The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-07-09
LATTER MAY POSSIBLY
COME UP AT EXTRA SESSION
Governor May Include Subject IN
Official Call.
= Eatirely New to Lesi.,atuss, Has
Net Been Discussea and Ms.esrs
Have Noe Expressed TAeir
OD1ntonp

Win the Legislature of Alabama ac-
cept Or reject the proposed amendment
ITO the Federal Constitution allowing
Congress TO put tax on incomes!
In Washington. Alabama Ii classed a.
one OF the doubtful States on the prop
osition. but in Montgomery It 10
thought that the amendment will be
ratified by the Legislature whom It ID
presented.
There 10 possibility that the amend
ment could be taken up at the ap-
preaching extra session of the Legts-
iature. 1t Is not known yet whether
Congress will or will not complete all
the preliminarfes for submission OF
the amendment to the State Legisla.
ture. In time for 1t to be made part
of the Governors call. II the extra
session of the Legislature can get at
It. 1t Ii more than likely, that 1t will
he brought Up even II the Governor
does not put II In mrs call. For the
Legislature under two-thirds vote
can take up any matter 1t deems ad-
xisable, whittier II was or was not In
the call Of the Governor.
But before the Alabama Legislature
can get to the amendment, 1t must
nrst have been passed upon by both
houses In Congress. The first doubt In
the way OF Its passage In Alabama
arises out of the fact that the House
may not be through with 1t In time
for the amendment to be presented to
the Alabama Legislature ct the extra
weston which will convene on July "a.
II Will be recalled that the Supreme
Court OF the. United States declared
m Income tar unconstitutional q num-
Der of years ago. The. present Con-
gress facing the Roosevelt deficit had
proposed to 1t an amendment to the
Constitution under which the incomes
n - .-A. n
amount be raised for the deficit. Pres
1dent Taft. In accordance with his
characteristics conservatism, advised
against the revival Of q law which had
been declared unconstitutional He
suggested that the constitutional de-
feet be remedied by having the States
agree to an amendment to the Federal
Constitution.
II will require the Affirmative action
Of thirty-five States Of the Union to
amend the Consultation. In Washing
ton 1t 10 regarded as extremely doubt
ful that the amendment will be rati-
fed. The New England and some OF
the Eastern States are expected to
dfsapprove OF the amendment on the
grounds that the income tax will be
paid almost exclusively In those
States. and that 1t will be q tax
against New England and the East In
favor Of the West.
Tho matter IL entirely new to the
Alabama legislature. II has not been
discussed. and members have not ex-
pressed their opinion on II, but It Is
regarded as very likely by Alabama
politicians that II the question gets
before the Legislature at the extra
session, the amendment will be rati-
ned. II 1t does come up ct the extra
session in the Alabama Legislature will
be the ftrst to pass upon II.
And in the meanwhile the friends OF
the amendment regard its prospect for
1ike as very doubtful. for thirty.fve
State Legislatures will have to APP
prove of It before Congress can take
! final action on Il.