Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-08-30
nFMoCRACY is SWEPT BY
A STORM OF INSURGENCY
Fight is ON INCOME TAX
democratic Majority May Be
Forced to Yield


,unciation of the democratic senate
caucus as a political machine" by
Senator Hitchcock, one OF the demo
oro+s who refused to be bound by the
caucus on all features OF the tarlH
hI, marked todays re-opening of the
struggle over the income tax provis-
ions in the senate.
"Why should senators be expected
to he bound by the hasty decisions OF
q secret caucus on details of the in
rome taxi" demanded Senator Hitch
cock, "Why should they be expected
4o vote down every amendment, how
ever good, simply because it comes
from the other side of the chamber?
Whv should the income tax section
not be amended here upon the floor
of the senate, if debate convinces SEN
ators that it should be?
The "insurgent'' democrats, who
Yesterday demanded that the bill be
changed to increase the income tax
on large fortunes apparently had
gained strength and insisted they
would force the party conference late
today or tomorrow to make substan-
tial increases.
Hitchcock's attack was delivered in
connection with his amendment for a
heavy penalty tax on trusts or monop-
olies controlling more than one-fourth
of the country's production or trade
- in any given line. Five per cent
would be added to incomes of corpora
tions doing from one-fourth to one
third of all business in any given line;
10 per cent. for those doing from one
third to one-half, and 20 per cent. for
those above one-half. 1t would ap-
ply to no corporations capitalized at
less than $5O,OO0,O0O, or doing a busi-
ness of less than $1O,OOO,OOO annually
Senator Hitchcock declared his
amendment had been offered in the
caucus and beaten 23 to 1S; but he
alleged it had not been an open fight
there.
1T was not even fair test of cav
Gus strength" he said ''for there was
a caucus within a caucus. The nina
democratic members of the finance
committee voted as unit, without re-
gard to their individual convictions 1t
was wheel within wheel, a machine
within machine.
Caucus rule makes public debates
IN the senate farcical Senators will
not even remain in their seats to hear
them. Caucus rule kills the very
spirit of legislation. This income tax
section ought to be a matter of living
interest. 1t is new legislation, with
vast possibilities affecting not only
revenue, but social conditions. In
stead of being here a thing of life
ana interest it dies in this chamber a
Veritable corpse and great debates
mat might occur if there were any
real decisions to be made here, become
farcical.
Amendments have been offered
from the republican side by senators
VINO have made study of the income
TAX They were not contrary to any
uemocratic doctrine; they would not
Sndanger the bill. Why then must
pemocrats be required by caucus rules
70 votes against them?
With other democratic senators, |
nave felt bound up to this time by
cnese obnoxious caucus rules. Now
however, we have reached point
"nere feel free to take another
course"
senator Hitchcock added, in sup
port Of his amendment that the anti
trust laws have proven failures, SO far
IS Checking monopolies and trusts