Daily Arizona silver belt., 1910-02-11
Idaho Senator Pours Forth Vials of Wrath Against
 Proposed Measure
TAKES CRACK AT
 GOVERNOR HUGHES
Says History of Proposition Has Left Bad Taste in
 Mouth of People

| Senator William E. BOrah of Idaho, took occasion in the senate today to at- tack the position of those who oppose acceptance by the several states Of the proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States which would per init the levying of tax on incomes with out apportionment between the states. Incidentally the senator paid his re- | spects to Governor Hughes of New fork, including him by inference among ! those who protess to be in favor of an | income tax but oppose practical mea- sureS which would permi its enforce ment. His allusion was of course 10 | Governor Hughes annual message to the New York state legislature urging defeat of the proposed amendment Oh the ground that it's language might be | so construed as to autnoTlZe congress l to tax incomes derived from state and municipal bonds.
 Senator Borah pictured the mind of l the public as in a state of suspicion and discomfort toward the government and declared that the people could not much longer be withheld from radical action if taxation were continued in protection of wealth and in exemption of tin comes which sustain luxury and breed idleness and idiocy.'
 The senator said in substance:
 History Unsavory
 "The history of the income tax since | 1894 has not been one which any citi. zen can Teeite with pride. For a hun dred years rule of construction as established by the men who helped to write the constitution has received the | approval of an undivided court time and tune 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 or any other country. During this period the l wealth of this country had not become so domineering, so powerful, so deter mined to have it's own way. During this period, therefore, we had under the constitution the right to impose part | of the tax upon wealth and part up- ! on consumption and We did so.
 |" In 1894 and 1895, these precedents were overturned, this constitution re- ceived an interpretation unknown to its makers. In the face of the two most l powerful dissenting opinions to which two other judges assented, the humili- ating and astounding doctrine was an | nounced that the makers of the repub- | lie had hedged wealth about so that The taxing powers of the government couid | not reach it even in tune of war; that | the founders of government based | upon equality and justice had made 1t impossible to divide the burdens of gov. ! ernment between consummation and a large class of gathered wealth. Last | session of this body We were called upon to ratify and declare by express act our | assent to that interpretation. Under the rule of the majority We did so. We submitted this proposed amendment to remedy this supposed hideous defect Tn the fundamental law.
 Would Defeat Constitution
 "Now the scheme and plan is to de. feat the amendment. Having as law making body solemnly accepted tbis construction of the constitution, there by making it impraeticable again to ap- peal to the court, if this amendment can be defeated this, the government Of the people, for the people 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 gov ernment.
 "That is the scheme and plan, and such men as the great governor of New York is giving them great aid and com fort. Men say with great fervOr of 4 c. ,r. .f I, CT being given to the government to be used at least in time of war, and straightway help to defeat the amend ment. If those who are the real enc. mics of the measure would come into the open it's friends could deal with them far more successfully.
 MT. President, TO one ever saw this country in just the condition it is to- day. Never since this government was launched has there been such restless spirit among the great mass of the peo pie, such ugly questioning, such persist. ent inquiry. No part of the govern ment seems to escape challenge or crit icism, and it is fast becoming popular to scoff at the constitution itself. An unquiet, dissatisfied, suspicious public mind is the public mind of today. Will Defeat Measure
 "You can defeat this amendment. Ir view of the class of men who are join ing the crusade against it, think you
 will defeat it. The forces which pro pose to encompass it's defeat will not stop on the hither side of the most dis reputable methods to accomplish theil purpose. But when the people learl what you have really done, the manne in which this has been manipulated, i will go far toward exciting to renewed force that feeling of wrath, of clas hatred already too strong among us. l will do much to foster disrespect fo