Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-10-08

was then in poor health and extremely
occupied and wes obliged to write Gov
ernor Barstow that l could not come
Sui later he informed me that the Leg
lsature, following the governor and our
representation in Congress. had declined
to ratify amendment; he then said that
this action was extremely humllating to
him and TO most thoughtful Vermonters
1 replied that It was equally Illuminating
to me and that when another session OF
the Vermont Legislature met l would, no
matter Mt what cost, go there and lift
up my voice against this course of ao-
tion. When the Legislature of 1912 was In
session ! did ask the committee having
this matter in charge for the privilege of
appearing before it and did appear there
and In feeble way present my reasons
for believing that the amendment should
be ratified It was ratified by that Legis-
lnturc, although not until after the re-
qulsite number of States had first been
obtained
The constitution Of the United States
can only be amended, as you all know,
by conventions Of the people or by tho
submission of resolution Of Congress to
the Legislatures of the various States ror
usually employed The resolution must
pass both branches Of Congress by
two-thrds vote and must then be rati
fled by the Legislatures Of thrce-fourths
OF the States Ordinarily no man will vote
TO subm| an amendment to the Legisla-
tura for ratification unless he favors the
amendment How, then did 1t happen
that MI Dillingham; voted in favor Of THO
resolution in Congress- and then used his
influence to prevent the ratification of the
amendment by his state Why did MI.
Ndrich. who was bitterly opposed to an
income tax and who hid mover hcsitatod
to say So favor the passage Of that reso-
lutlcn in the Senate?
The solution Of this enigma Is to be
found in conditions then existing in Con-
"rcss. Mr. Underwood had introduced In
tn" House h'll for what ne denomlnate1
. business tax but which was % every In
tent ard purpose an income tax. II Is
my impression that this bin had been
offered IN the Senate as an amendment to
the Payno-Aldrich tariff, and at any rate
there was sentiment in Congress IN
favor of this hill which made it certain
] that the bill wOLld pass unless some heroic
measures We're adopted to prevent It.
There was a general impression among
| lawyers that tho court would sustain the
constltutionality. Thereupon. and for tho
| express purpose Of preventing the pass
age of this income tax bill Mt that time,
| MI AdrlCh introduced the resolution for
a submission Of this Amendment to the
States. and brought forward and support
ed the corporation tax bill which laid a
tax upon the income Of corporations but
not on individuals In this way tho I'm
dcrwood income tax bin was defeated.
| II has become perfectly apparent that
| the sentiment Of this country was over
whelmnglv in favor OF an income tax
There was no hope that eventually tho
necessary States would not ratifY the
| amendment. but It might be possible In
this way To postpone for time the EVIL
day. This was the purpose of that per-
| Torrance The sole effect OF it WIS to
relieve for three years the wealth which
Mr.. Aldrch represented from the payment
of that tax. The sovereign State of Yer
mont is made to dance while Wall Street
pipes. You. my friend, may enjoy seeine
your state the football of the astute Mr.
Adrich and his interests, but ] did no,
| then nor do I yet.