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Show BUSINESS DISTURBED BY ENDLESS DEBATES. The country's business Is unsettled by this prolonged consideration of the ' proposed new tariff schedules and j trade lags owing to the uncertainties j involved. Congress would do well to cease talking a.id do more voting. As 'the Seattle Post-Intelllgenccr says: j "The constitutional lawyers of the I United States are wasting a considerable consider-able amount of time In discussing the amendment to the tariff bill, offered by Senator Dalley, of Texas, and which seeks to tax all incomes above $5,000 per annum. "Of course the judicial and legislative legisla-tive history of the Income tax In this country is, Interesting from the lawyer's law-yer's standpoint; still more Interesting Interest-ing Is the question presented by the old controversy as to what is and what Is not a direct tax, within the meaning mean-ing of the federal constitution. Probably Prob-ably (ho framers of the constitution j intended io include only the lands and the slaves of the country in the Inhibitory In-hibitory provision. But congress and the courts have, at different times, .shifted to both sides, now adopting this construction, and now that, with the result that the question is still open. , "Rut independent of this aspect of the l'.ailey Income tax amendment, now pending in the ponate, the time does not seem to be opportuue for a leng discussion of the power of congress con-gress to levy a tax upon incomes. It I would unquestionably be wise public policy to force the wealth of the country coun-try to bear its just proportion of the cost of maintaining the government. The important thing at the moment, however, Is to get the tariff bill out of the way. The lawyers in the senate who are spinning nice theories, digging dig-ging up old decisions and delving into legislative history, in order to show, occording to the position assumed, that the Income tax is or is not a direct di-rect tax, are not doing this country any good. The best service congress can now render this nation ig to pass the tariff bill and adjourn." |