The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-02-10
'BORAH IS
PERSONAL
Points Out Governor
Hughes a Man of
DupIicity

! w fcD. -otlldNOi " ~
liam E. Borah. OF Idaho. took occas'
ION in the senate today to attack the
! position of those who oppose accept
anco bS the several states of the pro
posed amendment TO the Constitution
OF the United States which would
permit the lcvying of a tax on in
comes without apportionment between
the states.
Incidentally. the senator paid his
respects to Governor Hughes. OF New
York. including him by inference
among those who profess to he In
favor of an income tax but oppose
practical measures which would per
nit its enforcement His alluslon
was. of course, to Governor Hughes
annual message TO the New York
state Legislature. urging defeat OF the
proposed amendment on the ground
that Its language might be so con-
Strued as to authorize congress TO tax
incomes derived from state and mu-
1lcipnl bonds.
Senator Borah pictured the mind Of
the public as In a state OF suspicion
and discomfort toward the govern
ment. and declared that the people
could not much longer be withheld
from radical action. II taxation were
continued In protection of wealth and
In exemption OF incomes which sus-
tain luxury and breed idleness and
idiocy." The senator said In sub
stance.
THE history of the income tax
since 1891 has not been one which
any citizen can recite with pride,
Of
struction as established by the men
who helped to write the constitution
had received the approval of an un-
divided court time and time again
During this period there sat upon the
bench OF the supreme court some of
the greatest lawyers of that or any
other period of this OF any other coun-
try During this period the wealth
of this country had not become so
domIneerlne. so powerful so deter
mined 10 have its own way. During
this period, therefore. we had, under
tho constitution, the right TO impose
a part OF the tax upon wealth and
part upon consumption and We did So.
"In 1894 and 1895 these prece
dents were overturned; this constitu-
tion received an Interpretation un-
known to It's makers In the face of
two most powerful dissenting opin-
ions TO which two other judges as
sented. the humiliatlng and astound-
ing doctrine was announced that the
makers of the republic had hedGed
wealth about so that the taxing pow
ers of the government could not reach
it even In time of war; that the
n lNon1
on equality and justice had made 1t
impossible to divide the burdens OF
government between consumption and
large class of gathered wealth Last
session Of this body we were called
upon to ratlfy and declare by express
act our assent TO that Interpretation
Under this proposed amendment to
remedy this supposed hideous defect
In the fundamental law.
Now the scheme and plan Is to de-
feat the amendment Having as Il
law making body Solemnly accepted
this construction of the constitution,
thereby making 1t impracticablc again
to appeal to the courts, if this amend
ment can be defeated this, the gov
ernment OF the people, Tor the peo-
pie and by the people. Will stand
alone among all the civilized nations
OF the earth shorn OF the power to
tax that form of wealth best able to
bear the burdens of government
That Is the scheme and plan. and
such men as the great governor OF
New York is giving them great aid
and comfort Men say with great fer
yor of patriotism. II am in favor OF
this power being given to the govern
ment TO be used at least In time OF
war" and straightway proceed to help
refeat the amendment. II those who
are the real enemies of this measure
would come into the open It's friends
could deal with them far more sue
ccssfully.
"Mr. President, no one ever saw
this country in just the condition 1t is
to-day. Never since this government
Was launched has there been such a
restless spirit among the great mass
of the people. such ugly questioning.
such doubling"