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Show A TAX ON FORTUNES. Washington rumor is that President Roosevelt will mention his plan for a tax on inheritance in his annual message. mes-sage. It is not believed to bo tho president's idea that anything enn bo done with tho subject during tho next session of congress, tho actual work of which will bo confined to tho two months beginning with tho first week In January and ending with tho 4th of March, but tho president has always found It good policy to bring such reforms re-forms to tho attention of tho country In a short session, so as to arouso discussion dis-cussion and generate public opinion 4 for use in tho long session of tho following fol-lowing congress. Mr. Roosevelt first brought tho fortune for-tune tax Idea forward at tho dedication dedica-tion of the congressional office building build-ing last spring, in a somewhat tentative tenta-tive way, and evidently for tho purpose pur-pose of feeling tho public pulse. Its reception evidently decided him in , favor of pushing tho idea at onco Instead In-stead of letting it go until somo future fu-ture time, for he revived it in his speech at tho dedication of the Pennsylvania Penn-sylvania stato capltol at Harrlsburg Tho next step will bo to urge it in his annual message, and perhaps to sc-curo sc-curo tho introduction of somo sort of bill in the short session. Tho president's Idea is for "a progressive pro-gressive tax on all fortunes beyond a certain amount, either given in life or devised or bequeathed upon death to any individual," tho object being to prevent tho handing over of largo fortunes in their entirety from one person to another. Tho law would not permit tho devising of more than a certain amount to any person. It Is an improvement in many respects upon up-on tho CTeveland income tax measure, and while it will undoubtedly have tho combined opposition of the financial interests, it is believed that the sixtieth six-tieth congress, which will bo so thoroughly thor-oughly in harmony with tho president, will enact tho Idea Into law. Butto News. |