The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-03-31
1trnlont 0Matrhntan.
MORRILL, ON THE INCOME TAX.

Senator justin >. MOrrlll gave W
George Alfred Townsend, well
known newspaper correspondent,
while the Wilson tariff bill was pend
ing in Congress the Vermont states
man said: "They (the Democrats)
may be tempted to try an income tax,
and this, think, ought never to
done in any country, except to meet
the expenses of war We should
not tax incomes until there is a dire
necessity, and if we do we shall have
exhausted the last resort"
This opinion should not be forgot
ten when Vermonters make up their
minds whether their representatives In
the Legislature next fall shall ac-
cept or reject the proposed Sixteenth
Amendment to the Constitution of the
United States, permitting this levying
of taxes on incomes without the pres
ent restrictions This paper has de-
clared its willingness to support an
income tax amendment permitting the
levyng of such a system OF taxation
only in time of war, but If the truth
were known the more ardent support
ers of the income tax are thinking
great deal more about the use in
times of peace for internal improve
ments in the West and South of the
revenue derived than in using the
tax for national defence. The action
of those sections of the country to-
ward the East, where the most of the
revenue is expected to be raised, is
shown in the attitude of Western men
in Congress in delaying session after
session, the passage of the bill estab-
fishing an Appalachian forestry re-
serve, Notwithstanding all the mil
lions that have gone into Western re-
clamation schemes.
Does a dire necessity exist de-
handing extraordinary methods of
taxation? Happily no war exists and
there is no indication of war. If de-
felt exists in our revenue it could be
changed to surplus by retrenching
a little in some OF our expenditures.
A correspondent of the Barton Mon
itor, however, says
Congress has passed tariff act de-
signed to wiring the last dollar OF tax
from the limp fabric of trade. No ad-
ditional resource of public revenue
presents itself. In the face OF this
tile government closed the year with
Lot - t.t.1
the year before 1t was fifty-eight MIL
lions. Without additional taxing pow
er and an increased revenue our gov
eminent is headed for a cataclysm,
and that in the midst of industrial
activity and worldwide peace, save
for the manoeuverings of few In
surgent' congressman.
This paper does not consider the
Payne tariff act as the best possible
kind Of revenue measure, but with
the enlarged free list provided the
assertion that it is designed to wiring
the last dollar of tax from the limp
fabric of trade is absurdly incorrect
and reads like an extract from the
peroration of a speech by George
Fred Williams before Vermont Dem
ocratic State convention, or a key
note editorial by Henry Watterson
denouncing "the painted harlot of
protection"
Are we without additional taxing
power? Does no additional source
Of revenue present itself? Is our Gov
eminent headed for a cataclysm? Cat
aclysms usually do not wait for gov
ernments or anything else to head for
them, but do their own heading; how
ever, as the minister said regarding
a high sounding phrase used in a pray
er made during parish call, It's a
big word and will please the boys"
AZ a matter of fact many millions
of revenue might be raised by taxes
on tea and coffee, higher taxes on
liquors and tobacco, and by the impo-
sition of stamp duties, method en-
ployed during the SpanishAmerican
War;
No emergency exists calling for the
levying of an income tax, but if the
power were given to Congress to draw
upon such a source of taxation it
would not, in all probability long re-
main unused. If the power to levy a
tax on incomes not apportioned ac-
cording to population as direct taxes
must now be levied, is desired solely
as an emergency measure for use in
tine of war, why was this restriction
omitted from the amendment?
The proposed amendment should be
rejected and if power is desired for
raising additional revenue in the re-
mote contingency of war let an
amendment be drawn that does not
permit the dangerous power of tax
ing incomes from whatever source
derived" but that specifies in so many
words that the system is to be EN-
ployed only in time Of war. Then
there is likely to be no serious diff
fculty in securing ratification.
Senator Morrill's opinion on the in
come tax, as on most governmental
problems, was. safe and sane. Fol-
nearly half century Vermont found
him a wise and prudent counsellor
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