New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-19
4 BARREN VICTORY.

The state Senate has voted to ratify
the income tax amendment TO the fed
eraI Constitution. but the assent of the
upper branch of the Legislature must
remain barren unless the lower branch
can be induced To reverse its two sue
cessive votes against the amendment.
AT this stage of the session reopenlng
of the fight in the Assembly is not prob
able. nor. in our opinion, would it be
Unsuitable. The present Legislature has
no mandate from the voters either to
ratify or TO reject the income tax
amendment. The Senate, which has
just approved it, was elected in 1905
when no one conceived that a proposal
to enlarge the federal power to tax in
comes would be submitted TO the states.
Members of the Senate are therefore
voting merely their own opinions, TN
less il be admitted that the Democrats
in that body are under an obligation to
make good the income tax declaration
of the last Democratic national plat
form
Nor can il he said that the members
of the Assembly elected last fall re-
ceived instructions from the people on
the income tax question. Few candl-
dates took the trouble TO say whether
they would vote for ratification or not.
In the counties included in this city.
certainly. the amendment was complete
" ignored, the fight for the control of
the city government absorbing the at
tention of the voters of all parties. New
Yorks Legislature meets every year.
There is ample opportunity to act on
the amendment. and it would be much
wiser TO leave the final decision to a
legislature possessing better under
standing Of the wishes Of the voters
and a clearer delegation Of authority to
act in their behalf.
The Southern states were all expected
to vote for the amendment, because it
carried out a notion and a promise OF
the Democratic party. But Southern
commemorative are waking up TO the
fact that the amendment, as drawn, in
yades state rights and would allow the
federal government to tax the instru-
mentalities Of the states. Virginia has
already rejected the proposition on that
ground. and Louisiana is expected to
follow yirginia's example. The Gov
ernor of Louisiana. Jared \. Sanders,
has advised the Legislature, which has
Just met in extra session. TO refuse rati-
fication The leading Democratic news
papers in the state are also counselling
rejection, using in opposition the argu-
ments made by Governor Hughes. 1.-The
New Orleans Picayune" put the case
thus in a recent issue:
The federal income tax amendment
invites the people to public entertain
ment in which the chief spectacle is to
witness the cutting off of the name and
tails of all the lions of wealth, but
while we are enjoying the spectacle of
the humiliation of the pride Of others
we are having our states name shaved
and tail clipped.
The question with every state legis-
lature which seriously considers the
amendment is whether it is 10 the best
/ interest of state to weaken itself doubly
| by yielding up a fruitful source of reye-
nue. and by exposing its securities to
depreciation through charges on them
from which they. are now protected.
simply in order To give the general gov
eminent little freer hand in using the
direct taxing power.