The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-10-23
w. 4. BLOUNT TO THE
PEOPLE OF. FLORIDA

made, and not to protect, as the pres
/ ent tariff does, almost exclusively,
northern products, in which the man
ufacturer's profit at times reaches as
| much as 66 % per cent.
Tariff Free Raw Materials.
I am in favor of tariff free raw ma
ter1Rls, which do not enter into pro-
tected manufactured products When
material is free, and a manufactured
product into which It enters protected.
the manufacturer gets the benefit, but
the labOreT or consumer gets none.
1t Is quite difficult, for instance, for
any one except a sectional partisan to
see why cotton, q southern product
should be admitted free, when articles
manufactured fgom cotton, and jute
bagging and iron ties, used in connec-
ton with the cotton and largely north
ern products, are protected by a tariff
The whole object of the tariff
should be to produce revenue for the
purposes Of government economically
administered, and in carrying out this
purpose, believe that the distribution
OF burdens and benefits can be so
made as to protect the manufacturer
in legitimate and reasonable profits
the laborer from cheap labor cOmpe-
tition, and at the same time, furnish
to the consumer articles at reasonably
low prices, and not at high prices,
aTtihcially created by tariff protec-
ton.
Income Tax.
3. think that the sixteenth
amendment proposed by congress to
the constitution of the United States
should be ratified so that the federal
government may be given the power
TO levy an income tax. In the levyingI
OF such tax. small incomes should be
exempt, and only the larger ones
taxed. Such tax is the fairest, be-
cause it taxes the actual benefit re-
ceived from labor or property, and
not labor or property itself, which
may be unproductive, and because II
subjects to the burdens IF the govern
ment a large portion of wealth which
now does not contribute in anyWise TO
such burdens. I favor such tax for
the reason that it is the fairest
method of taxation, and because the
revenue to be derived from IT will
prevent the republican party, and
other believers in a high tariff. from
using the necessity for raising money
as an excuse for the perpetuation of
such tariff. IL the revenue were not
needed for governmental purposes, or
if the want Of revenue did not fur
for the oppression of the consumer BY
highly protective tariff duties, I would
think that the federal government
should not impose such tax, but that
II should leave to the states the use
Of income taxes to raise revenue for
the states uses. The tax is a direct
tax upon the citizens of the states,
and should be reserved for the pur
poses Of the states, but for the fact
that the foregoing strong reasons
exist for requiring its use by the fed
eral government.
Regulation of Interstate Railroads.
4. I am in favor Of the regulation
of interstate railroads through the IN
terstate commerce commission and
for that purpose, of giving that com
mission all OF the powers, not judicial,
necessary for that regulation. The
apparently unavoidable conflicts be-
tween the railroads and their patrons, |
necessitate a strong, but conservative !
body to determine and enforce the |
rights between them. This body, the |
interstate commerce commission, |
should have broad and liberal powers. |
but we'll defined, in order that their /
acts may be dictated by law. and not /
by caprice nor discrimination. Such /
powers should embrace the right to /
determine the reasonableness of in
terstate rates, passenger and freight, !
but subject to the constitutional right |
to resort to the courts to prevent a /
cOnfisCatiOn Of property by the fixing
of unreasonably low rates. The PEG
pie have the right to the best and
cheapest service from their servants
the railroads, compatible with the
rights of the railroads to earn a fair
on the actual value Of their
involved in such service. A
greater rate than this would violate
the rights Of the public, and a lesser
rate would violate the rights OF the
railroads, and by unduIy Iessening
their incomes, prevent them from
giving good service to the people, and
paying good wages to their employees.
Over capitalization of Corporations. !
,. l am in favor of the enactment
of such laws as NAV be within the
power of the federal government to
prevent the veT-CapitalizatiOn of
public service corporations, so that
the public NAV not be made to pay
prices and rates based upon fictitious
values, and so that the large body of
investors in stock Of such corpora
tiOns may not be misled TO their
prejudice and loss, All corporations
exercising public franchises have a
right to fair and reasonable returns
upon their actual investments but not