Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-05-05
PRESIDENT FAvoRs BROWNS
PLAN TO AMEND FEDERAL
CONSTITUTION.
WILL SIGN TAX BILL
If ONE Is PASSED
Taft Signifies Willingness to Approve
Such Law Whether Brown Amend.
ment is Passed or Not-cummina
Believe. Hi. Bill Will Stand Test Of
Scrutiny by tho Courts.
rsnecial corresponaencel

Washington, May 5.-President Taft
is in %favor of the amendment OF the
constitution to give. congress the un-
questioned power to provide an income
tax. At least, he is in favor of the res
olution which Senator Brown, of Me-
braska, has introduced, providing that
such an amendment shall be submitted
to the states in order that they may
determine whether they favor such
amendment to the constitution.
The president has said this much to
a number of callers who have brought
up the matter, since Senator Brown in
troduced his resolution. He has given
the assurance that he will be more than
pleased if congress shall pass the
Brown resolution.
But this is not all. The president is
not only in favor of letting the states
decide whether they would so amend
the constitution, but he has also given
assurance that he will sign an income
tax measure il one shall be passed
pending action on the Brown resolu-
ton. In this he is in complete agree
ment with the position Senator Brown
has taken. There has been misunder-
standing in some quarters of the Me-
braskan's petition 1t has been assumed
that his constitutional amendment
measure was introduced as an excuse
for not supporting an Income tax bill!
at this time. Some Of the opponents of
the income tax measure have asserted
that they had got Brown" insisting
that the senator would refuse to vote
for an income tax measure at this time,
and at the same time attempt to square
himself with sentiment at home by
pointing out that his resolution was
the evidence that he favored the law
when it could be passed with certainty
of being constitutional.
On the other hand, Senator Brown is
ready to vote for an income tax bill
at this time. and to do it whether the
constitutional amendment resolution
shall pass or not. He takes the position
that if an income tax can be estab-
lished without amendment to the con-
stitution, it ought to be done, and
that 1t is worth while to try and give
the courts another chance to pass on
tainty what the supreme court would
do if the law should go up to it once
more, he would likewise take steps to
amend the constitution so that, should
the decision be adverse, there may be
as little delay as possible in getting
the constitution amended and the law
re-enacted in constitutional form TAX
ing this view, the senator is prepared
to vote for an income tax bill.
This is the position taken by Sen
ator Cummins, who has introduced an
income tax bill. He believes that the
bill be has presented, and in favor of
which he will in the near future make
speech, will stand the test of adjudi-
cation without change In the consti-
tuition, and he thinks it well worth
while to give it the chance.
| The announcement that President
Taft is in substantial agreement with
this view has given cheer to the men
who are trying to get the income tax
adopted into the tariff measure. 1t has
| put new life into the effort in behalf
of the measure, and assures that in
stead Of being dropped shortly, as has
been rumored it might be, the bill will
be pressed with more vigor than ever.
Senator Bailey was talking about
the tariff, when he produced the most
remarkable argument that has been
adduced thus far during the debate. It
was a sure squelcher
| Senator Scott of West Virginia had
disagreed with proposition Of the
Texan, and interrupted to say that he
| Thought" 50 and so.
Senator Bailey heard him thru, and
then replied:
"The senator thinks he thinks that;
but when he thinks, he will think he
doesn't think anything Of the sort"
There was no beating it.
The busiest man in congress, on the
whole, is Senator LaFollette. He is a
senator. which is enough to keep some
men busy; he runs a newspaper, which
is ample to occupy some other men;
he has d political feud going on IN Wis
consin pretty much all the time, which
furnishes diversion at home, and an
other in progress with the powers of
the senate which affords occupation in
the form of 24-hour speeches and the
like now and then. He makes more
stump speeches in a political campaign
than anybody else in congress, for in
his last gubernatorial fight in his state