The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1913-02-12

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| Washington, D. c., Feb. with the
favorable action of the legislatures OF
| Wyoming and Delaware, the income
tax amendment is now a part OF the
federal constitution. Not since 1870
when the famous civil rights bill be
came a fundamental law, has the con
The new amendment provides:
"NVI The congress shall have pow.
er to lay and collect taxes on in
comes, from whatever source derived
without apportionment among the sew
eral states and without regard to any
census or apportionment"
The democrats are greatly pleased
over the final ratification Of this
amendment, and are already at work
on bill providing for an income tax.
Representative 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 a proportionately
greater tax on incomes over $25,000
One method suggested to insure
collection of the tax is the British plan
of collecting at the source, by requir-
ing firms 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 of great incomes and
to prevent lodging. Severe punish
ment for false representation will be
provided and it is safe to say that at
the bottom of each statesmans heart
is the desire to get after" some of the
great incomes, the staggering amounts
of which have been revealed by re-
cent inquiries and court records. The
great estates of the Astors and Van
Carnegie, Rockefeller and others will
be carefully included, and after few
years of practical operation, tax rates
may be changed and made easier on
the man of moderate means.
The only other amendment now
pending is that for the direct election
of United States senators, submitted
to the state legislatures last summer;
but the advocates of several more are
active in congress. In the senate there
was vigorous discussion of the pro-
posal to limit the president to single
term of six years; and the close vote
of 81 to sc against the proposal to
nominate the president by direct pri-
mary and to elect him by popular vote
is significant of the widespread and
deep-seated demand of the people for
closer participation in the affairs of
the government.
The supreme court has affirmed the
conviction of Charles r. Heike, for
mer secretary of one of the companies
forming the sugar trust.
This means that Heike, a salaried
employee, must serve prison term
while the men higher up, who were
really responsible for the frauds, and
who profited by them, may never be
disturbed by the law they have out
ragged
Although it is supposed that the
justices OF the supreme court have
reached a conclusion in the famous
rate cases before the court, yet no de-
cision has been handed down. Finan-
cial and railway interests are much
disappointed by the delay in this all
important matter.
The wives of senators and congress
men have an organization called the
Congressional club. There is high
tension over the election of it's Off
GERS Mrs. Claud A. Swanson, wife
of the senator from Virginia, and Mrs
Duncan U. Fletcher, wife of Senator
Fletcher of Florida, are active candi-
dates for the office of president, and
the result is being watched with much