Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-03
Will VOTE MONDAY
Senate TO Take Up Constitu-
tionaI Amendment
AUTHORIZING INCOME TAX
Unanimous Consent to Consider
Resolution Obtained.
GOSSIP AS TO ADJOURNMENT
August 1 or Thereabouts Regarded
as the Most Likely Date-Maxi-
mum and Minimum Rates.
,oSsIP AS TO ADJOURNMENT

The Senate this morning agreed unani-
mously to vote at clock Monday after
noon on the resolution proposing ar
amendment to the Constitution to give
Congress the power to lay a general in
come tax and upon all pending amend
ments to the resolution.
The resolution is as follows:
Resolved by the Senate and House OF
REPRESENTATIVES Of the United States OF
America in Congress assembled two
thirds of each house concurring therein)
that the following article Is, proposed az
an amendment to the Constitution OF the
United States. which, when ratified by
the legislatures OF three-fourths Of the
several states, shall be valid to all intents
and purposes as a part Of the Constitu-
ton:
ARTICLE XVI. The Congress shall
have power to lay and collect taxes on
incomes from whatever source derived.
without apportionment among the several
states. and without regard to any census
or enumeration
1t was originally drafted by Senator
Brown of Nebraska. and later femodeled
committee.
The question of proposing an amend
ment to the Constitution, making valid
beyond question general income tax
came up quite naturally after the adop-
ton Of the corporation tax and the de-
feat OF the income tax amendment late
yesterday afternoon. The resolution was
part of Senator Aldrieh's plan for defeat
ing the adoption of a general income tax.
He has advocated 1t with the hope that
lra ,,<~k~u f.n
the Bailey-Cummins income tax amend
ment With the aid OF this and the cor
poration tax proposal he succeeded in
his effort.
1t was Senator Brown who called up
the income tax resolution this morning.
He was on his feet for that purpose as
soon as the presence of quorum had
been determined by the call OF the roll
few minutes after the Senate convened
at 10 O'Clock. First he asked that it be
considered at once and that II be unani-
mously agreed that the final vote On the
resolution be taken at I pm. today.
Objection by McLaurin.
Quick as fash Senator McLaurin of
Mississippi was on his feet He declared
that In his opinion the adoption of such
q resolution by Congress would have the
effect of deferring the enactment of a
general income tax law. He did not be-
lieye the Constitution needed to be
amended. but that such law was consti-
tutionai at present.
II believe" he continued that more
than one-fourth of the states will refuse
to ratify such an amendment. If that is
the case / believe the failure of the
will be used before the Su-
preme Court as an argument against the
constitutionaiify of an income tax. 1t
will be said that the people Of the coun-
try do not favor 1t and do not think 1t
constitutional
He added that ne had noted that some
of the advocates of the resolution had
voted against the income tax.
Il voted for an income tax" announced
Mr. Brown.
III heard correctly" replied Mr.. Nc
Laurin, 1.-The senator from Nebraska
voted 10 substitute the corporation tax
for the income tax"
THAT is true" admitted Mr.. Brown.
but voted for an income tax that is
constitutional and against the income tax
that has been held by the Supreme Court
to be unconstitutional"
Congress ought not to zigzag around
the incon sistent decisions of the Supreme
Court declared Mr. McLaurin II do
not mean TO be disrespectful to that tri-
bunal, but it is composed Of men. even
though they are on the bench"
But they are on the BENCH, inter-
jected Mr.. Brown.
The senator from Mississippi then said
he wished 70 offer several amendments
to the resolution, the general effect of
which would be to broaden It's scope, and
he therefore wanted more time to con-
slider it,
Monday Finally Selected.
AT the suggestion of Senator Carter of
Montana Mr. Brown modified his request.
asking that the vote be taken Monday at
] pm. instead of at the same hour today.
The Vice President asked If there was
objection to the arrangement. and there
being none he announced that 1t was the
order Of the Senate.
The agreement does not shut off discus
sion Of the resolution between now and 1
pm. Monday, and it will doubtless be-
called up for that purpose this afternoon
and Monday morning.
Mr.. Aldrjch then presented the maxi
mum and minimum provisions OF the bill
as committee amendment, and asked
their adoption.
Talk of Adjournment.
Ii is thought by the Senate leaders that
the debate on the maximum and mimi
mum and other administrative features
Of the bill may take a week. although
they will make no definite prediction