Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-06-30
ALDR|bH Is FLAY[D :,
By CUNk|NS OF IOWA
SCORED FOR HIS ADMISSION AS
TO WHY he SUPPORTS coRPo-
RATE TAX AMENDMENT.
OUGHT TO HIDE 1000 YEARS
FOR SHAMEFUL CONFESSION
cummins Resumes Speech in opposi-
4ion to Taft's Plan to Tax Corpora.
tion Incomes - Sees Nothing in
Amendment to Make Corporations
Uncomfortable.

Washington, June 30.-Whether ow-
ing to the absence Of Senator Aldrich,
lack Of interest, or to the continued
heat, the senate was much slower than
usual in assembling today. Not until
several roll calls had been made in or
der to secure quorum, was business
commenced. Supporters of the income
tax proposition apparently did not pro-
pose that iCummins, who was to pro~
coed with his speech, begun yesterday,
should speak to empty seats, and
showed their determination by insist
ing on roll calls to keep senators in
their seats. Finally at 10:45 Cummins
got under way. At the outset he re-
marked upon the absence of Aldrich,
saying he had seen by the papers the
announcement that the chairman of
the finance committee was going on a
sea voyage.
After the acknowledgement which
he made to the senate yesterday with
respect to his vote for bringing for
ward the amendment that we are now
considering" said Cummins, evidently
referring to Aldrich's statement that
he favored corporation tax to defeat
the income tax amendment, "he needs
restoration and recuperation of salt air.
] would want to take a trip lasting
about 1000 years If / should be COM
PEELED to make confession of that
sort with respect to measure brought
forward by myself"
Clapp interrupted with the observa-
tion referring to the corporation tax
amendment. He said: II notice by
the newspapers that the large corpora
tions are not uncomfortable. They are
reported as being we'll satisfied with
this provision"
Cummins replied that there was
nothing in that amendment to make the
corporations uncomfortable. He then
proceeded to discuss receipts and ex-
penditures of the government, to sus-
tain his contention that the pending bill
did not supply enough money for the
usual expenses.
Predicts Big Deficit.
Declaring that $4,000, 900 must be
raised from customs duties and an in
heritance, corporation or income tax,
to properly meet the expenditures Of
the government, and to keep up the
sinking fund, Cummins presented a
letter from Secretary MacVeagh, Of
the treasury department, stating that
a deficit appeared in the sinking fund
at the close of the fiscal year 1908 Of
$549,3s4,00O. altho up to that period the
total debt had been reduced s32.S12.0O0
in excess Of the sinking fund require
ment. "The deficit at the close Of
1905" said MacVeagh, will be in
creased, however, in the current year
1909 by approximately $4,000, 900,
which deficit is more apparent than
real"
Cummins claimed the secretaries Of
the treasury had failed to place aside
in the sinking fund the amounts con-
templated by law. There is.' he said,
mystery in the bookkeeping which is
not easy to understand"
Tax Fortune, Not Misfortune.
Estimating at $840,000,000 the amount
of money required by the government
for the fiscal year 1911 Cummins de-
clared that not more than $260,0O0,-
900 would be raised from internal reve-
nue. and not more than $4,000, 900
would be, obtained from customs reve-
nues under the Payne bill, leaving
about $240,000,O00 to be supplied from
some other source.
my conclusion is," he said, "that
the deficit will be s175,o0000 at the
close OF 1911"
He declared that no one could in
vestigate the subject without being
convinced that there must be large
deficits every year hereafter. He as
serted that every penny which would
result from the enactment of his and
Bailey's income tax amendment would
be necessary to. meet the demands OF
the government. A tax on incomes, he
declared, ought to be first imposed, and
It should be levied by every state as
well as by the national government
Sententiously he said, I'VE should lay
a tax on fortune rather than on mis-
fortune" He said this course would
place the burden on the government,
where 1t would belong, and would dis
card all Improbable property. He con-
tended that the accumulations Of prop
erty do not pay their share Of taxes,
and said there would be no injustice in
increasing their proportion Of the gem
eral burden.
Cumpins having spoken three hours.
the senate at 1:15 took recess for q
half hour to allow him and othsr mem
bers to take luncheon.
No Hope for Plan.
CUMMING commented upon the con-
etitutional aspects of the amendment
under consideration, saying he pro-
posed to vote for the proposed amend
ment to the constitution for an income
tax. He declared that the measure was
proposed by the finance committee
with the same motive that prompted
the committee to propose corporation
tax. And" he added, Il shall vote for
1t without the slightest hope 1t will
ever become g part Of the constitution
Of the United States. know the men
TOO well to believe there are not twelve
states where q minority is opposed
to this kind Of legislation and can not
prevent the adoption Of this resolu-
a