The Cairo bulletin., 1910-02-11
DEcLAREs'lT IS WHAT THE POOR
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
PRAYING FOR.
REACHES WEALTHY ONES
And EquaIizes bufdeh-upholds Gov
ernment's Right to Levy
the Proposed
Tay

| washington, Feb. 10.-A feature or
| today's session of the senate was a
speech by 'Eorah, controverting Gov
ernor Hughes contention that the pro-
posed income tax amendment to the
constitution would not affect the tax
on state Securities.
At the conclusion of Borah's speech
| Brown expressed hope that the amend
Imeut will be favorably acted upon in
the states regardless of its effect on
1.-THE salaries of state officers and state
securities. He thought that the fact
that the amendment makes no excep-
tion in favor of anyone might com
tmend it to the public
I BoRAh'S SPEECH.
Washington. Feb. 1o.-Senator Will
liam e. Borah, of Idaho, took occa,
sion in the senate today to attack the
position of those who oppose accept
ance by the several tsates of the pro.
posed amendment to the constitution
of the United States which would per-
NIT the levying of a tax on incomes
without apportionment between the
states.
The senator declared that the peo-
pie could not much longer be with.
held from radical action if taxation
were continued in protection of
wealth and in exemption of incomes
which sustain luxury and breed idle
nes and idiocyH
You can defeat this amendment,
In view of the class of men who are
Joining the crusade against it | think
you win defeat it. The forces which
propose to encompass its defeat WITH
not stop on the hither side of the most
disreputable methods to accomplish
their purpose. But when the people
learn what you have really done, the
manner in which this has been ma
nipulated, it will so far toward eX-
citing to renewed force that feeling
of wrath, of clean hatred already to
strong among us. 1t will do much 10
foster disrespect for and breed dis
loyalty to the government. Wen
those who are Ill able to meet the
burdens of government see it's enor-
nous expenditures continue to in
crease, larger armies and larger
navies, increased burdens everywhere
and learn Furthermore that all this
must be met by tax on consumption
IL tuh a: In
and breed idlenes and idiocy go un-
| taxed they will have little mercy with
you in the hour in which you must
plead with them against radical
changes in the government. do not
know how long we can deal with a
patient people in this way But ven,
ture to prophecy not much longer.
II hope therefore the governors
and legislatures of this country will
be brave enough to do their duty In
this matter 1t is time the people i'll
this broad land bestir themselves
upon this vital question before it is
too late to do So 1t would be moth.
ing less than catastrophe if this
amendment should be defeated, if we
are going also to be cut off from an
| appeal to the court. This is in every
sense the peoples fight" Senator
Borah outlined his conclusion as fol
| lows:
THAT the proposed amendment
adds nothing to the taxing power of
| the national government. This power
was complete, unfettered, plenary, be.
fore. 1t can be no more than that
should the proposed amendment be
adopted.
2-The proposed amendment does
not deal or propose to deal with the
question Of power which is already
complete but simply with the manner
and method of its exercise and use
of that power
3-No one has ever questioned the
power of the national government to
lay an income tax for as was said
by Justice White. the quetsion has al
ways been whether an admittedly
unlimited power to tax has been used
according to the instruction as to
method" and it was to remedy the
method alone that the amendment
was submitted
4--The words from whatever
source" add nothing 10 the force of
the amendment. 1t would, in constl-
tutional parlance, be just the same
If it said to lay and collect taxes
on incomes without apportionment'
for who could then say that you would
not have the right TO lay taxes upon
Iall incomes. The present taxing
power would not be particle
Istronger If it said to lay and collect
taxes upon all property from what
ever source.
| 5-To construe the proposed amend
ment so as to enable lis to tax the