The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-01-28

considered the chief issue-the strug-
gle for government between the I'M
masses and the special in
terests. He favored wise, just and
certain conditional control of great
public utility organizations-as the
great issue of the day.
He showed that every one of the
seven leading planks of the Demo
cratic platform either dealt directly
with the question of the control of
these corporations or led around to
this question. He especially dwelt
upon the subject of trusts and COM
bines, and the necessity for curbing
the power of the railroad corporations.
"The corporation in business is nee
essity; the corporation in politics is
menace to our government" said Mr..
Alexander.
Not An Enemy nor Slave.
He pointed out how it was becoming
increasingly more difficult, in view of
the decisions of the courts as to the
rights of corporations, to frame legis-
lation curbing and controlling them
that will be constitutional. He said
that he was not an enemy of corpora
tions, but that he did not belong to
them; that he would not seek to in.
woke prejudice against them, but that
he was under no obligation to them
and declared that in his own profes
sional career at the capital he had pre-
ferred not to be the attorney of the
railroads and great public utility cor
porations, but to be an Independent
general practitioner.
He dwelt at length on the great ant
growing evil of lobbying by means o
which these great corporations so OF
ten obtain discriminatory Legislation
in their favor.
He stated that one of the graves
problems in government was to devils
ways of forcing the rich, and especial
ly the wealthy corporations, to bear
fair proportion of the burden of gov
eminent.
vardaman and Income Tax.
The income tax is the most jus
form of taxation; our party is commit
ted to it, said Mr.. Alexander. 1t come
closer to being the scriptual form o
taxation, to pay according as you ar
prospered. The income tax passed b
congress some years ago, after an in
sistent demand by the democrati
party, was unfortunately set aside b
the Supreme Court by a vacillatin
vote by five to four, and now anothe
Income tax limited. however, to COZ
porations is being attacked in the 81
preme Court.
A tax on incomes, especially if aide
by law requiring publicity of corpol
ate records, would go far to distribut
equally the burden of taxation and re
: Ilieye the poor man who cannot an
will not hide out his property. | Sc
no reason why some part of the State
/ revenue should not be raised by an II
, come tax just as in the Federal gov
eminent. | have always favored sue
, tax.
How does Gov. Vardaman stand o.
, liz? Are we to look to his profession
, or to his performances? The maxir
is as true as it is trite that action
} speak louder than words" He has re
Gently said in his Issue: There
, not an argument that has ever bee
t advanced in opposition to an incom
: tax"
: He must have heard such an arg
ment once, for he was in the leglsl
d ture of 1894 not a f1edgling, but an e.
perienced politician. He was Speak,
of the House that session. A memb'
n introduced measure for graduate
tax on all incomes and inheritance
l. If it was not a perfect bill, he had Il
4 opportunity to perfect it and suppo
e it, How did this champion of the po
then vote? If the journal Is correct,
s, voted to suit the corporations.
against the bill. (See House Journ'
Is 1894, page 447.) Is there not here
It. issue between us to be debated, or
e. he has changed his views ought he n
r, to explain when, where and how he
If came converted?
70 vardaman and Banks.
Nothing in government more vita
connerns the citizen than taxation.