The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-05-10

columbus, d, May l0-How easy II
seems TO be for apologists in the ser.
vice of the go y. bosses to find excuses
for the petty doings or undoings OF
the e. o. p. peanut politicians.
Here, for instance. is the claim
that action on the proposed income
tax amendment to the national con-
stitution was deferred until next ses-
sion through fear that the present
legislature would dsapprove 1t.
This "excuse" is attached to the am
bilious statement that the proposed
amendment was submitted to the
legislature by Governor Harmon with
his Recommendation of approval
Now let us look at the plain facts
of the case. The proposed income tax
amendment became an adopted pol
icy of President Taft's admnistra-
tion when he recommended it to con-
gress last summer and urged its
submission to the states for ratin-
cation. Ohio is the home state of
President Taft. The present Repub
lican legislature of Ohio is, therefore
the Republican legislature of Presi-
dent Tdft's home state and would
most naturally be expected to be in
full accord with the presidents ad-
minstration policies,
Congress having adopted the pro-
posed amendment and submitted it to
the states for ratification or reject
ion, IL be comes duty of every state
governor to Officially transmit the
amendment to his respective state
legislature whether he personally ap-
proves II or not. Governor Hughes
of New York, for instance, In trans
mitting the proposed amendment to
the legislature of New York took oc-
casion to express his disaproval Of
the proposition. on the other hand,
Governor Harmon of Ohio, the Dem
ocratic governor in President Tafts
home state, in transmitting the pres
idents proposed amendment to the
Republican legislature of the presi-
dents home state saw IT to express
his personal approval of the PROPOSE
ton. Governor Harmon was not the
petty politician some of his e. o. p.
critics try to make hm out to be to
oppose the proposition merely because
President Taft favored 1t
Did the Republican legislature of
Ohio come to the presidents rescue ?
ot at all. After waiting three months
for some Republican member to es.
pouse the presidents measure two
Democratic members of the legisla-
ture took II up and Offered resolu-
tions to have il ratified Even that
failed, Although the resolutions were
offered three days before the legisla.
ture receased, and although il is
ton and pass IL at once under sus-
easily possible TO introduce a resolu-
ton and pas II at once under sus-
pension Of the rules, and althaugh
other resolutions were offered and
adopted after the income tax resolu-
lions were put up to President Tafts
home legislature, not one Republican
member thereof tried to "hold up the
hands of the president to have either
of them adopted.
This is why action on the income
tax amendment goes over to the next
legislature. In no sense Is such fail
urc to hold up the hands of tho
president due to Democratic oppo-
sltion by either the governor or the
Democratic minority OF the Ieglsla-
ture of the presidents home state
such failure rests entirely upon and
may be reasonably regarded as a dl-
rect slap at the president by the Re-
publican majority of the one legis-
lature out of all the 46 state legisla-
ures in he Union which should sup
port the policies of the presidents ad-
lministratlon.