Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1913-02-13
OUR WASHINGTON NEWS LETTER
Washington, D. c., Feb. 10, 1913.

Washington, ID. C., Feb. 10, 1913.
| With the favorable action Of the leg
islatures of Wyoming and Delaware the
income tax amendmnt is now a part of
the Federal Constitution. Not since i8-
&c, when the famous rights bill became
a fundamental alw, has the Constitution
been amended until now.
The new amendment provides: XVI.
| The Congress shall have power to lay
and collect axes on incomes, from what-
ever source derived, without apportion-
ment among the several states and with
out regard to any census or apportion-
ment."
The Democrats are greatly pleased
over the fisal ratification Of this amend
ment, and are already at work on bill
providing for an income tax. Represen-
tative Hull, OF Tennessee, who has
fought for an income tax for many
years, will be the most active member
in framing this bill Some favor a tax
on all incomes over $500. per year, with
o proportionately greater tax on incomes
over $685. 600.
one method suggested to insure col
lection of the tax is the British plan of
collecting at the source, by requiring
grms to certify the salaries and fees paid
their employees, and to pay the amount
of the tax direct into the treasury. This
would surely catch the Salaried man
whose income is large enough to tax.
Congress will provide every possible
safeguard for the collection on great in
comes and to prevent lodging, Severe
punishment for false representation will
be provided and it is safe to say that
at the bottom of ach statesman's heart
is the desire to get after" some of the
great incomes, the staggering amounts
ct which have been revealed by recent
Inquiries and court records. The great
estates of the Astors and Vanderbilts,
and the enormous incomes of Carnegie,
Rockefeller and others will be carefully
secluded, and after few years of prac-
tical operation, tax rates may be chang
ed and made easier on the man of mode
rate means.
The only other amendment now pend
ing is that for the direct election Of
United States senators, submitted to the
state legislatures last summer; but the
adyocat ! OF several more are active in
Congress. In the Senate there was Wig
orOus discussion of the proposal to linn
it the President to a single term OF six
years; and the close vote of 81 to &c
against the proposal to nominate the
President by direct primary, and to E.
lect him by popular vote, is sigsiflcent
of the widespread and deep-seated de-
mand of the people for closer partici-
patton in the affairs of the government.
The Supreme Court has affirmed the
conviction of Charles R. Heike, former
secretary of one Of the companies forg-
ing the sugar trust.
This means that Heike, a salaried en-
poyee, must serve a prison term while
sponsible for the frauds, and who profit
ed by them, may never be disturbed by
the law they have outraged.
Although it is supposed that the JUS
liceS Of the Supreme Court have reached
conclusion in the famous rate cases
before that court, yet no decision has
been handed down. Financial and rail-
way interests are much disappointed by
the delay in this all-important matter.
The wives of "enators and congress-
mn have an organization called the Con-
gressional Club. There is high tension
over hte election of its officers. Mrs
Claud A. Swanson, wife of the senator
from Virginia, and Mrs. Duncan U.
Fletcher, wife of Senator Fletcher of
Florida, are active candidates for the
office of president, and the rsult Is be-
ing watched with much interest, espec-
tally as women are taking such an ac-
live mart now in Duhlic affairs