The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1911-06-07
pa Tax Amendment
Pertain of Adoption
Means That Those Who
Have the Money Shall
Pay the Taxes

put on the screws In the graduated
form during the civil war The law
was repealed in 1872. and no new one
was enacted until the beginning of the
second Cleveland administration. II
was this act that the supreme court
declared unconstitutional by five to
four vote. Justice Shiras having
changed his mind Perhaps no single
cnange OF mind ever cost nation so
much money.
The pending amendment was intro
duced by Senator Norris Brown of Ne
braska In the extra session of congress
of 1909 1t passed both houses during
the life of that session by the required
two-thirds majority and has been rati-
fed by the legislatures of the follow
ing states:
Alabama. Arkansas. California. Colo
RADIO. Georgia, Idaho. Illinois. Indiana.
Iowa. Kansas. Kentucky. Maryland.
Maine, Michigan. Mississippi. Mis-
souri,. Montana. Nebraska. Nevada.
Oklahoma. Oregon. South Carolina,
South Dakota, Tennessee. Texas,
Washington and Wisconsin.
How the States Stand.
Most of the states passed the amend
ment promptly and some of them by
practically a unanimous vote in both
houses. In others 1t was passed by
one house and rejected by the other
but on an appeal to the people the next
legislature was returned with both
houses favorable. In only two states,
Rhode Island and Vermont. was it de-
feated in both houses. New Hamp-
shire also rejected 1t, but Governor
Bass has been trying to get the ques-
ton reopened. In the other states the
situation is somewhat as follows: In
Connecticut the measure is pending,
with result in doubt. In Delaware the
legislature adjourned without action.
In Louisiana it was defeated last year.
but will be the issue in q campaign
before the people this year and will
almost surely be adopted in 1912. In
Massachusetts the senate Is In doubt
In Minnesota favorable action is ex-
pected. In Pennsylvania the measure
is held up. and the result is very
doubtful In Utah it was approved
in the house and defeated in the SELL
ate and In Virginia was approved by
the senate and defeated in the house.
West Virginia also had a divided YER
dict, and In Wyoming the legislature
adjourned without action. The out
come In the other states has already
been mentioned.
The Fight In New York.
Perhaps the hottest battle has occur
red in New York. When the amend
ment came before the legislature in
1910 Governor Hughes sent in spe-
cial message objecting to its form. His
criticism was that the language of the
measure made 1t possible for the fed
eral government to tax the income
from state and municipal bonds The
ground of his objection will appear
clearer by a reference to the wording
of the proposed amendment 1t is as
follows:
"Article 16.-The congress shall have
power to lay and collect taxes on in
comes, from whatever source derived.
without apportionment among the sew
eral states and without regard to any
census or enumeration
The last clause has reference to the
present constitutional provision that
direct federal taxes must be appor-
toned among the STATES according tO
population.
Hughes Objection.
The phrase to which Governor
Hughes objected and which has been
the bone of contention In New York
and elsewhere is the one reading
from whatever source derived"
The contention of advocates Of the
amendment is that the income from
state and city and all other bonds
fi-t-s-fs-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-