The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1910-03-02

Senator Root Says Il Would Be Cause
For Regret If the Amendment Were
Rejected by New York - He Doe.
Not Find In It Any Meaning That
Caused Governor Hughes Objection.
Why New York State Would Have
to Pay Such Large Part.
Albany. March With no com
ment in the senate and but word or
two following its reading in the as.
Eembly the letter of United States
Senator Root to State Senator Fred.
rick NJ Davenport taking issue with
Governor Hughes On the Taft federal
income tax was read in both houses
of the legislature last night.
Senator Davenport read the letter to
the senate and Clerk Smith in the
lower house. The letter was referred
to the judiciary committees of both
houses and ordered printed
In the assembly Minority Leader
Frisbie said he was glad such an EN-.
inent Republican would so strongly ar.
que a principle of the Democratic
party Assemblyman James Oliver
said he was just as good a Democrat
as Mr.. Frisbie but could not agree
with the "masterful English of the
junior United States senator"
Senator Root says in part:
Much as | respect the opinion of
the governor of the state, cannot
agree with the view expressed in his
special message Of Jan. 8, and as |
advocated in the senate the resolu-
tion to submit the proposed amend
ment, it seems appropriate that !
should state my view of its effect.
Objection Made to Amendment.
The objection made to the amend
ment is that this will confer upon
the national government the power to
tax incomes derived from bonds is
sued by the states or under the au-
thority of the states, and will place
the borrowing capacity Of the state
and its governmental agencies at the
mercy of the federal taxing power.
10 not find in the amendment any
such meaning or effect. | do not con-
slider that the amendment in any de-
gree whatever will enlarge the tax
ing power of the national government
or will have any effect except to re-
lieve the exercise of that taxing pow
er from the requirement that the tax
shall be apportioned among the sew
eral states.
1t would be cause for regret If the
amendment were rejected by the leg
islature OF New York
Spirit of Broad National Patriotism.
1t is said that very large part of
any income tax under the amendment
would be paid by citizens of New
York. That is undoubtedly true,
but there is all the more reason why
our Legislature should take special
care to exclude every narrow and sell
fish motive from influence upon its
action and should consider the pro-
posal in a spirit of broad national
patriotism and should act upon it for
the best interests of the whole coun-
try.
The main reason why the citizens
of New York will pay so large part
of The tax is that New York city is the
chief financial and commercial center
of a great country with vast resources
and industrial activity. For many
years Americans engaged in develop
ing the wealth of all parts of the
country have been going to New York
to secure capital and market their Sc
curities and to buy supplies. Thous-
ands of men who have amassed fort.
unes in all sorts of enterprises in
other states have gone to New York
to live because they like the life of
the city or because their distant en-
terprises require representation at
the financial center.
The incomes of New York are in a
great measure derived from the coun-
try at large. A continual stream of
wealth sets toward the great city from
the mines and manufactures and rail
roads outside of New York. The
United States is no longer a mere
group of separate communities EN-
braced in political union; it has be.
come a product of organic growth,
vast industrial organization covering |
and including the whole country; and
the relation of New York city to the
whole organization of which 1t is a |
part is the great source of her wealth |
and the chief reason why her citizens
will pay SO great part of an income |
tax We have the wealth because be
hind the city stands the country. We
ought to he willing to share the bur !
dens of the national government in
lhe same proportion in which we share
its benefits.