Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-31

never come back than it is for the aver
age citizen to be taxed upon the necessi-
ties of life. the tools of industry, his
clothing and his food, and with the fun
knowledge that the state will not be like
~ to get back so much as ii contributes.
i That is a question of consideration, he
cause one class of men may pay part
of their tax To tine federal income am
not get back SO much as they pay out,
, while another class, who are not able 10
make themselves perhaps heard, are pay
ing steadily all the time many times AZ
many dollars for the Federal govern
ments support as they ever expect II
get back l do not think thai that phase
of the question should affect us very
seriously. But here is a proposition: II
men of 1arSe incomes IN this nation are
taxed for a part of the Nations support
they will become Interested III power OF
appropria ton. If they find that they are
Obliged to reach down in their pocket and
pay out AN important part of this money
for the support col the nalolial govern
mcnt. they will be Interested as to the
amount Of the expenditures OF the Fed
+ eral government, and they are the men
tndl lldhf III jllilltltf. 'ti iiPoi
tnnt influence. in this matter. While
they realize thai whatever the ma
tonaI expenditures may be, while they
perhaps pay no more than the average
citizen towards the governments support
yet if the thing is changed, il they real
izc that larger appropriations means get
right into their pockets and take some
thing ott Of them we shall see a deter
mined effort ON their part to retrench cX-
penditures for the national government
We are of course familiar with the vast
increase in the national expenditures in
recent years, and those expenditures
have borne heavily upon the average citi-
zen throughout the length and breadth of
the land. Argue the matter as long as
YOU will, and a. thoroughly as the mead
of the scholar in the State of Maine or
the Nation can do ii, and you will rest il
finally in this, that if You increase the ex-
pcndtures of Your government and in
crease the burden upon the average citi-
zen. YOU will make it more difficult for
him to meet the difficulties of every day
life And there rests the great PROPOSE
ton of the advance in the cost of living
It is due to the advance in the cost of
, tlt government more Iiltn TO any Otntr
cause. / do not wish to prolong this dis
/ cussion. Mr. President, but l do want to
make it distinctly understood that I came
here, as ] supposed under a pledge, a
pledge that every citizen in the State Of
Maine had a right to believe had been
given by the two great political parties.
that this question of a Federal income
! tax should he met in straightforward
manner. that it was the purpose of the
Legislature to endorse and to adhere to
that resolution. Now, Mr.. President, as
" understand it-and in fact / do not
clearly understand it. Just what the inn
port of that resolution is, and that is one
reason why ] asked permission the other
day to introduce resolve that we meet
this matter directly and squarely. Now
Mr. President, l move you that a resolve
that | have here in regard to this matter
of an income tax be substituted for thai
bill as reported, If in order.
The question being upon the acceptance
Of the report of the committee, the Sen
ator from Somerset moved to non-concur
with the action of the House, and SUB
stitute the Resolve presented by himself.
Mr.. MOVES of Somerset Mr.. President