The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-07-29


cidedly hostile to the income tax, for
personal reasons. They would never
consent to their legislature ratifying
the amendment, and a West Virginia
legislature going contrary to the die
tates of Elkins and Scott is unknown
in recent years
What the Ohio legislature will do
will depend to a great extent upon the
actitity of President raft. If he takes
hold of the proposition, and exerts his
fullest influence to secure ratification
of the amendment, the Ohio legisla-
ture may vote as he desires. On the
other hand, if he remains passive, the
Ohio legislature may yield to corpora
ton influence, and the persuasion Of
some of the leading state politicians
who are anxious to avoid a tax upon
their own large incomes.
New York may or may not vote to
ratify the amendment Circumstances
prevailing at the time the question is
brought up will govern the result II
Theodore Roosevelt is home when the
question is presented, and regains his
former influence in the state; if Gov
ernor Hughes is in office, and Yields
a mighty influence with the legisla-
ture, then New York may vote favor
ably On the other hand, il Roose-
welt is not in New York, or if he fails
to regain his old political strength,
and if the legislature becomes indie
pendent of Governor Hughes, as it did
at the last session on the primary law,
then the money power will be great
enough to floor the income tax ad-
vocates.
California and Utah are placed in
the doubtful column because of the
attitude of their respective senators.
The Southern Pacific influence in Cal
ifornia-the influence that put Perkins
and Flint in the Senate, would be an
| tagonistic to the income tax amend
ment, in all probability. If so, the
unprecedented would have to happen
in California in order that that state
might ratify the proposed amend
ment
In Utah the Mormon influence is al
powerful. 1t elected Smoot and Sutn
erland to the Senate. SmOOt, to gair
a place on the Finance committee
had to sell out to Senator Aldrich; HI
had to become a tool in the hands o
the mighty leader Aldrich will in
ic;r ~
does not ratify the amendment, ant
Smoot in turn will lay the matter be
fore the Mormon leader\ hos'
Mormons are a grateful lot; they ap
preciate what has been done TO
Smoot, one of their apostles and it il
altogether probable that they will SCI
to it that Aldrich's orders are carried
out
AS it only requires three states il
addition to the nine known to be an
tagonistic to the income tax amend
ment, to accomplish it's defeat, tn
situation in the doubtful states name
s. is such as to apparently justify tn
believers in the income tax in thei
assumption that the proposed COZ
stitutional amendment is doomed
A preliminary canvass of the si'
uation leads to the conclusion that z
states are reasonably certain to al
prove the amendment-eight less tina
the number needed to ratify. Thos
states are Arkansas, Colorado, Geol
gia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, kansas
Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mis-
sissippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebrask;
; Nevada, North Carolina, North Da
: kota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Care
lima, South Dakota, Tennessee, TeXa
Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, WY
oming.
q This leaves still to be accounted tc
: the southern states, Alabama, Florlo
+ and Louisiana. These states, 1t
q feared, may be swung into line by IL
, fiuences in sympathy with Senate
Aldrich. They are, however, LEI
doubtful than the states above hste
:, as doubtful.
u | 80