Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 April 1909 — BAILEY ARGUES FOR INCOME TAX [ARTICLE]

BAILEY ARGUES FOR INCOME TAX

Asks Aldrich if He Regards Taft as a Socialist HAVEL STOPS THE CHEERS Texas Senator Frankly Tells Why He Would Make Proposed Provision Apply to Those In Receipt of $5,000 or More, Saying That He Would Went It to Affect Few So That It M.«. »t let Provoke Hostility. ■ n, April 27. —During the 1i .on in the senate, Senator i ...e involved in a discussion < Aldrich with regard to -uauce in the senate in IL> . >e income tax was suppo; i<u . i,e Socialist, Populist and Deiuucia.it parties. Bailey said that President Tait now favored an income tax and asked Aldrich if he considered the president a Socialist, Populist or Democrat. Aldrich replied that his statement was true at the time it was made. "If this bill, as he presented it," said Bailey, referring to the chairman of the finance committee, “coupled with an income tax, will raise too much revenue, let’s reduce the rates that we collect on the necessities of life.” Aldrich suggested that the United States Steel corporation produces only from 45 to 50 per cent of the steel output, and asked whether the senator from Texas believed the other steel corporations could make a profit if the prices were, reduced 33 1-3 per cent. Judging by Their Autos—Yes. "If 1 am permitted to judge by the | size and-equipment of their automobiles and the size and equipment of | their yachts and by other extrava- " gances they flaunt in the faces of the American consumers, 1 say yes," ref plied Bailey. “How did the senator arrive at the income of $5,000 as the proper-one to tax?" asked “instead of $4,000 or $3,000 or $2,000.” “I know what you want me to say and lam going to say it. 1 fixed upon $5,000 a year as the income to be taxed for the reason that 1 wanted it to afi feet as few people as possible, so that it might not provoke hostility, is the senator satisfied?” inquired Bailey. t “In other words," retorted Aldrich, “the senator wants to enact legislation with a class distinction in order to get It through.” Aldrich said laborers abroad received from G to 00 cents a day and from SSO to S3OO or S4OO a year, while American labor is paid about S7OO a year. His plan, he said, would be to reduce the protection that is being given this American labor over the foreign cheaper labor. ' Gavel Necessary to Restore Order. I would like, said Bailey, amid applause from the galleries, "to make it Impossible for that cheap labor to . come here at all.” • ’t'he gavel ol the vice president was | necessary to restore order, and Aldrich Interposed to say; “The senator < would prevent these laborers coming | to this country, but he would permit the product of that cheap labor to ! come.” Declaring he would give some atten- | tlon to supreme court decisions on an income tax, Bailey said: I “I do not think that any citizen or ■ senator is precluded from indulging in | just and fair criticism of any question | relating to any department of this goverument. lam willing to stand uncov- | ered in the presence of that great trli bunal, but I am not willing to be | silent. The judgment of the supreme I court governs me in any particular | case, and I submit without complaint to that Judgment, but I do not subE scribe to the doctrine that because the have spoken all other men must Ireceive their speech in silence.”