The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-04-07

Ing close watch on the action OF the
various state legislatures There are
both friends and foes Of the income
income tax proposition In congress.
but even among its friends there 10
sharp difference of opinion as TO
whether such a 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. I'LL
nois and Alabama 1t 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 II Was Submitted to States.
1t 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 unquestlonably was
done In order to discourage income
tax debate and the Introduction of
amendments to the tariff bill. OF
course 1t ia not intended to say that
the administration was not sincere In
its desires to have income tax legisla-
ton. II 1t ever should reach legisla-
tive form. put on safe constitutional
grounds. 1t Is believed that President
Taft is in favor of the income tax pro
vided 1t can be shown that 1t is nee
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 1t Is absolutely certain that 1t has
the constitution back of it.
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
ratify the proposed amendment before
1t can be put into form and be given
place in the constitution of the
| United States Within the next year
81 states through their legislatures
will have a 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 Are Doubtful.
1t 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 IL states which will
have legislative sessions in 1911 and
in these IL there Is great doub,
whether affirmative action on the
amendment will be taken. The Il
states are California, Connecticut, Del
aware, Florida. Idaho, Maine, Mon
tana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania
Utah. Vermont and West Virginia.
Roosevelt Well Informed.
1t is pretty thoroughly established
fact that Theodore Roosevelt has ir
his possession an exhaustive letter
written to him by Senator Elihu Roo
of New York and giving In outline al
| account of the Taft administration
from the fourth day of last March VI
to the time that the letter was penned
early In February of this year.
There cannot be the slightest doub
that the New York senator, who wa!
Mr.. Roosevelt's secretary of state
wrote the letter in the hope that 1
would Offset the statements of mum
Der of people who had gone out Il
meet Mr. Roosevelt to tell him tina
from their point of view, that of pro
gression." the Taft administration ha!
been a dire failure.
In several speeches made recently b.
Democrats Of prominence and in ont
or two letters by men of that part!
Of almost equal prominence, 1t hal
been held that Mr.. Roosevelt himsel
is likely to be big figure in the mex
national election. In these Demo
cratic epistles there has been lacking
something of specific detail, and opin
ion Is pretty evenly divided as t.
whether the present minority part!
hopes that the former president vii
again be candidate or that the hope
| is he will sanction the Taft admins
tration and continue to support
through its present term, including
the time when the present presiden
may be a candidate for reelection.
Rely on Third Term Issue.
There are many leading Democrat
|