Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-01-18
GOVERNOR SENDS SPECIAL
MESSAGE TO LEGISLATURE
States Chief Executive Addresses
General Assembly on the Fro.
posed Amendment TO the Federal
Constitution Which Provides for
the Collection Of an Income Tax.

RICHMOND. Jan. l7.-With the
opening of the house at noon. Speak
er Byrd introduced his much talked
OF primary bill" AS 1t was offered
this morning the bill Is an amend
ment on the first bill drafted by rr.
Byrd In two important respects
/ The first amendment is made In re-
gard to the compulsory" feature. AS
first drafted. the bill provided that
oil parties of $4,000 voting strgentn
must adopt the primary system. This
feature was strongly objected to by a
number of Legislators and was amend
ed to provide that each party may
adopt the primary system as II
chooses. but that after il is adopted.
the party adopting 1t must adhere to
and be governed by the primary law.
In regard TO the publication Of
political matter, which IS covered
by the bill. another imendcmnt i
made which removes a great deal OF
opposition to the bill. As first drafted
the bill provided that all political
matter published in newspapers must
/ be published as advertisements with
the name of the advertiser attached.
, This provision raised storm OF pro-
test for Obvious reasons.
In the bill presented this morning
the political matter clause is
amended so that, if passed. while the
published political notices must be
printed as advertisements. the name
of the advertiser may be withheld
In spite Of the amendments the bill
! will meet with great deal of ''ppo-
sition in the house and from the ex-
, rressions of members il will be a
storm center when the measure Genes
up for adoption.
Wants Pensions Paid.
, Delegate Yarrell announced this
morning that in case the house D.
rance committee failed to report on
the bill offered by him en- the first
I day OF the session. providing for the
payment Of pensions to Confederate
soldiers. that he would move that
that committee be discharged.
1t was promised by every speak
er in the campaign last summer"
/ said Mr.. Yarrell, that these pen
! sions would be paid by this legisia-
lure and | am determined to bend
every effort 10 make the State pay
her debt to the old soldiers.
| Governors Special Message.
Governor Swanson. at neon today.
sent a special message to the iesisi2-
{ tire which In part f0!loy =:
To the General Assembly OF virginia:
/ have the honor tc transmit here
with a duly certified sopy of the reso-
lution of the congress of the United
States, proposing an amendment to
/ the constitution OF the United States.
to be submitted 10 the legislatures
! cf the various States for consideration.
in pursuance CT the provisions Of the
Federal constitution.
I The resolution and proposed
amendment is as follows:
Resolved, by the senate and house
of Representatives of the United
States OF America in congress as
sembIed Owo-thirds Of each house
concurring therein.) That the follow
| ing article is proposed as an amend
ment to the constitution OF the United
States. which. when ratified by the
legislatures of three-fourths OF the
several States. shall be valid to all
intents and purposes as part of the
constitution:
Article XVI. The congress shall
have power TO lay and collect taxes
on incomes from whatever source de-
rived. without apDOrtionment among
the several States and without re-
ward to any census or enumeration.
The effect OF the proposed amend
mcnt - TO confer upon the Federal
government the power TO impose and
Rect revenue upon i7ccTnc. There
has existed much difference q opin-
trn IS to whether. under ihc piesen;
constitution. the Federal government
Is possessed Of such power. The
Federal gcvcrumen, for many years
collected much revenue from this
source Scme years ago the SUI
preme Court 81 the United States.
BY a divided court decided that the
Federal government had 10 such
power conferred
The Desired Result.
The propc scd amendment vii ac-
complish this end. n wdi confer
upon TIE legislative power Of the
gcvernment the power to collect such
taxes. unrestrained BY a caaneiux
court. u vii remove the Supreme
Court q the United States. on this