Nearly twelve years have passed since the decision of the Income Tax cases, and there has been ample time to amend the Constitution if the people had so desired. But, instead of submitting an amendment such as was introduced in the House of Representatives last week, it is suggested by some that an attempt should be made to disregard or circumvent the Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court and to speculate on the change of its personnel and the chance of different views on the part of new incumbents. Surely, the simpler and wiser course would be to ascertain the wishes of the people in the manner provided by the Constitution. Assuming, as is so frequently asserted, that the people generally want a federal income tax, ratification of an amendment can be readily secured. The Congress, by a vote of two-thirds of both houses, can at once propose the necessary amendment, which will become effective when ratified by three-fourths of the states. The ratification can probably be secured in less than six months if there really exists any general sentiment in favor of such an amendment, for more than three-fourths of the state legislatures meet this winter. If deemed necessary, conventions could be called to meet within a few months. In any event, the delay ought not to exceed fourteen months. No student of our institutions can doubt that amendments to the Constitution will soon be thought necessary, and that such amendments will be submitted to the people. Our political system has not ceased to grow. Conditions are constantly changing, and powers which were adequate for the government of a federation of agricultural states may become insufficient for the necessities of the national government of a highly commercial and manufacturing people, with world-wide interests. Mr. Root's eloquent speech last night before the Pennsylvania Society has shown us how inevitably and irresistibly we are tending toward centralization. But it is mischievous and dangerous for the people to be taught that there is great or insurmountable difficulty in securing amendments to the Constitution in order to supply its defects or to meet changed conditions and that they must therefore accomplish their wishes by indirect means or by perverting delegated powers. The future contentment of the American people requires that they shall feel that they may readily, and are at liberty to, amend their organic law according to their mature judgment whenever they deem it necessary to do so. All that can be asked is that they shall act deliberately in the manner provided by the Constitution and under circumstances calculated to afford time and opportunity for error to be exposed, for theorizing and clamor and prejudice to exhaust themselves and "for the sober second thought of every part of the country to be asserted." If, then, it be determined to give to the national government the power to levy income taxes without apportionment, or to control successions to the