The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-07-02
ALDRICH FINALLY
EXPOSES HIS HAND.
FAVORS TAFT BILL
REPUBLICAN BOSS WOULD TAX
CORPORATIONS TO SAVE IN
COMES OF THE RICH.
NOW STRONG FOR SUBTERFUGE
Tries to Excuse His Sudden Fond
ness for New Measure BY Alleging
Need Of Additional Revenue-Dem-
ocrats Ridicule Present Attitude.

WASHINGTON. June 3O-With the
tariff schedules disposed of and the
door locked against the present intru-
sion of amendments upon them, the
Senate Tuesday finally entered upon
the consideration of the income and
the corporation tax question, as con-
nected with the tariff bill.
While the Senate was more than
four hours in formally coming to the
question Of taxation of incomes, the
subject received more or less individ-
ual attention while the tea provision
was under consideration, and it was
during that stage of the proceeding
that the most interesting occurrence
of the day took place. This was the
announcement of the real attitude of
Chairman Aldrich of the Finance
Committee toward the corporation tax
provision, which he had introduced at
the instance of the President.
1t had for some time been whisper
ed that the Rhode Island Senator had
become an advocate of tax on the
earnings of corporations as the most
effective means of defeating a gener-
al income tax amendment to the pend
ing bill. Mr. Aldrichs statement &C
corded with these rumors. He spoke
in response to a question from Sena-
tor Clay and in so many words con-
fessed his advocacy of the corpora
gtion tax as a means of defeating the
income tax He added another rea-
son. which was that he thought for
the next year or two there would be
a deficit in the treasury receipts
which he was willing to have made
good by the income that would result
from the proposed corporation tax.
With this service performed, he
thought the law could and would be
materially modified if not entirely re-
pealed.
This declaration was seized upon by
the Democrats as a confession that
the corporation tax is a mere subter-
fuge to destroy the income tax, and
they were not slow in playing up"
the developments. Mr. Aldrich denied,
however, that he had intended to
characterize the corporation tax as a
onJ dafondoI II DC q 10,
gitimate means of raising revenue.
Many people defied the hot weather
and went to the capitol to see started
the first senatorial battle for an IN
come tax.
The days session began with de-
mand by Senator Beveridge for roll
call in response to which fifty-dve
Senator answered.
Messrs. Aldrich Bailey, Borah,
Brown, Beveridge and owen were on
their feet at the first opportunity.
Being the first to get recognition from
the chair, Senator Brown endeavored
to obtain unanimous consent to take
up the resolution reported by the FL
nance Committee for the submission
of an income-tax amendment to the
Constitution to the several States.
Demurring to this suggestion, Sen
ator Bailey pointed out that such a
course would be in contravention of a
unanimous consent previously record
ed for the consideration of his income
tax amendment. Remarking that he
thought it would be well at once to
get out of the way the question CT the
constitutionality of the income tax, |
Senator Brown did not press his re-
quest and no action was taken to In
terfere with the course agreed upon |
for disposing of the Bailey amend
ment.
To more clearly map out the cam
paign entered upon, Senator Aldrich |
said that the Finance Committee had
determined that the offering of amend |
ments to the schedules of the bill |
while in the committee of the whole,
should not continue further at this
time, as they could be brought forth
by Senators after the bill reached the
Senate in a parliamentary sense. To
give force to that purpose, he said he
would move to lay on the table any
other amendments that might be of
fered at this time.
Senator Tillman lost no time renew
ing his new effort to have duty of
10 cents a pound placed on tea in the
interest of the tea grown in South
Carolina This being the last of the
amendments to the schedules 10 be
proposed while the tariff bill is be-
fore the Senate in Committee OF the
Whole, there was much interest in
its progress and much desire to force