Gainesville daily sun., 1909-08-07
OLLIE JAMES ON INCOME TAX.

This battle. Mr.. Speaker, for the
income tax has just begun. We in
tend TO carry Il to the last ditch. !
sincerely trust that In every State in
the Union when a man becomes a
candidate for the Legislature or for
the Senate. whether he be Republican
or Democrat. the people will force him
To- say how he stands upon the Ques-
tiOn OF the income tax. Make him
speak either for OF against the peO-
Pile
In a much applauded speech on the
floor OF the House. Representative
Ollie NJ. James OF Kentucky thus
emphasized the determination OF the
Democrats 20 continue the l2-year
fight for an income tax until II is
finally written on the statutes.
TO my mind" declared Mr.. James,
the income tax is the most equitable
OF all systems OF taxation. Il is the
ideal way TO support the Government.
Let those who prosper little pay lit
tie. for they are least indebted TO
the Government; let those who pros
per more pay more; let those who
prosper most pay most, for certainly
they have been most blessed and are
therefore most indebted to the Gov.
ernment
Who Is prepared to defend as just
Ia system Of taxation that requires a
hod-carrier TO pay as much to support
this great Government as John d.
Rockefeller. whose fortune is so great
that IL staggers the imagination to
contemplate II and whose property Is
In every city and State In the repub.
lie and upon every sea protected by
our flag.
Who believes II Is just to say that
% farmers in my district. who. by a
life Of self-denial and unceasing toll.
have been enabled only To accumu-
late 200 acres OF land and a modest
home. who in sunshine and storm la
Dor on, who By such a life only own
in this worlds goods $1,000 each.
should pay as much taxes TO keep up |
this Government as the 23 men tho |
compose the directorate OF the New |
York City Bank. which has a controIl- |
ing financial power Of Sll 900. 600 900.
OF one-tenth OF the wealth of the
United States?
Should these men. | submit. who
as much wealth as all the
people in the States south OF Mason
and Dixon's line. pay no more taxes
to support this Government than the
% farmers in my district whose total
wealth only amount TO sll5.UU0?
How men can defend a system OF
taxation in a republic which requires
Of its poor all OF the taxes and eX-
empts the rich absolutely ! am unable
10 see.
No man can be found. Mr Speaker.
with rarest exception. who will deny
he equity Of an income tax They
argue no opposition TO IL that is
worthy, Their only refuge that have
been able TO observe Is that IL is
unconstitutional; and when they say
his they are all afraid to give the
Supreme Court another chance to pass
upon IL TO see whether that body was
wrong in sustaining an income tax
Tor 100 years. or right In holding
against II for Is years.
Il have heard II urged by some Re.
publican members that the passage OF
an income tax law would undermine
and at last destroy the protective
tariR system. This. Mr.. Speaker. Is
equivalent to saying that In order to
give a few monopolists and manufac.
turers the right to reach into the
pockets OF all the people. you have
kept the tax-satherer from reaching
INTO the pockets OF the few, the for.
lunate few, the intrenched few; but
YOU have driven the tax.gatherer to