Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-09-16

Iy local analFs, let him be preserved |
by himself by his voice and vote; if
there is to be conservation in the af-
fairs OF the state or the locality, let it
be conserved by the law which is crea-
ted by the ballot of the people in their
home government
The distinguished senator may well
take the suggestion from one of his
colleagues in this chamber, even
though that be myself, tina. unless such
as he shall raise his voice more fire.
quently for this abandoned doctrine of
democracy, unless there shall be q
greater devotion to the constitution
and larger degree of obedience to its
spirit, the whole theory of home rule,
state sovereignty, and local home rule
within local precincts will all have been
crushed cut of existence, and there
Will overcome them the centralized
power dictated from a Washington au-
thority, stimulated by the sentiment
OF political favor to party or admins
tration privileges to favorites. There
will arise the creed prcclaiming that
what the capital of Washington can
not regulate shall be destroyed; what
it can not punish shall be confiscated;
that riches in other states than their
own is crime and possession by in;
dustry treason.
INCOME TAX IN NEW YORK.
1t is the specific income tax against
which the senator inveighs. He re.
minded the senate, if I did not misun-
derstand him, that his people we're
about to have inflicted upon them some
great unparalleled blunder, some mex
cusable offense. Said he, My people
| are to be taxed. My people will have
to nay the tax you levy" Who are
the senator's people? Do gather from
the senator that only that distinguish
ed brood of gentlemen who nestle
around Wall street are his people?
Those who have amassed millions,
then hid them in strong boxes, while
they have escaped the responsibility
of the ballot box? Are they only his
/ people? Are they whose vast fortunes,
maintained through perjury or evasion
! of law, have always escaped the as
! SCISSOR and lodged the tax collector
are they only his People, those who
have millions of dollars? Are there no
millions of poor and miserable in New
/ York? Are those who, in humble
1 homes and amid suffering, have been
/ compelled TO pay the taxes ou- of their
wages. laid heavily upon them by the
masters who would not pay their taxes
| and whose failure had TO be made up
/ by taking from the humble the def
cheney in order that the expenses of
the government of New York might
be main ained-are they not his PEG.
! pie? Has he no voice for them?
! Why should the distinguished sena,
tor from New York ask that his people
or, to paraphrase him. my people,
should be exempt? Sir, in this gov,
eminent l will not assume that any
one set Of people have right to say
through the voice of any man, however
distinguished or eleva- ed, that others
must contribute to their burdens and
bear them, but that another set, per
! chance, because they have managed
TO attract in some way a glamour about
their exis enc2 and grasped power
with one hand and held the privilege
of wealth with the other, must be ex
emptod from bearing their burden ans
discharging their responsibility. All
sir, because they are a great peoplc
in finance, a wonderful people in rich
es, and shrewd and artful people il
, the mysterious manipulation of tbs
hing called finance.
: Why, then, sir, is this tax laid? Ny
, distinguished friend, the eminent sen
: ator who hcnors his seat in represent
: ing New York. fails to realize, or, i
: realizing, fails to note the real reason
/ of the tax upon these incomes. Sir
) speaking for democracy, the object O
levying a tax upon wealth is not be
! cause it is wealth. Such would be al
archy l spurn it as doctrine which
/ no constitutional scholar of democrf
: cy would accept under any condition:
: No, sir, It is tax on wealth becaus
! the men who have it are rich Tha
, | am told, is a>species of socialism.
! know such would violate the fundi