The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-25
Defeat Income Tax.

Defeat Income Tax
The Sioux City Tribune has discovered d
id conspiracy in the Democratic party to def
he income tax amendment for a wicked purpt
1t points ont that Virginia and Georgia IN
lsing to ratify acted in defiance of oft repea
lodges of the Democratic party and then goes
say:
Devotion to states rights and unwill-
ingness to surrender the income taxing
power to the federal government are the
ostensible reasons assigned for the action
of the two legislatures. Doubtless these
arguments had weight with some men
who voted in the negative; but there IS Il
deeper reason, and one which goes vitality
to the character Of the democratic party
of latter-day days. 1t is one which may
well cause progressively inclined men to
hesitate before they aid in turning the
government over to such a party
1.-The democrats number within their
ranks as large a reactionary element as do
the republicans This element manifests
itself in the open alliance between pred
atory wealth and the mercenary demo-
cratic machines Of New York and Boston,
and it is conspicuous by its control OF
PARTY affairs in several southern states,
of which Georgia and Virginia are leading
examples
Both of these states are under the
dominion of railroad corporations. Only
last year Georgia elected an avowed rail
road democrat TO the governorship. The
candidate was man who had been re-
moved from the state railroad commls-
sionership by Governor Hoke Smith be-
cause of his open friendship for railroad
interests. Virginia keeps in the United
States Senate railroad attorney in the
person of Thomas S. Martin. who defeated
the gallant Fitzhugh Lee for the position.
The old arstocratic south, in many re-
spects, is as reactionary on the question
of the right Of wealth to rule the nation
as in former days it was on slavery.
Before a democratic congress is elect
ed these facts ought to be taken into con-
sideration. The south dominates the coun-
ellis of the party. In any democratic con-
gress it would hold the balance of power,
and by combining the eastern democracy,
# would be invincib1e. The unmistakab1e
signs of friendship for privilege shown
by many southern statesmen constitute
strong argument against returning their
party to power.
And SO the secret is out And so the plot
,posed The Virginia Legislature and
eorgia Legislature set their faces against
because it is a tax on wealth and
nth is now in league with the powers OF darkn
establish an oligarchy of wealth, the counterp
the Slave Holders Trust in days gone by.
II is a phase of the subject that had not occur
us The stump speech Of the Sioux City ora
rs the ring of the harangue OF an abolition
fore the war But the case against the State
irginia is hardly proven by the Sioux City sleu
he amendment was favored by the Senate,
,postion came from the House where memb
@ supposed to be little closer to the people
rye the plain people, as Mr.. Bryan calls the
IAN the members of the Senate. And as
,nator Martin. he is heartily in favor of t
nendment and used his influence in its beh
hen the question was under discussion in
legislature We assure our western contempora
at its fears arc groundless far as Virginia
ncerned This state has been completely pacif
Id has no designs upon the general governme