The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-02-19
BAILEY SPEAKS At COLUMBIA,
TEXAS SENATOR ADDRESSES THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Large Audience Hears Mr.. Bailey's
Argument i'm Favor of a Federal In
come Tax, and His Appeal for the
Adoption OF the Constitutional
Amendment Prepared by Him.


great audience in the State House to-
night to hear the Hon. Joseph w.
Bailey, Of Ucxas The floor and the
galleries were crowded, and everyone
was on the qui vive to hear the dis
tinguished Texan. BY resolution Of
the General Assembly Senator Bailey
had been invited to address the Leg
islature on the income tax, because
he has been a pronounced advocate
Of the income tax.
Senator Bailey expressed his pleas
ure in being here, and his gratifica-
ton at the invitation. He set right in
to discuss the question and starting
with the tariff explained that some
thing had to be done to lift the bur-
den Of taxation from the poor man.
and the Incline tax was the only way
the burden can be lifted. 1t Is simply
a question of lifting the burden from
the poor, and making those able to
pay to, do SO. The question is wheth-
er the money needed should be raised
by protective tariff or by an income
tax He did not favor taxing all
things alike. If he could do so he
would tax silk. He would exempt CAL
leo. because those who use calico are
not able to buy better than calico. He
would tax silk because those who use
silk are better able to pay tax. He
would make the tax highest in those
articles that indicate ability to spend
abundantly.
Ha addressed his auditors as his
countrymen. He compared the mil
lionaire Who spends his money abroad
and argued that such a millionaire
did not spend cent towards the Fed
eral government. The poor mechanic
who buys plug Of tobacco contrib
utes more to the government than
many of these millionaires who marry
abroad and pay no taxes to the gov
ernment.
He them pounded William Waldorf
Astor, and said Astor's property is in
New York. He left his money here
to work for him, and he spends his
earnings abroad. He would not take
tho property, but he would make him
pay taxes on his million dollar in
come for the government. The former
pays the tax on nothing. He did not
attack men because they disagreed
with him. He does not believe in
abusing brother Democrats who diff
fer with him.
The first obtction is that it in
creases the power of the Federal Gov
ernment. If that be true it would be
serious. The Federal Government
now possesses ampln power to tax in
comes. The Supreme Court simply
decided that If Congress wanted an
income tax 1t must apportion it
among the several States in accord
ance with population. The Court has
held that the income tax is valid, hut
1t must be upon a basis Of population
The constitutional amendment seeks
to corract this disproportion. Under
the new amendment every man would
pay tre same upon the same income
wherever located. He wanted to
know where there is South Carolina
Democrat who would not be in favor
Of an equal tax rather than making
this State pay fifteen times as much
as New York, for instance.
Senator BaiEy said he was real
old-time Democrat, who still quoted
Jackson and Calhoun. He still be-
lieved 1t Is better to be free than it is
to be rich. 1t Is not true that such
an amendment would abridge the
rights of State No change but one
is proposed, and that is that the in
come tax should be levied upon wealth
rather than population. The present
Constitution permits an income tax
based on population rather than Is
proposed it shall be upon the basis Of
walth. Everything the State can do
or tax now it can do and tax after this
amendment Is adopted. All this am
endment proposes Is to substitute the
ruIe Of uniformity for the rule Of
population. He insisted that under
present conditions there is now ample
authority to levy an income tax. He
could readily see how a man can
favor a national income tax and op-
pose a State income tax. He believed
the income tax was the fairest tax ever
yet devised. If we can keep up high
priced cotton and bring the cotton
mills down here this section will be
the richest section in the world.
1t is only question if they do not