Duncan Arizonian., 1912-12-04

cluded an income tax provision In the
Wilson law of 1894 When this pro
vision was declared unconstitutional
by the supreme court by a majority
of one the Democratic party renewed
the fight and has contended for the
income tax in three national cam
paigns In 1908 the Democratic plat
form demanded the submission of an
amendment specifically authorizing
an income tax-the very amendment
now before the states for ratification.
Mr.. Roosevelt's candidate, Mr. Taft
declared during the campaign that an
amendment was not necessary, and
Mr.. Roosevelt never made any argu-
ment in favor of the amendment or in
favor of the principle embodied In It.
The amendment has now been ratified
by thirty-four states; but, so far as I
know, Mr. Roosevelt has never made
a speech in favor of it's ratification
nor, since the submission of the
amendment, made speech urging an
income tax as part of our fiscal sys
tenn. 1t would not require any great
stretch of generosity on his part to
credit the Democratic party with pri
ority in the advocacy of this reform
Not Always For Railroad Regulation
Mr. Roosevelt is now an advocate of
railroad regulation When did he com
mence? The Democratic party in it's
platforms of 1896, 1900 and 1904 de-
manded an extension of the powers of
the interstate commerce commission
Up to 1904 Mr. Roosevelt never dis
cussed the subject Of railroad regula-
tiOn officially or in public speech, so
far as l have been able to find. Al
though nominated without opposition
in the convention Of 1904, his platform
contained no promise of railroad regu-
lation. By it's attitude on the railroad
question the Democratic party alienat-
ed the support of those railway officials
who counted themselves Democrats
and Mr.. Roosevelt both in 1900, when
he was candidate for e-president
and in 1904, when he was candidate
for president, had the benefit Of the
support Of those ex-Democrats. It was
in 1904 that he wrote his famous let
ter to Mr. Hartman and in the state
of New York profited by the campaign
fund that Mr.. Hartman raised.
When after 1904 Mr. Roosevelt took
up the subject of railroad regulation
he found more hearty support among
the Democrats in the senate and house
than among the Republicans, SO that
he has reason to know that the Dem.
ocratic party has for long time plant
ed itself boldly upon the peoples side
on the subject of railroad regulation
Under the circumstances we might
expect some complimentary reference
to our party's attitude instead of
anathemas.
T. RS Complete SomersauIt.
On the subject Of publicity as 70
campaign contributions he has not only
adopted the Democratic position, but
he has been compelled to turn a com.
plete somersault in order to do So In
1908 the Democratic platform demand
ed the publication before election OF
the names of individual contributors
and the amounts contributed Mr.
Roosevelt at that time indorsed Mr..
Tafts contention that the publication
should be deferred until after the cleo
tion, and even went so far as to give
reasons for, believing that it would be
improper to- make the publication be-
fore the election. Two years later he
declared in favor. of publicity before
and after the election, landing on the
Democratic side shortly before the law
was enacted carrying out the Demo
cratic platform on this subject. Here,
surely, he ought to praise the Demo
cratic party for the pioneer work it
has done in purifying politics.
Here are a few Of the things which
bear the Democratic brand, and with
all of his experience on the plains he
will not be able to work the brand
over" so as to make it look like ct r."