The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-07-21
|NCOME: TAX
AMENDMENT
CAN WAIT
TIMES BUREAU
AT THE STATE CAPITAL.

sion of the legs iature to consider the
income tax amendment 20 the federal
constitution they are mistaken lie
viii let the next regular session of the
legislature act on the matter.
Recently congress passed bill call
ing on all the states to decide for
themselves whether they wish the con-
stitution amended so as to give con-
gress the power to enact an income tax
law. Under the constitutional rule this
means that in each state the Legislature
shall submit the question to the vot-
ers at a special or regular election.
If eleven states vote against such an
amendment to the constitution the
scheme fails. This is the only way
that an amendment can be made.
Soon after the bill passed congress.
the governors of some of the states.
particularly the western states, an
nounced their intention to call special
sessions of their legislatures so that
the matter can be taken up at once
and voted on at elections that Will be
held this fall.
VIII wait Unit Next Session.
Governor Marshall, however. is not
one of this number. He says he will
not call special session, but win leave
the matter rest until the next regular
session, a year from next winter. The
governor is in favor of an income tax
law, all right, but he is also of the
opinion that the government would do
better to curtaiI its present expenses
instead Of trying to raise more money
to spend.
Il do not wish to be understood as
opposing an income tax measure, as
SUCH" he said. Il believe such a
measure could be devised which would
be of national benefit I have not
studied the proposed plan to say that
it is or is not good. However in my
opinion. it would be better for the
lawmakers of the federal government
to be considering means for saving
money, rather than considering meas
! ures for raising more money. Many of
the questions now agitating the coun-
try would be eliminated If a sensible
policy of retrenchment were introduced
and followed out The federal govern
ment is spending annually more money
than is represented by the entire taxa
1 bles Of the state of Indiana Instead
| of devising an income tax measure as
/ a means of raising more money it
would, in my opinoin. be better to de-
wise some means Of operating the gov
eminent on less money"
Main Reason for Delays.
The governor says his main reason
for refusing to call a special ses-
sion Of the legislature to consider the
income tax measure is that there is no
necessity for haste. He says if he
could call the special session for the
specific purpose Of considering this one
subject, however, he might do it, but
that under the constitution the leg
islature, once in session, could remain
| in session forty days if it wished to
do so, and it could consider any and
all measures that might be introduced
or presented.
Thus, he says, 1t would be possible
for the special session of the legisla-
ture to cost the taxpayers 500 600
and he says he does not propose to
saddle such an expense on the people
when there is no need of haste.
But there is believed to be another
reason why he would not call the spe-
cial session at this time. He remem-
bers the special session that was held
last summer and he remembers well
the disastrou effect 1t had on the re-
publican party at the following cleo
ton. 1t is generally conceded that
the action of Governor Hanly in call
ing the special session and forcing the
passage of the county option law prov
ed disastrous to his party.
Beware of Local Option.
Governor Marshall does not intend, il
is believed, to take any chances of a
special session, because of the effect
it might have on the democratic
chances at the election next year.
1t is pointed out that if a specia,
session were called to take the income
tax matter it might also take UP q
measure to repeal the local option law
and if there is anything that all OF the
party leaders of both parties are hoping
to fight shy of now tits this very ques-
ton. Neither side is willing to take i
up, but each side wouldbe tickled be
! yond all human endurance to see the
: other side take 1t up. For. it is also said
) the party that seizes the liquor ques
ton by the tail and drags It into tn,
campaign next year will get a good
sound licking.
house of representatives, and Governor
Marshall undoubtedly has taken MOTTO,
Of the fact that some one in this ma
,, Jority might do as they did at the las
session of the Legislature and introduce
a bill to repeal the option law Thi
would call forth another tremendou
and bitter fight, and this is what the,
: all hope to avoid. The governor is en-
tirely right 1t is pointed out. in hi
position that there is no need for hast
: in the income tax matter and that h
j does not wish to saddle a big expens
i on the state by calling a special ses
9 sion Of the legislature, but there ar
r many who believe he has his weathe
f eye on that liquor question also. an
n that he wants that held back as lon
as possible-forever would suit him