The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1911-04-14
new TAXES NECESSARY


Washington Representative Burle
son of Texas has introduced a budg-
ct of tariff legislation bills provid-
ing that many articles be placed on
the free list, including leather, hides,
boots and shoes, harness, wire nails
of wrought iron or steel, salt, cotton
bagging, gunny cloth and other
articles" Measures on the same
general line are being proposed by
other Democrats. If enacted this
legislation would cut down the rev
enues to the extent of tens of mil
lions of dollars. All these tariff re
ductlon bills are in harmony with
Democratic ideas. One Of their
recent national platforms said that
"protectonis1 is robbery" and the
people who believe any such asser
ton as this ought to be expected to
sweep "protectionism" away when
ever they get an opportunity. The
Democrats evidently believe that the
opportunity has arrived to put their
doctrine into practice. They have
the House, and if they gain few
insurgents over to their side they
will control the Senate.
But where do the Democrats sup
pose the government could get
money enough to pay its bills if all
these sources of income were cut
off? Perhaps they think the treas
ury has surplus now. In the pre-
sent style Of bookkeeping there is
an apparent surplus of about So, ,ooo,-
600 for the fiscal year thus far, but
this omits from the calculation the
payments which have been made on
the Panama Canal. Counting in
these payments, as was done form
erly, there would be a deficit of
about SIS, 900, 900 for the nine
months and one week of the fiscal
year. This shortage probably will
be reduced somewhat between now
and the end of the year, on June 80,
but the treasury will not be in po
sition to spare any of the present
sources of revenue. Had it not
been for the corporation tax, which
was. placed as a rider on the Payne
tariff of 1909, and which yields
about $4,000, 900 year, the de-
ficit would be larger than it is now.
But even as it is at present, Uncle
Sam has no cash to spare. The
Legitimate needs of the government
are bound to grow. All the econ
omies which have any chance of
adoption are not likely to reduce the
annual outlay much below that Of
the figure of the past year or two.
Do the Democrats want to COM
pei the enactment of an income tax
Just as soon as the proposed amend
ment is adopted, if it should be
adopted? Apparently they do. 10
suggesting the amendment, the pres
to give the government
power to draw on prolific source
of revenue in such crisis as civil
or foreign war, and this was true
of most of those in Senate and
House who voted to submit the
matter to the states for ratification
or rejection. But he Democrats
seem to be anxious to get tax OF
this kind levied in time or peace.
United States Circuit Judge George
Gray of Delaware. one of the leading
spirits In the Democratic party of
fe yeals ago, whose name was often
coupled with the Democratic presi-
Dental candidacy, in letter just
printed, makes strong argument
against the proposed tax. Although
he favors such an impost on Prlnci'
pie. he says that the projected
is too sweeping to be
safe. The clause which makes the
tax applicable to all sorts of income.
"from whatever source derived,
would attack the revenue collecting
power of the states, and would be a
menace to the credit of states and
cities. On this and other grounds