The Carlisle independent., 1910-04-07

various state legislatures. There are both friends and foes of the income income tax proposition In congress, but even among its friends there is sharp difference of opinion as to whether such tax law ever properly could be enforced, because of the proneness of men to hide the facts concerning the amount of their in- come
 The proposed amendment to the constitution which will make legal be yond all question the laying of the tax on incomes has been ratified al- ready by the following states: South Carolina, Kentucky. Oklahoma, Hi nols and Alabama. It has been reject ed by Virginia. The legislatures of the following states are either now in session or have just adjourned and as yet no action has been taken by them on the constitutional amendment: Rhode Island, Ohio, Massachusetts. New Jersey. New York and Maryland.
 Why It Was Submitted to States.
 It will be remembered that during the tariff debate early last spring the administration and the Republican leaders suggested that the income tax amendment to the constitution should be submitted to the state legislatures for action. This unquestionably was done in order to discourage income tax debate and the introduction of amendments to the tariff bill. Of fz the administration was not sincere in its desires to. have income tax legisia- tion. if 1t ever should reach a legisla- tive form, put on safe constitutional grounds. It is believed that President Taft is in favor of the income tax pro- vided it can be shown that it is nec- essary in order to raise revenue, but his friends say his Judicial mind" is such that he does not want any legis. lation to go on the statute books un less it is absolutely certain that it has the constitution back of 1t.
 As has been said, there are many friends and many foes of the income tax amendment proposition in con. gress. Most of the friends of the measure come from the west and south. while the foes as a rule come from the east and northeast Three fourths of the state legislatures must raufy the proposed amendment before it can be put into form and be given place in the constitution of the United States. Within the next year 21 states through their legislatures will have chance to ratify the amendment The states that have rat flied 1t and those whose legislatures are now in session but have taken no action, already have been named. The legislatures of the following states will meet and either sanction, reject or ignore the amendment within the next year: Indiana. Iowa, Missouri Minnesota, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kan. sas, Nebraska. Nevada, North Caro- line, Michigan, Georgia, Colorado, Ore gon, North Dakota, South Dakota. Wy oming, Washington, Wisconsin, Texas and Tennessee.
 Twelve That Arc Doubtful.
 It can be said that the general opin- ion is in Washington that all of the states last named will sanction the amendment. In three of these states the legislative sessions will open in the late spring or summer of this year. There are 12 states which will have legislative sessions in 1911 and in these 12 there Is great doubt whether affirmative action on the amendment will be taken. The 12 states are California, Connecticut. Del. aware, Florida. Idaho, Maine, Mon- tana. New Hampshire. Pennsylvania. Utah, Vermont and West Virginia.
 Roosevelt We'll Informed.
 It is pretty thoroughly established fact that Theodore Roosevelt has in his possession an exhaustive letter written to him by Senator Elihu Root of New York and giving in outline an account of the Taft administration from the fourth day of last March up to the time that the letter was penned early in February of this year.
 There cannot be the slightest doubt that the New York senator, who was Mir. Roosevelt's secretary of state, wrote the letter in the hope that fl would offset the statements of a mum. Der of people who had gone out to meet MT. Roosevelt to tell him that from their point oi view, that of pro gression," the Taft administration hos been dire failure.
 In several speeches made recently by Democrats of prominence and in one or two letters by men of that party of almost equal prominence, 1t has been held that Mir Roosevelt himself is likely to be big figure in the next national election. In these Demo cratic epistles there has been lacking something of specific detail. and opin- ion Is pretty evenly divided as to whether the present minority party hopes that the former president will again be candidate or that the hope is he will sanction the Taft admins tration and continue to support 1t through it's present term, including the time when the present president may be candidate for reelection.
 Rely on Third Term Issue.
 There are many leading Democrats Cl,-,.