Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-11-21
REVENUE TAX.
Republicans Of Ways and
Means Committee Meet
To Consider Measure for Reduction
Of War Revenue Tax.
SEC. GAGE SAYS 1T NIGHT RE
LESsENED $50, 900. 900.


can members OF the ways and means
! committee met. today, to consider a
| measure for the reduction Of the war
| revenue tax. The most important ac-
| ton taken was decision not TO remove
the tax OF 10 cents pound on tea.
The committee will not take UP or dis
turb the tariff on imports. as the mem
bers claim it would open up the whole
subject OF tarify revision.
The committee viii not grant any
hearings while raining the BILL as full
hearings were given during the last
session Of Congress, ana since then
briefs and statements of various in
tcrests have been received. Parties
who are interested, however, can file
the briefs of statements with the COM
rnittee. No decision was rca chcd :e to
The amount Of the reduction and Sec
retary Gage ana Commissioner of In
t"rnal Revenue Wilson win BE- heard
on this subject.
The session was DEVOTED mainly 90 a
general discussion ana no agreement
has hecn reached Hprn any Of the
schedules.
Secretary Gage and Commissioner
Wilson OF the internal revenue bureau
were bcfors. the committee for SONS.
time during the afternoon. The sncrc
tarY told the committee that in his
opinion there might he q reduction in
revenues of $50 ,000. .660. The war rcvc-
nue. act now raises about Sl1a. 00D. 061
commissioner Wilson went over the
schedules with The members of the
committee and both h" and Secretary
Gage We're questioned as To where r."
ducIions could be made to the b.st ad-
vtnta"- from IN" treasury point az
view. 4 considerable part nf the dis
cusSion was confined 10 schedule !;
which taxes medicinal ana proprietary
articles and preparations. perfumrry.
cosmetics. chewing gum. wines. ete.
There was also discussion Of stamp
taxes. The discussion indhated that
the committee favored quite Il change
in this feature OF the law ana reduc-
tion wherever possible. The committee
also desires 10 elinifiTstn the taxes on
conveyances. Of which there has been
great deal Of complaint.
Il can be stated that in a general
way it will be the aim Of the commit
tee to abolish the most burdensome
taxes ana To grant relief from stamp
taxes as far as possible.
The committee. late in the day. call
cd on the President 10 obtain his views
on the proposed reduction. The com
mittee will meet again. tomorrow.
After there has been general in
t.rchange Of opinion on the proposed
reduction it is quitely likely that a sub
committee Will be appointed TO draft a
measure.
II is not believed the bill can be pre-
pared ana ready for the fun committee
until the session begins. The measure
after il is agreed upon by the Repub-
licans, viii be submitted 10 the Demo-
Gratis of the committee.
Suggestion has been made that the
oleomaryarine bill now on the House
calendar and made special order for
Dec. 6, might be made a part OF the
war revenue reduction bill. Kepresen-
tariye Tawney. the father Of the oleo-
margarine bill. when asked about this
said that the oleomargarine bill would
be passed by the House early in the
session, 50 that an opportunity would
be given 10 ascertain il there was
disposition 10 defeat the measure in the
Senate by an unusual delay. In such
case ne intimated that the oleofnar-
garine bill might be made q part OF
the revenue reduction bill in the Sen
ate.
The committees conference with the
President lasted less than an hour
The committee and the President
agreed on the desirability Of the re-
duction Or abolition Of the war taxes
t,--
irritating TO the interests involved and
yet have not produced very much rev
cnue The President believes the surplus
in the treasury is aeCnmuia;ing TOO
rapidly an1 that the conservative re-
duction may IT, made safely or Inc tax
rs entirely removed ia SoInc instances.
The Republican members believe they
viii he able Ia agree in a very few days
on The general line of changes 10 be
made.