Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-12-17
WANT TO AMEND
The CONSTITUTION
congressman Who Are Anxious 10,
Tinker with The Document and
What They Desire.
Ex-SPEAKEa'S IMPORTANT MEAs IRE
He Wants to Take Away From Con-
gross Rights to Appropriate Public
Funds for Certain Purposes-North
Carolina Representative Asks That
Taxation System be Changed.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1G.-In the low
or branch of the national legislature
Joint resolutions have taen introduce
Ell looking to the submission to the
Legislatures Of tho cnvernl s-tntos and
territories composing the Union, Of
quite number of proposed amend
ments to the constitution. which,
when ratified by the legislatures OF
three.fourths of the several states,
shnll become and be n part of the
constitution of the United States.
Amendments of this character are al-
ways open, and should necessarily be
subjected, to the severest hostile
criticism for obvious reasons.
Among the most noteworthy of
these proposed amendments is one Of
fered by eX-Speakcr Joseph w. Keif-
er. of Springfield. o.. which STIMULATES
that Congress shall have no power to
appropriate money for the payment
of any claim against the United States
unless preferred by state thereof,
not created In pursuance Of. or pre-
viously authorized by law, interna-
tional treaty or award. except in nay
mcnt OF a final Judgment rendered
thereon by 4 court or trlL.lnal having
competent jurisdiction. a second
section OF this proposed amendment
provides that q court of claims shall
be established Mt the seat of govern
ment with original jurisdiction in
ca ses involving claims for money
against the United States. and with
such other jurisdiction as may be
provided by law; ana Congress- may
confer on any other court Of the Unit
ed States inferior to the supreme
court original Jurisdiction in such
cases, and Congress shall provide, by
law, rules and principles. and code
| OF procedure, to govern in such cases I.
also for appeals and error proceed :
ings therein. and II may prescribe n
statute of limitations for such claims.
More Amendments Proposed.
Congressman William W. Kltchin,
of Roxboro, N. c., has also put sew
eral proposed amendments" into the
basket, each of them in measure.
equally as important as the forego-
ing. One OF them DEGREES that direct
taxes shall be apportloned among the
several states according to the value
OF the real and personal property, as
assessed for taxation, situated in each
state not belonging to the state or
to the United States.
Another proposed amendment ex-
pressly declares that neither Congress
nor any state shall pass any law re-
specting an establishment of religion.
or prohibiting the free exercise there
! or. or use the property or credit OF
the United States. or of any state, or
any money raised by taxation, or au-
thorized either to be used for the pur-
pose OF founding. maintaining or aid
ing by appropriation or religious So
ciety, or any institution, society or
undertaking which Is wholly or I'm
part under sectarian or ecclesiastical
control.
Not content with letting fly that
hot shot at certain religious bodies,
Representative Kitchin has also fired
off series of amendments regarding
an income tax, and the election of
United States Senator as well as of
district and circuit court judges.
The first of the trio enacts that
Congress shall have the power to levy
and collect income taxes, graduated
VI o'iSi "isc, vi iie lHCOulc OF lnul-
yiduals and corporations In excess of
$1,000, which taxes shall be uniform
throughout the United States and the
territories thereof, and said taxes
| shall not be construed rs direct taxes.
The second one declares that the
Congress shall have power, and 1t
shall be its duty to provide for the
election by the psople of all judges
OF the district and circuit courts, and
OF all other courts inferior to the SUI
preme court, and to prescribe the
length of the term of Office of such
judges.
And the third proposed amendment
enacts that Senators in the Congress
OF the United States shall be elected
by the people of the several states.
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