Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-30

constitutional amendment very SINH
lar to that contained in this docu-
ment- 4 hearing was held before the
regular committee of taxation of the
1919 Legislature. The corr mittee re-
ported unanimously that the resolve
ought to pass, and the resolve was
passed by that Legislature. The
matter then went to the people at
the September election, and as
have said was defeated by a major
fy of 1888 The measure, however.
was carried successfully in seven
counties. the counties of Hancock,
Knox, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscata-
quis. Somerset and Washington.
Eleven thousand is not such a large
majority, but I would not feel JUS
titled in urging the submission of
question so ssoon if there were not
other circumstances which entered
into that vote.
If you will remember, the adoption
of the constitutional amendment was
recommended explicitly in,the Demo-
cratic platform; it was recommend
ed even more explicitly in the Repub-
hcan party platform adopted in
March, 1920 Under the heading of
Estate Issues" will read Section
3 of the Republican party platform
last fall.
Recognizing the necessity OF
equalizing the burdens of taxation
by imposing a just tax on the large
amount of intangible property now
escaping taxation, and believing that
a State income tax affords the fairest
available method of accomplishing
this result, we advocate the adoption
at the September election. 1920. OF
the constitutional amendment pro-
posed at the special session of 1919.
authorizing the enactment of a State
income tax" 80
You note that they recommend
that the Legislature have the power
to levy an income tax for two rea-
sons: First, that considerable prop
erty was escaping taxation: second.
that an income tax is the fairest
available method for reaching this
class of property. So much for the
platforms of both parties during the
campaign Of last fall. But you will
remember that early in the cam
paign no State issues developed, and
the party platforms. so far as State
issues went, were forgotten. Both
parties had endorsed this measure,
so that there was no issue between
the two parties upon that. You will
remember that the national issues
were the chief issues that were
brought to the attention of the voters
during the campaign of last fall. The
subject of this constitutional amend
ment was therefore hardly discussed
in any of the political meetings.
There was very little written about
! it and very little appeared in the
newspapers do not allege that the
people did not know what they were
voting about, but I do claim that
they diu not know exactly what was
proposed for them to vote upon. I
must confess that I know more a1ont
this subject now than I did last Sep
TENDER. and I presume that l would
kno weven more in regard to it by
September, 1922.
| In addition to the lack of discus
sion of the subject there was one
BILE for the defeat of this measure,
and that was a campaign which was
carried on at the last minute to de-
feat it. have here before me the is
sue of the Kennebec Journal for Sat-
urday, September 18th, the Saturday
before the election on Monday. On
the front page of that paper is an ad
vertisement. small heading at the
tor, political advertisement" no
signature at the bottom, no person
responsible for it, no organization
responsible for it, no association re-
sporsille for it. the identity COM
plctely concealed Talk about your
gum shoe campaign. These fellows
had nn hip rubber boots. The burden
Of this advertisement is urging the
people to vote against the constitu-
tional amendment to levy an income
lax. 1t reads as follows:
VERY IMPORTANT
do you realize the Importance to
you of Question on the ballot to be
passed next Monday
If passed. it will allow any Legisla-
ture to tax you every dollar of your in
come, if it pleases 1t offers no bill
and it provides no limit. The people
have had no time to consider it," That
statement is true, and then it goes on
to say,
"They don't know what it means"
And that statement is true. Then it
goes on,
! France is taxing incomes down to
| $780," and that may be true, but it
does not concern us.
I'VE may get a Legislature that will
do the same thing or even worse.
Are you not already paying all the
taxes you can stand?
IF so, then vote NO on Question g."
Now there appears no means of
knowing who paid for that ADVERTISE
| ment no means of knowing who spon-
, sored it. While I am speaking about
| this advertisement, let me remind YOU
that you never need worry about an
occurrence of this nature again, for
you have passed at this session of the
legislature law requiring that when
political advertisement is published,
the name of some responsible person
shall appear as part of that adver-
tisement. You have spoken and stated
| that the people of the State Of Maine
! have right to know who is trying to
influence their votes through the news
papers of our State. That advertise
ment came out at the last minute for
the purpose Of obscuring the issue be-
fore the people. There was no tax
h,f