Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1909-09-30
The INCOME TAXI
Republican Congress Adopts piarh of
the Democratic National Platform.
Forecast OF Result, by Ex-riaYor
James X. NcGuire, of Syracuse, N.
", in the National f1OnthIy.

The income tax is necessary at the
present time. and has been needed
for the past twenty years, as part of
our national system of taxation, be-
cause through the national taxation
of incomes is afforded the surest
means of reaching property which,
in part, escapes taxation under the
present system of government finan-
cling.
While there are numerous objec-
tions to the methods of enforcing the
income tax, which methods are neces-
sarily disagreable and inquisitorial
| it is also true that all forms and
methods of collecting taxes are at
tended with disagreeable circum-
stances.
A man with an income of five
thousand or Cne hundred thor Jand
dollars per annum ought to oe in
favor OF the income tax, and be per-
fectly willing to pay to the govern
ment in d most cheerful manner, Il
percentage of an income, which he
only secures through the protection
OF wise and beneficent government.
Much of the ill-feeling and the
class feeling which exists in this
country, is due to the popular belief
! that the burden Of government falls
in unfair proportions on the backs of
the poor, of all others, least able to
! bear the burden.
The income tax is not so easily
shifted as are the taxes on mortgages
and real estate and other forms of
! personal property. 1t is fairer tax
than most taxes, because it proposes
to tax the individual in accordance
with his ability to bear the cost of
government, and in that sense is in
! tended to be equitable. Personally
am in favor of graduated income
tax, and go so far as to believe that
! fully ten or fifteen per cent of large
| incomes SHOuIu De pau over 10 lue
commonwealth and the government,
thus greatly reducing the burden OF
taxation now borne by people with
small incomes. The so-called ultim-
etc consumer, who finds himself out
ragged by the Aldrich Tariff taxes,
must not forget that the principal
excuse for the Aldrich bill rested in
the cry that the government must
have more revenue. Now, that we
have reached the point of billion
dollar Congress, it follows that when
tariff taxes on imports are most pro-
hibitory against certain lines Of
goods the imports fall off; and the
revenues are reduced and thus the
government is driven to adopt other
means of raising national revenues.
There is no denying the fact that the
income tax aims to tax those best
able to bear the burdens of govern
ment.
A curious, yet not entirely un-
usual circumstance in politics, was
the act of Republican Congress,
taking out of the National Democratic
platform of 1908 the income tax
plank, and adopting that plank ac-
tually as it's own, and the reading of
that plank is peculiarly interesting
at this time. I'VE favor an income
tax as part of our revenue system,
and we urge the submission of a
constitutional amendment specifcal-
ly authorizing Congress to levy and
collect a tax upon individual and
corporate incomes to the end that
wealth may bear its proportionate
share of the burdens of the federal
government"
There is little doubt, but that all
of the Southern states will adopt the
amendment. At the present time the
Democracy of Georgia is reactionary,
but our opinion is that there is much
popular discussion relative to the ac-
tion of the Legislature in postponins
the vote on the amendment, and the
real Democrats of Georgia are con-
! trasting the betrayal of the national
platform with the unanimous reso-
, luton of both houses of the adjoin-
ing state of Alabama, voting for the
= amendment of the constitution. The
| a tNpr ,Str "
tain states will vote almost unani-
{ mously for the amendment. The
hattie will he lively in such states as