The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-03-31

government between the plain, unor-
ganixed masses and the special interests.
In other words, he showed that the CUES
tion OF wise, just and constitutional con-
troll Of the great public utility corpora.
lions and Of the vast combinations OF
wealth was the one issue which over
Swallowed 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
ticns. The slogan Of his campaign seems
TO be found in his aphorism, @The cor
poration in business is q necessity; the
corporation in politics is q menace to our
government"
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 legisla-
ton curbing and controlling them that
win be constitutional. He said that be
was not an enemy Of corporations, but
that he did not belong to them; that he
would not seek to invoke prejudice
against them, but that he was under no
obligations to them, and declared that in
bis 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 dweIt 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 d fair pro-
portion Of the burdens Of government.
On the subject Of taxation he said:
vardaman Voted Against the Income Tax.
The income tax is the j~ustest form Of
taxation; " party is committed to it.
It comes closer to being the scriptural
form Of taxation, "Pay according as 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 if aided by a
law requiring publicity Of corporate
records, would 60 far to distribute equal
" 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 revenue should
not be raised by an income tax just as
in the federal government. 1 have al
ways favored such a tax. How does Gov.
Vardaman stand upon itY Are we to
look to his professions or to his perform
ances? The maxim is as true as it is
trite that factions 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 was
speaker of the house that session. A
member introduced a measure for d 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 voter II the Journal is
correct, he voted to suit the corporations,
or against the bill. tSee House Journal,
1894, page 447.) Is there not here an
issue between us to be debated, or if lie
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-
" on all. Equality is equity. No special
privileges. no special burdens. il the fun.
damental demand az democracv Rut ~
problem of MAKING IN IN ia osna'
p;alIr ~ aanaa.as - - espe
~ soiPoia'ns' Ply 1neir ~
shafe % 1aAes mas never YET Deen solved.
Usually the small fish slip through the
net, but in taxation it is the large ones.
The Weather the corporation. the less.
nro-nortionateIy n navs son,ot;mas th;.
$500 Il hoa. ~
Z nauu ana jusging
WIN assets aha especially intangible
asse.s. Dut agatn, tne exemption from
tsAa.ion y olteI optalned by lobbying
WIN congress ana legislatures. The evil
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