The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1911-03-17

is the struggle for the control of the
government between the plain, unoI.
gained masses and the special interests.
In other words, he showed that the ques.
ton Of wise, just and constitutional con-
troll of the great public utility corpora
tions and of the vast combinations Of
wealth was the one issue which over
shadowed all Others. He showed that
every one of the seven leading planks of
the democratic platform either dealt
directly with the question of the control
OF these great corporations or led
around to this question. He especially
dwelt upon the subject of trusts and
combines, and the necessity for curb
ing the power of the railroad corpora
tions. The slogan OF his campaign seems
to be found in his apherism, 1.-THE cor.
poration in business is q necessity; the
corporation in politics 10 4 menace to our
government"
He pointed out how 1t was becoming
increasingly more difficult, in view of
the decisions Of the courts as to the
rights Of corporations, to frame legisla.
ton curbing and controlling them that
will be constitutional. He said that he
was not an enemy Of corporations, but
that he did not belong to them; that he
would not seek to invoke preiudics
against them, but that he was under no
obligations to them, and declared that in
his professional career at the capital
he had preferred not to be the attorney
OF the railroads and great public utility
corporations, but to be an Independent
general practitioner. He dwelt at length
on the great and growing evil of lobby.
ing by means of which these great cor.
porations so often obtained discrimina-
tory legislation in their favor. He
stated that one of the gravest problems
in government was to devise ways Of
forcing the rich, and especially the
wealthy corporations, to bear a fair pro-
portion Of the burdens of government.
On the subject of taxation he said:
Vardaman Voted Against the Income TAI.
The income tax is the ~justest form of
taxation; our party is committed to it.
1t comes closer to being the scriptural
form OF taxation, "Pay according a. your
are prospered." The income tax passed
by congress some years ago, after an in
%sistent demand by the democratic party,
was unfortunately set aside BY the
supreme court, by a vascillating vote Of
five to four, and now another income tax,
limited, however, to corporations, is be-
ing attacked in the supreme court. A
tax on incomes, especially il aided by .
law requiring publicity Of corporate
records, would go far to distribute equal
ly the burden of taxation and relieve the
poor man who cannot and will not hide
out his property. | see no reason why
some part of the states revenus should
not be raised by an income tax Just as
in the federal government. / have al.
ways favored such a tax. How does Gov.
Vardaman stand upon it? Are We to
look to his professions or to his perform.
ances? The maxim is as true as it is
trite that actions speak louder than
words" He has recently said in his
Issue; "There is not an argument that
has ever been advanced in opposition to
the income tax" He must have heard
such an argument once, for he was In
the legislature of 1894, not a Hedging,
but an experienced politician. He wa,
speaker of the house that session. A
member introduced a measure for a grad.
uated tax on all incomes and inherit
ances. II 1t was not a perfect bill, he
had the opportunity to perfect It and
support it. How did this champion Of
the poor then vote? If the journal il
correct, he voted to suit the corporations,
or against the bill. (See House Journal,
1894, page 447.) Is there not here an
issue between us to be debated, or if no
has changed his views, ought he not to
explain when, where and how he became
converted?
Vardaman Voted to Exempt Banks.
Nothing in government more vitality
concerns the citizen than taxation. It
ought to fall equally and proportionate-
ly on all. Equality is equity. No special
privileges, no special burdens, is the fun.
damental demand of democracy. But tho
problem of making the rich, and espe-
cially the corporations, pay their fair
share of taxes has never yet been solved.
Usually the small fish slip through the
net, but in taxation it is the large ones.
The Weather the corporation, the less,
proportionately it pays. Sometimes this
escape is because of fraud and Juggling
with assets, and especially intangible
assets. But again, the exemption from
taxation is often obtained by lobbying
with congress and legislatures. The evil
of these exemptions cannot be exag-
gerated. May I quote here from one
high authorityf Major vardaman is
now quite outspoken on this subject.
In the Commonwealth of June 20, 1902.
he wrote: 'In matters Of taxation l be-
lieve the burden should rest upon all
the rich and the poor in the proportion
they are able to bear it. l could never
see the justice of taxing the eighty acres
of land and the mule and exempting the
100000 cotton factory, and other
kindred enterprises. 1t is wrong in prin-
ciple and dishonest in practice Read
this well. He says he never could see
the justice of exemptions; but that was
/ written whom ha xyas O candidate Ya< ~.