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The Commoner.
VOBUME 13, NUMBER lB
NOT PROTECTION, BUT MONOPOLY, REMOVED
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It is not protection that is-to be removed from the tariff by the congress that assembled. It
is monopoly. It is not an American system that is to be destroyed. It is privilege ah institu
tion alien and monarchistic. There will be plenty of protection in our tariff when monopoly,
plunder and oppression shall have been taken out of it. New York World.
behind every word a man who appreciated the
importance of the work he was called to do
and ho spoke during what has been termed "a
constructive period." All "periods" are "con
structive" and the work which Woodrow Wilson
has to do is just as important as tho work which
Washington or Jefferson or any of their suc
cessors had to do. Of every important uttor
anco made by our president it has been said
by somo, "it is a classic." If it is a classic then
it is so by reason of the simplicity of its strength.
His inaugural addross was given approval very
generally, and it was said that no liner address
had ever been dolivered by a president. His
first moLsago to congress won similar applause.
But tho few remarks ho made as ho looked into
tho eyes of tho members of congress assembled
In joint session will bo remembered forever by
tho students of American government by tho
students of government generally. "Tho presi
dent of tho United States is a person," said Mr.
Wilson, "and not a mere department of tho
government, hailing congress from somo isolated
island of jealous power, sending messages, not
speaking naturally and with his own voice
ho Is a human being trying to co-operate with
othor human beings in a common service."
TIow quickly has tho president's judgment as
to this plan been vindicated. Tho people every
where, regardless of politics, commended it in tho
beginning but there aro many statesmen who
strongly criticised the president for his innova
tion who now 8co that it is something to have
in tho White House a man who has no concern
for false dignity but whose purpose is to-co-operato
with his associates for tho good of tho
pooplo whoso president ho is.
Tho Milwaukee Journal put it well when it
said: "For eight minutes Mr. Wilson addressed
tho joint assembly of houso and senate. Those
who havo hoard him can imagine how his calm,
friendly voice interpreted his own words. The
chamber was full; wo may presume that it was
attentive. Is not this enough of a gain to war
rant tho president in his Innovation, his demo
cratic innovation of carrying his own message
to tho representatives of the pooplo?"
Horotoforo president's messages have been
read beforo empty benches. But now not only
does overy member attend to listen to tho sound
of tho president's voice, to look him in the eyo
and to grasp his meaning through his personal
presonco as they could not possibly do from tho
printed pago, but tho people flock to tho gal
lories. As a result a president's message means
somothing. Tho prosident himself is no longer
a department of government. Ho is a human
v being with tho high ideals cherished by tho
people. Tho president's message Is no longer
a' dry and unroad document. It Is a thing of
lifo, of action and it brings results.
No wonder tho Lincoln (Neb.) Stato Journal,
a republican paper, said: "This man has been
In ofllco only five weeks and yet ho is already
more of a burden to tho timo sorvers in con
gress than Roosevelt was at the end of seven
years."
HOW STATES RATIFIED DIRECT ELECTION
OF SENATORS AMENDMENT
Connecticut was tho thirty-sixth and last of
tho necessary states to ratify tho proposed
amendment providing for tho direct election of
. United States senators. Tho Chicago Record
Herald prints the following as tho dates of rati
fication by different states:
Ar.!n?n,a Juno 3 1912; Arkansas, February
11, 1913; California, January 30, 1913; Colo
rado, February 1, 1913; Connecticut, April S,
1913; Idaho, January 31, 1913; Illinois,
February 13, 1913; Indiana, February 19 1913
Iowa, January 30, 1913; Kansas, January 17'
i?13;J!Jaine' Febary 20, 1913; Massachusetts!
May 22, 1912; Michigan, January 28, 1913
Minnesota, Juno 12, 1912; Missouri, March 7.
1913; Montana, January 30, 1913; Nebraska
February 11, 1913; Nevada, February 7 1913
New Hampshire, February 19, 1913; New Jer
sey, March 17, 1913; New Mexico, March 15,
1913; New York, January 15, 1913; North
Carolina, JanuaTy 25, 1913; North Dakota,
January 14, 1913; Ohio, February 20, 1913;
Oklahoma, February 24, 1913; Oregon, Janu
ary 26, 1913; Pennsylvania, April 2, 1913;
South Dakota, February 19, 1913; Tennessee,
April 1, 1913; Texas, February 7, 1913; Ver
mont, February 18, 1913; Washington, Febru
ary 7, 1913; West Virginia, February 4, 1913;
Wisconsin, February 18, 1913; Wyoming,
February 8, 1913.
INCOME TAXES THE WORLD OVER
It is not easy to compare the income tax pro
posed in the Underwood bill with those collected
elsewhere, since rates, rules and exemptions are
constantly changing, and many other forms of
taxation are little distinguished from income
taxes proper.
For instance, the separate German states
levy income taxes. Some German cities do also;
and the imperial German government is about
to tako an especial contribution from large in
comes, presumably paid in five instalments; so
that for five years, and perhaps longer, some
Germans may have triple income taxes to pay.
In Great Britain the estate taxes levied as
death duties bring in a revenue of $125,000,000
a year. They are graduated, rising to 8 and
10 per cent on large estates; on those of over
$15,000,000 the first $5,000,000 pays 10 per
cent and the remainder 15 per cent.
Tho British income tax proper was levied off
and on during the Napoleonic wars, and steadily
Jaax182, The cxemPtion has varied from
$500 to $S00, and is now the latter figure The
rate has varied from less than 1 per cent, up
ward. During the Boor war it rose to 14d in
the pound, or nearly G per cent. It was not then
graduated. A super-tax is now levied, and the
principles of graduation and discrimination havo
been further introduced, though to a loss ex
tent than on the continent. Tho tax is pro
ducing this year $220,000,000, more than twice
what the Underwood bill contemplates. An
STo 9iK0mo,0.f A15'000 Pays 9cl in the Pund
on $9,200 and 14d. on $5,000, $800 being ex
empt. An unearned income pays 14d. In gen
eral, the lowest rate is 9d., or about 3.75 per
cent. The highest is 14d., with a super-tax of
Gel. on incomes of over $25,000; or in all a little
above 8 per cent. Besides tho general exemp
tion, there is a special exemption of $50 for
each child under sixteen. A man with five chil-
2netirnd $1'2,00 a year pays 9d- the Pound
on $150, or about $5.40 tax.
Austria divides the income tax into very many
minute graduations. The exemption is $250
but above that limit the entire income s taxed'
The lowest rate is 0.G per cent; strictly speak:
ng, there is no "highest." The rate continues
to rise as the income increases. At $42?500 ?he
tax paid is $1,937.50, or 4.5 per cent An in
come of $500,000 would pay close to i percent"
There are various exemptions for the emperor
d plomats, soldiers, families with children the
blind, crippled, bedridden, etc. U;,aren' tUe
The German income-tax laws vary with tha
ftatG In. rpK8,a thG exemption is $225 An
income of $250 pays $1.50; The rate averages
3 per cent, but large incomes pay 5 pi? m nt
upon the greater part. Earned incomes Ire
taxed less than unearned ones, and there are
numerous exemptions. Saxony 'has lis grada
tions and taxes an income of $100 24 cents
There is an abatement for children. Large in
comes pay a much higher rate than modeWe
ones. Bavaria taxes earned income up to 3 pe?
cent, unearned income up to 4 per cent Thl
onWP$i7n50iU CaS0t Ld'fncome'is
only $17.50. If you havo, say, $20 unearnpri
income it pays 30 cents tax. unearned
The tax in Italy rises to 20 per cent on lnr
incomes, but takes the place of other taxation to
an extent not here contemplated. Much tho
same is true of Spain.
New Zealand, a country very advanced in
social legislation, exempts incomes up to $1,500
Incomes over $6,500 pay 5 per cent and so do
corporations.
In thirty-seven countries of tbe world tho in
come tax is estimated to yield one-half of all
the Teturns from direct taxation. In Great
Britain it yields more than half.
Wisconsin has a state income tax. The ex
emption is $800 for a single person, $1,200 for
husband and wife, and $200 for each minor or
other dependent. The rate varies from 1 to G
per cent. A Wisconsin millionaire, under the
combination of state and federal taxation, may
presently be called upon to pay 10 per cent upon
the greater part of his income. Of course tho
average rent-payer in any American city pays
much more than 10 per cent of his income in
indirect taxation, federal, state and local. New
York World.
ANOTHER ARGUMENT EXPOSED
Mr. Charles A, States, president of tho
States-Baer-Fuller Dry Goods Co., of St. Louis,
in commenting upon the democratic tariff bill,
said to a representative of the St. Louis Re
public: "I doubt if it will affect wages, because the
protected industries are not the ones that pay
big wages."
This is a particularly interesting remark.
The St. Louis Republic, commenting upon it,
says: "The statement was made, in a casual
way, because it is a commonplace fact. And yt
it is a terrible indictment of republican tariff
practice. Such a statement a few years aco
would have brought down anathemas on its
authors head. Labor was the tariff's clierisli-d
child. Every republican spellbinder waxed emo
tional and rhetorical when he told about the
tariff s service to the workingman aiid how it
protected his wages from the competition of
Europe s pauper pay roll. The people believed
tnem and the spellbinders mostly believed them
selves. In those days the tariff orators didn't
know any more about the tariff than did their
audiences The tariff was our bread-and-butter
palladium. It isn't any more. Everybody
knows now that the tariff profits have been
garnered by a favored few. Dolliver, who oiko
pSnSf016!5"'8 nraise, lived long enough to
chant its death knell. The wage scale of the
Lawrence mills interpreted Schedule K to the
popular mind as no amount of expert analysis
could have done. The grand old tariff myths
S?h "le erand old party have alike exploded.
The protected industries . are not the ones that
th J m SJV!geiK Sucn treason once had mado
tne piotectionists see red. Now it doesn't pro
voke a murmur. It is a new day and a new
GOOD LITERATURE
xnoPva?i DV Ma,ok Texas: Herewith find
R?flrJorm the subscription of my neigh
Itlh ft I7' Tennyson. The democrats situ
welt ft!lroug!lout the United States would do
I8" ncrease the circulation of The Com-
tLlonl' J? Can select llerG and there acquain
n '31 once Put in touch with The Com
of SShi J '"aPPweiate it and gain a knowledge
to SJpii? affalrs thajt they should have in order
needed reTorms. f government and 6ecuro
OF COURSE HE WILL ENJOY IT
mZf? Si0UX City Ia) Journal, republican,
K, a great truth when it says: "Secretary
rTrm wi"enJy signing the proclamation an
?! i g .the ratification of- the seventeenth
amendment of tbe constitution of the United
oWfl' substance of which was one of tho
charter tenets of Bryanism." '