The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-05-17
SEEKING VOTES
FOR BLAINE Bill.
Every Possible Effort Be
ing Made to Whip sena-
tors Into Line.
CHANGES ARE ASSURED
tBy Asseeiated Press)

Madison, Wis. With Governor
Blaine's general ines1ae tax bill abeut
to come TO vote in the sehate, ad-
ministratieH members Of HE upper
house are expressing themselves as
favorable to amendment eff the meas
ure if passage ean BE assured By tffs
course.
Senator Henry Huber, chairman Of
the joint COMMITTEES en- finance and
Administrations leader, ssgs that he
is willing TO stand for amendments
providing they dc net destroy the paT-
pose Of the bill. He expresses hitu-
self as <of the epinien thas the Blaine
bill should be saved, frem defeat by
changing It's provisions sufficiently to
gather the needed y votes Cor sd
vancement,
At least eight amendments will faee
the governors bill when It is reached
as special order of business III the
senate Wednesday morning. Accept
ance Of any one Of several of these
proposed changes would alter the pro
posal SO materially that opposition
senators say it will not be recognized
as the Blaine bill. In his special
message to the legislature, dealing
with taxation, the governor told the
members that the measure could not
be changed in many of It's parts with
out emasculating the whole bill.
Amendments May Save BILL
This fact, several administration
senator's say, should not stop the sen
ate from voting for amendments If
amendment will save the bill from
defeat. as
The opposition to the administers
ton expresses itself as of the opin-
ion that the proposed changes are SO
drastic and the difference of opinion
in the senate so marked that the gov
errors bill will finally be killed out
right.
Senator P. J. Severson and Speaker
John L. Dahl have their two income
tax bills up for hearing before the
joint committee on finance this after
noon. They say that they are prepar-
ing their measures for the legislature
should the governors bill go down to
defeat.
Senator Severson, formerly the gov
ernor's floor leader in the upper house
on all tax matters, is outspoken in his
opposition to the Blaine bill which he
says is unworkable. Should the gov
ernof'ss bill meet death, he plans to
push his income surtax proposal
which he believes he can get through
both houses of the legislature.
Senate leaders point out that the
success Of Governor Blaine's bill will
depend largely upon the attitude TAX
en- by administration members toward
Socialist amendments. Without ac-
ceptance of their amendments, the So
cialists say that they will vote against
the bill, and it is generally conceded
that the Socialist vote can determine
the fate of the measure.
Socialists Are Determined.
They propose complete repeal of the
personal property Offset, taxation Of
stock dividends as income, payment
of a larger proportion of the tax re
turn to cities and payment of the tax
in one lump sum instead of in three
installments. Acceptance Of any of
these amendments will change the
whole bill, senators say. 1t will be
the Dahl income tax bill to$ all effect
the Socialists point out.
Senator Henry Roethe, leader of
the opposition, says that he is going
to push his amendment which would
restore the personal property offset to
the bill. This amendment affects ap-
proximately s5,O0O,0O0 of income tax
Governor Blaine is holding confer
ences with senators in a final effort
to get the needed support for his pro-
posal. He expresses confidence that
he can get the bill passed in the upper
house.