with the defeat OF the income tax by
tho Senate all agitation of the PROPOSE
ton will die at the present session Of
Congress. The House will not take 1t
up. realizing tho futility Of action in tho
face OF the stand taken by the Senate.
The proposition presents political compli-
cations which members of the House.
who are to run a little more than year
from now for denomination. are unwil-
ing to face by record vote unless such
vote is necessary.
1t Is believed that an income tax
proposition would pass the House at the
present time II it could he brought be-
tore that body before the Senate shall
have an opportunity to pass adversely
upon It. The democratic members are
Ger It. almost to a man. 1t is popular
with the members from the Middle West
and from nearly all. IL not all. the rural,
districts.
Two reasons are assigned by congress-
men to explain the withdrawal Of pres
sure for an income tax-uncertainty on
the part of the public as to Its desirable
ity and the hope that the new tariff law
will produce sufficient revenues for the
conduct OF the government without the
laying Of special taxes. Senator Aldrich s
promise to this effect stands for much
with the republican press and the masses
of the people.
ATTRACTED MUCH ATTENTION.
When the proposition to levy an in
come tax was first sprung in the Sen
ate II attracted general attention
thu oughout the country. Its authors said
| that some such tax would be necessary
II meet an expected deficit from the tar
| III bill. 1t was urged that additional
money to that raised from customs
house receipts was necessary to main
tain the government under existing ex-
lenditures. and that without new rev
enues there could be no new public i'm
provements
This argument was taken up all over
, the country, and man yof the mere in
iluential republican papers commented
upon an income tax in no unfriendy
vein. Then came the announcement
| from Senator Aldrich that he opposed al
cpecial taxes, and that his tariff bill has
been drawn as to produce all the
revenues needed by the government fol-
economical administration.
PROSPERITY WAS TOO MUCH.
He pointed to the fact that during thu
Fat years when business was at it's zenitf
and tho treasury was piling up a surplu.
| from the customs receipts Congress en-
, tered upon a career of the most extrava
Iant expenditures for public improve
inents and the extension OF the work o
Tie various departments at Washington
On scale SO ambitious as to stagger tn
minds of those unacquainted with gov
ernmenta! works and expenditures.
Senator Aldrich insisted that the lea
years having come, it was necessary 70
Congress to halt in its expenditures anc
TO cut its appropriations to come within
the limits of it's receipts. from t =, tariffs
lie argued that this was business, ant
tie plan that would be followed by ever,
prudent business men in the country. r,
levy an income tax. he said would b
10 add an additional burden on those al
ready heavily taxed by the nation ant
the State.
PRESIDENT AGREES WITH AL
DRICH.
| President Taft came to the assistanc
Of Senator Aldrich by fatty announcin
that he did not favor any special tax /
'he customs receipts would meet tn
needs OF the government economically
administered. and no promised to Sc
that economy was practiced In all tn
departments over which he had control
Instructions to this end we're issue
promptly to the members of his ca 5inet
TIE heads Of the great dcpa rtments. an
an example was given by the reduction
OF expenditures at the White House.
1t is true that President Taft ma
have felt II proper to lop off all unneces
sary expenditures Of his own establish
nent in view OF the fact that he intend
cd asking Congress FOR an appropriately
Of $4,000 for trip TO Alaska an
through the West during the coming fall
Put he could have had the money fror
Congress without this reduction Of ex
penditures at the White House The hos
tility of Congress TO making lump sur
appropriations for presidential trips wa
against the system and not against
specific trip or tour of the country.
What ever the reason that prompte
President Taft to come to the assistanc
of Senator Aldrich and TO set an exam
pie OF economy. its effect was immediat
in changing the drift towards an in
come tax as a necessary evil. The Presi
cent completed the work when he point
ed out that Senator Aldrich could be &C
cepted at his word. and the country SUI
fer nothing should Senator Aldrich prov
too optimistic concerning his tariff bi
al revenue producer. Congress wi
meet again In six months and shout
thhe bill not produce sufficient revenu
for the government special laws can h
passed to meet the deficit
INTEREST WANING.
Accepting these arguments and conclu
s'ons. the papers throughout the countr
dropped the income tax agitation withou
rotice, The letters that had been pour
ing in on congressman. most of them I
favor of the income tax. suddenly ceased
Talk on the subject died out at tn
Capitol, and congressman met each othe
without entering upon discussion of tn
question from the standpoint of its OF
feet on their individual political futures
Among democrats as we'll as among re
publican members OF the lower Hous
there is secret rejoicing that danger q
having to face the problem is passed 10
the time being
WOULD PASS COURT TEST.
|