The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-07
DIETz EXPLAINS
lIIIMITATION OF
CON CON WORK
Limitation Misrepresented, He Says
Defines Revenue Article
Scope.

Future constitutional conven-
tons and later amendments to the
state constitution will be in con-
troll of the downstate, Cyrus T.
Dietz, constitutional convention
delegate told the Unitarian Lay
mems league in the First Unitarian
church, Moline, last night, discuss
ing the convention.
At the first of the year, he SAID,
most important questions pending
were those of limitation, revenue
and future amendments but later
other questions of corporations, Ju-
dicial departments and education
were revived.
Settlement of the limitation ques-
ton, Mr.. Dietz said, had been given
great publicity. at was not only
over-advertised but it was misrep-
resented" he charged. THE people
were led to believe that the county
representation plan was the only
method that coEid be employed. Inc
plan of Limitation adopted, which
restricts Cook county to one-th1rd
in the senate and based the repre-
sentation in the house upon cleo
tors, instead of population, receiy-
ed the almost unanimous approval
OF all the delegates to the conYen-
ton.
During the last few weeks the
convention passed upon the revenue
articles. In this connection 1t
should be remembered that the pro-
visions of the constitution are not
laws. in the ordinary sense, but
merely restrictions upon the gem
eral assembly in its attempt to en-
act laws. Newspapers have said
that the constitutional convention
has levied an income tax There
have been other similar public mis-
statements. The new revenue ar
ticle permits tax on property by
valuation las now in. practice) an
income tax, in lieu of tax by valu
alton, upon intangible property,
general income tax and tax on
privilege franchises and occupa-
tons. The constitution does not
levy such taxes. 1t merely permits
the general assembly Chat is, the
people, if they see fiji to levy taxes
of that kind.
Prevents Double Taxation.
While the new article permits an
AhtOl4C btaA OA4
it expressly provides that such tax
shall be uniform and substantial
and reasonably proportio to the
tax levied on property by valua-
ton 1t will enable the legisla
ture to reach for taxes a great
amount of intangible property that
now escapes assessment.
IF the general assembly should
Il,
amount OF taxes paid by the tax
payer upon property shall be de-
Quoted from the tax on income de-
rived from such property. This
will, in a measure, avoid the double
taxation. The taxpayer will not be
required to pay both a property tax
and an income tax on the income
from the same property.
"A new draft of the article on jul
dicial department as already tenta-
lively adopted abolishes the pro-
bate court There seems a strong
movement in opposition to such a
provision. This means, therefore,
that the article will also be recon
sidered.
Bill of Rights.
at is also inevitable that there
will be considerable further debate
of those provisions of the bill Of
rights, which relate to the reading
of the Bible in the public schools
and which concern recent race
questions.
There will likewise be muh dis
.cussion, yet to come, on future
amendments and future constitu-
tional conventions. Downstate dele
gates will perhaps be a unit in de-
manding that delegates to future
constitutional conventions be elect
ed from the senatorial districts of
the state That is in accordance
with similar provisions of the old
constitution. However, in view of
the fact that Cook county is to be
limited hereafter to maximum of
a third in the senate, the downstate
will always have two-thirds of all
the delegates to any future conveu-
ton. There are those who advo-
cate. and perhaps justly so, that
all future constitution and amend
ments should be ratified by major
ity vote in at least two-thirds of
all of the counties. of the state.
Such a provision would forever pre-
vent Cook county from getting con-
troll OF the state through the adop-
ton of new constitution or
through the adoption of amend |
ments to the old constitution"