Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-03
That Extra Session Plank.

Among other things projected as
platform plsnks by the convention
purporting TO speak for Nebraska dem
oerats at Lincoln last week is the fol-
lowing with reference to the proposed
amendment to the federal constitution
giving congress power to levy an in
come tax without apportionment by
population:
We pledge the democratic party in Ne
braska to assist in securing ratification OF
that amendment and to that end we ask
Governor Shallenberger to call a special
session Of the legislature at an early day
that Nebraska, a pioneer in the advocacy
Of an income tax, may have the honor OF
being the first state to ratify the amend
ment.
For the privilege OF having Ne
braska recorded as the first state to
ratify a constitutional amendment our
democratic friends would have Gov
ernor Shallenberger convene the legis-
lature in extra session. The cost OF
such a program seems to cut no more
figure with them than its palpable In
effectiveness. SO far as ratifying the
amendment is concerned, or Fastening
its incorporation into the federal con-
stitution, It will make absolutely no
difference whether Nebraska is the
first to take action or the thirty-hfth,
because the amendment will not be OPP
erative until ratified by three-fourths
Of all the forty-six states in the union.
lust what a special session OF the
legislature would cost may only be
estimated, and would depend upon It's
duration. There are 1873 members Of
the house and senate who draw IS a
day when the legislature is in session,
and, with the secretaries, clerks, door
keepers Inc other necessary attend
ants, the salary roll may be placed at
$1,000 a day. A ten days session
would cost $4,000 In salaries alone,
the mileage allowance, cost Of supplies
and other incidentals. So that II an
extra session could do the job within
ten days the taxpayers OF Nebraska
would be called upon to pay from
$4,000 to $4,000 for the empty priv
ilege of having the honor to be the
first state to ratify a constitutional
amendment.
But II Governor Shallenberger
obeyed the instructions of the demo-
cratic platform makers and issued his
call for an extra session Of the legisla-
ture forthwith, Nebraska still could
not have this honor. AT least two leg
islature are in session right this min
ute, those of Alabama and Georgia.
In Alabama the ratifying resolution has
been introduced and referred to the
proper legislative committee, and as
there Is no opposition 1t will be adopted
at the first opportunity, and the assent
of Alabama will be complete this week,
making 1t the first state on the alpha
betical list of states and the first on
the list of ~ratiications. While we
have no exact information as to what
the legislature of Georgia is doing on
the subject, 1t is safe to say that
Georgia will follow suit with little loss
of time and will be the second state to
ratify the amendment. So the very
best that Nebraska could possibly do
with an extra session Of the legisla-
ture costing from $4,000 to $4,000
would be to get in third or fourth on
the list of ratifying states.
II Governor S~hallenberger has moth
ing else for the legislature to do but to
tickle the vanity Of some eminent
statesman who has been a pioneer in
advocating the income tax he will
think twice before converting an extra
session of the legislature.