Evening star., 1909-06-16
Presidents Message Discuss
ed by the Cabinet.
SPECIAL MEETING CALLED
Conference Held in the White House
Library.
ROUGH DRAFT IS SUBMITTED
Some Alterations Deemed Advisable.
Session of Over Two Hours
Held.

For more than two hours today Pres
ident Taft consulted the six lawyers of
his cabinet regarding the message he sent
to Congress this afternoon on the subject
of a tax on the undistrbuted net earn
ings of corporations and the proposition
to submit to the states the question of an
amendment to the Constitution to make
clear the right of the government to levy
an income tax.
The President began the preparation OF
this message late yesterday afternoon and
worked upon 1t until midnight. having the
rough draft ready to lay before the spe
cial meeting of his cabinet advisers this
morning. He sent early calls for the meet
ing. and before o'clock there were as
sembled in the library Of the White
House. where Interruptions from visitors
could be avoided, Secretaries Knox. Ma
gel, Dickinson. MacVeagh. Ballinger and
Attorney General Wickersham, with Sem
ator Root added. Secretary Knox was the
lest member to le2ve the gather
ing and it was then after 30 O'Clock.
In the mea antime Speaker Cannon, Sena-
tors Bacon. Dick, Overman and others
! called at the executive Offices to see the
President. and went away when informed d
of the conference in which he was en-
gagged
AsASAADCAo AsSIASShI.
The no-talk rule he'd good with the
| cabinet officers present, but it under
| stood that the President had sent simply
for those cabinet officers who are versed
| in the law SO to take up with them
| the recommendations he wished to make
| to Congress. Secretary MacVeagh was
| called in by reason of his supervision of
| the tariff law that will be passed and the
! collection of the taxes to be levied upon
| the net earnings of the corporations. The
meeting was not intended to be a regular
session of the cabinet.
For the first time since the beginning
| of his administration the President made
| practical use on an important question OF
cabinet officers chosen by him, because of
| their admitted legal ability and their
/ high standing at the bar
| Ghe legal phases of the message were
many. involving the right of Congress to
tax the net earnings of corporations do
| ing an interstate business and as to the
| best way Of putting before the states
| the question OF amending the Consti-
| tuition so to reach incomes
| President Taft, in his speech of ac-
| Ceptance of the republican nomination
| for President. touched upon the income
tax feature of the democratic platform.
/ He said then: The democratic platform
demands two constitutional amendments,
one providing for an income tax, and
| the other for the election of senators by
/
ment to the Constitution for an income
| tax is not necessary. ] believe that an
| income tax. when the protective system
of customs and the internal revenue tax
ernmental needs, can and should be de-
| vised which. under the decisions of the
| Supreme Court. will conform to the Con-
| stitution.
! The President has said a various times.
however. that an income tax without a
| constitutional amendment would be with
! limitations that would prevent its reach
| ing as far as desired by the people and
! the administration. Under the proposition
/ now pending the amendment to be sub
i mtted to the people would give Congress
! unlimited rights in imposing taxation
/ upon incomes.
/ Alterations Deemed Advisable.
/ The cabinet meeting adjourned with
i the understanding that the President
would send the special message 10 Con-
| gress as soon as he had made the few
corrections deemed advisa BILE. and ii could
be prepared by the executive force of the
! White House.
Representative Victor Murdock of Kan
sas. who called at tie White House while
the President was engaged. said that he
thought the submission of amend
ment to the Constitution would prove
popular. If the amendment is ever
put TO the states it will he ratified by
every state in the Union. with the possi-
BILE exception of Nevada. declared Mr.
Murdoch. Il think that even Nevada
would fall into line. ] predict that SEN
timent for it in New York would be So
overwhelming that it would go through
with a rush"
In Honor of Archbishop O'Connor
Senator Lodge extended tie Presiden,
today "A formal invitation to take part in
the silver jubilee ceremonies in Boston
in honor of Archbishop O'Connor. who is
returning from abroad The ceremonies
will take place June 20. and will not only
celebrate the twenty-hfth year of the
bshopric of wise plelate. but the return
of the archbishop from abroad
Rev Wilbur r. Crafts has forwarded
to President Taft another letter protest