Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1911-07-12
INCOME TAX ISSUE
IS GAINING GROUND
The People Versus the Privilege
Is its Motto
RATIFIED BY THIRTY STATES
Adjusts Itself to Fluctuations of
Commercial Fortunes

Every OOuy VINO mas looked INTO |
the history and present status OF
the Federal income tax controversy
knows that there is no issue in
volved except the one simple issue
that is sitting this Government at
the judgment seat of nations-the
issue between people and privilege.
The question in its present shape
was laid before the country by
nearly unanimous vote of the Sixty
first Congress. Thirty States have
already ratified the constitutional
amendment thus proposed by the
National Legislature. But every
thing depends upon New York. 1t
is in New York that the tide of the
battle must eventually turn, because
the hugest and most pampered for
tunes are housed here.
New York was shamefully dis
graced by the Assembly last year.
The income tax passed the Senate
then as it has now. But it was de-
feated in the Assembly by the infa-
nous treachery of the old Guard"
1t is we'll remembered how, on
that occasion, the Republican ma
chine carefully economical its mean
ness-spending no more than was
ecessary-how Assemblyman Ger
hardt and "Mtchie" Friend were
drafted at the last moment to turn
the trick AS feather weight may
turn an even scale Of tons, the ma
chine shifted these light mOrtals to
the other side, and the great cause
of the people went into the air. 1t
vas decided for the moment-by the
degraded Assembly-that the Gov
eminent of the Union cannot, even
in the most desperate crisis of its
life, 4 raft the dollars of fat pocket
books for it's defense. The machine
can tax the incomes of privilege,
but the United Sta ties cannot
The present Assembly was elected
by the revulsiOn of the people
against that Assembly. The heads
Of machine politicians are of wood
and brass, 10 be sure But how is
it possible that this Assembly can
do over again what it's predecessor
did-in such whirlwind of public
contempt?
In this battle for a principle OF
taxation the people are confronted,
not by tn opposite principle-nor
by an opposite party--but by reg
iment CT HessianS, under one party
flag or another, with the pay OF
plutocracy in their pockets and its
arbitrary taxing power at their
backs.
Those Assemblymen who follow ed
the leading of that anti-income tax
by Standard Oil lawyers, which was
laid upon every desk in the Assem-
bly, at the critical moment last SEES
sion, did not need to read it. 1t was
not addressed to their intellects
but to their stomachs and theil
fears.
1t was the double-cross Of gildeC
hoboism-the mystic sign of the
free-masonry OF greed.
The issue of the income tax is
drawn along the natural lines o
cleavage between honest and illegit
!. innate wealth. Those who tax,
goods by fraud and keep them b!
! force are determined to use the tax
ing power to frame tariffs that sub
sidize their success.
# They hate a tax that is laid, il
S equity and fraternity, upon tn
d shoulders that are able to bear it.
9 Honest business men have moth
r ing to fear from tax of this sort
y 1t is indeed the only kind of ia
S that adjusts itself automatically t
g the fluctuations of commercial for
l. tune--easing the burden wheneve
@ business is bad and asking onl
S that a business man shall shar
e with the Common wealth a fractio
d of his prosperity and success.
1t follows that Assembly, VIII
:, oppose the income tax resolutio
will advertise themselves to thei
o constituents and the public as dt
d pending for their political promo
n tion, not upon the people or an