The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-08-08
THE INCOME TAX AMEND
MENT.

MEN l.
When the Brown income tax resolu-
ton, proposing an amendment to the
Constitution to authorize the levy and
collection of income taxes, was before
Congress, certain of the optimistic sup
porters Of that measure predicted it
would sweep through the Legislature of
every State in the Union. Others took
a more pessimistic view and predicted
that ii was extremely doubtful wheth-
er the amendment would ever be rati-
fed By ree-fturths of the States.
Many of the supporters of the income
tax saw in the joint resolution propos-
ing an income tax amendment to the
Constitution a shrewd scheme for post
poning to a remote day the time when
the Government should have the I'M
questioned authority to levy taxes of
this sort. In fact, this idea was repeat
eddy suggested in the debates. The
good faith of President Taft in sup
porting the income tax amendment was
not questioned. but there were many
doubts in the minds of the hearty sup
porters of the income tax in Congress
whether those Senate and House leaders
who are known 10 be inwaTdly hostile
to the income tax would have given
their support to the measure as readily
as they did had they believed the
amendment likely to be ratified.
The campaign for the adoption of
the income tax amendment has barely
begun, but it has gone far enough to
make it entirely CLEAR that those per
sons who took the view the income tax
amendment would have a rocky read to
travel had good grounds for their belief.
The Georgia Legislature has been con
sidering the amendment. And the re-
ports from the State indicate that the
ratification of the measure by that body
is by no means certain. In fact, the
probabilities appear to be that the
amendment VIII not be ratified. The
upper house of the Legislature has post
poned consideration of the amendment
and there Is said to be much opposi-
tion 70 it.
But much more significant than the
mere fact OF opposition and d DISPOSE
ton to delay, IS the fact that a lobby
is at work against the ratification of
the amendment. Dispatches say that
this is true and that the movement
against the amendment is not merely
SPONTANEOUS with some of the members
Of the Legislature. Who it is that is
doing the lobbying is not made clear. 1t
IS stated that one Of the arguments
made use OF to head off the income tax
amendment is that if any income taxes
are to be levied, Georgia should have
the use Of them for itself This argu-
ment has a familiar sound and was the
-ne used with effect in Congress against
the inheritance tax.
1t would be decidedly interesting TO
know just what influences have set
about to Kill the income tax amend
ment to the Constitution. But the con-
clusion Is almost irresistible and in
eyitable that such a movement must
be proceeding from some of those per
sons and corporations who would be
most deepl, stricken in pocketbook by
an income tax or that II must come
from tie great protected interests OF
the United States That it emanates
from the latter Is the more likely Any
ono who viii go through the debates
on the income tax in the special ses
sion will find it made perfectly clear
that the high tariff advocates in Con
gress and out Of it look askanee on
everything in the shape of direct taxa
tion for the reason that they fear direct
taxes viii mean the undermining of the
protective system
One thing about the situation is
plain: II a movement with powerful
backing is on to prevent the ratification
Of the income tax amendment that
movement is blely to be successful
The strategy of the opponents Of the
income tax is well timed To prevent
the process Of ratification gaining head
way in the South viii be almost Ger
taiBly fatal to the amendment Il ha.
been generally expected the Southern
States would support the amendment
and that the chief opposition would