Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-04-12

working girl or the WOrhluB WoiA1e,h
feels the national taxes in the shape
of an Increased cost of living. These
taxes Increase the cost of food, drink,
clothes, houses, hardware, furniture,
carpets, shoes, glass. paints, and a
thousand other things, including rent.
Taxed Regardless of Benefits.
This system of raising money to
| support an army, navy and govern
ment has always seemed to me unjust,
because it is like taxing the people of
the country-men, women and chill
dren-so much per person, regardless
of the benefits they receive from the
government and regardless of their
ability to pay.
1.-THE income tax offered one means
of remedying this evil. Every demo
crat in congress and many progressive
republicans were ready TO insert an
! income tax provision in the tariff law.
In the senate the democrats and pro-
gressive republicans developed an out
spoken and admitted majority in favor
of an income tax. 1t became evident
| that such a provision would be incor-
porated in the tariff law unless extra
ordinary measures were taken to pre-
vent it. These extraordinary meas
ures we're taken by President Taft.
"They came in the shape of special
message from the president to con-
gress on June 16 of last year, recon-
mending against incorporating an in
come tax in the tariff act but instead
to incorporate a small tax on the net
incomes of corporations. AS a special
reason for the pass6Se of this act, Pres
| ident Taft urged that II would enable
not only the government, but the pub
| lie, to get an annual report from each
corporation and thus secure full knowl-
edge of the real business transactions,
gains and profits of every corporation
in the country. This, he said, would
be valuable step toward the super
vision and control of the corporations.
SUbterfuge Effective.
1.-THE subterfuge was effective. The
friends of the income tax in the senate
found that enough votes had been
won by the presidents recommenda-
ton to make it impossible for them to
incorporate the income tax clause in
the tariff act, and it was in that way
defeated. BY this same subterfuge
also the inheritance tax, which had
been adopted by the house at the pres
ident's recommendation, was elimina-
ted That was less than one year ago.
What, now, has become of this device
which was used to defeat not only the
inheritance tax, but also the income
tax?
The first thing that happened to it
was that it was attacked in court, and
within a few weeks we shall know
whether the tax it imposes is constitu-
tional or not.
THE next thing is this attack on its
publicity provision. The proposed
amendment will lock up the informa-
ton given by the corporations so 1t
shall only be made public upon order
of the president himself The presi-
dent is given exclusive information
about corporations. which he can use,
if desired, for political purposes.
Not Ready to Give Aid.
81 am not ready, by killing the pub
licity clause, to help this administra-
ton out of hole. 1t has used it's cor
publicity provision, as weapon to kill
the income tax and the inheritance tax.
I am not ready now to help it emascu-
late the corporation law by taking out
of it the vital essential of publicity
which the president at that time ad-
vised the house of representatives and
the senate was the important consid-
Grafton for it's passage"