The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-17

the taxpayers or the revenue of the
government; and that. if an income tax
should be levied sufficiently large to
meet the current expenses Of the gov
eminent, and. at the same time, care
for the present deficit the people at
large will thereby obtain no relief. be-
cause such tax on the income of the
wealthy will be more than compensated
for by the protection afforded their
business interests by means of a pro-
hibitive tariff, thus further raising the
price Of the home product to the con-
sumner and increasing the price of Nv
ing.
Aside from the periods of our wars,
this government. so far. has been able
to support itself by the revenue de-
rived from tariff tax: and all 7ublic
officers and politicians have made it a
tenet that that was the proper method
for raising governmental revenue.
That means still subsists; but political
extravaganza and party corruption and
dishonesty have so far increased our
expenditures as to be no longer met by
that means after favorings and project
ing the special interests of the few. The
revenue from the tariff. if fairly and
decently adjusted, would still be suffi-
cient to meet the legitimate require
ments of the government.
The congress, thus failing to hon
estIy use an adequate means of taxa
ton, I am opposed TO granting that
body any moro power. especially when
am suspicious that it is sought only
for the purpose of abuse also.
Under the constitution Of the United
States, the congress can only exercise
those powers expressly granted by the
states or the people; and, when once
granted these powers are SO hedgCd,
that, irrespective of the will of the pep
pie in after years, they find 1t impossi-
BILE, so far as the action of the congress
is concerned, no matter what the emer-
gency. to have any of these powers re-
- Ttr1czf ra7 fqn
long and universal demand for the
election of United States senators by
direct vote of the people
This is tyranny, plain and single,
and on that ground, also oppose the
granting of any more powers to our
tyrant, the congress.
The states have the undoubted right
to tax incomes, else they could not part
with it and confer 1t upon the con-
greSS; the states should retain this in
herent right, and use it as an asset for
taxation for their own revenues. as d
legitimate income for the maintenance
of their educational institutions, good
roads and many other local, Internal
Improvements, and not part with it TO
swell the revenue for national extravd-
gance in the way of federal patronage
and political greed
Let the people be wise. and retain
and exercise the right and power OF
the states to tax incomes, and I will
add inheritances also. By so doing.
they will compel the congress to !
legitimate exercise Of the power of tax
alton which it now has, and, at the
same time, compel the governmental
expenditures to be kept within the
bounds of honesty and decency.
If the people are fools. they will part
with this right, this principle, this lib
erty, and thus add one more weight to
their already heavy burden
The ease and the enthusiasm with
which the people part with their rights
and their liberties is what gave rise to
that school of philosophy which con-
tends that slavery IS the natural condi-