The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-24
THE WAR Revenue Taxes
Animated De. ate in the House Over
Committee Resolution.
Republicans Charged With Failure
to Keep Their PledEes-1r. Su1ser
Declares There Will he No Repeal
of the Law Until the Democrats
Are In Power The Discussion.

| resolution authorizing the Committee
| on Ways and Means to sit during the re-
| cess to formulate Plan for the reduction
of war revenue taxes was the cause of an
| animated debate in the House yesterday.
! The resolution was reported from the
Ways and Means Committee by Mr.. Payne,
the Chairman.
| Speaking to the resolution, Mr.. Payne
| stated the reasons why the committee had
not reported bill to reduce the war reve-
| nue. taxes Hearings had been had. he
said, and every speaker had been willing
that the tax should be taken off his busi-
| ness. The consequence was, he said, that
| il the committee had satisfied the demands
of these people it would have reported a
bill reducing the revenue $1C0 COO. 600 a
| year and produce deficit in the Treas
| ury. A majority Toffi the committee, at
| least, he said. wouldInot. agree to a bill
nor aid in its passage that would cause a
| deficit in the Treasury
Hs explained the policy entered upon by
the Treasury OF refunding and per
cent bonds In per cents. Already about
| $2S,0C0,o00 of bonds had been exchanged.
would result to the taxpayers. This re-
funding process. he said. did not show in
the Treasury balances. but as draft
against the balancee n.Some $25, ,3c0, 900 OF
those bonds remained to be refunded or
DRAFT OF S53, 100000 against the surplus
since March IA. That would cut down the
balance to almost nothing, and in view of
the railing on Of the surplus in April and
| May, he said, it would be unsafe to reduce
| the war taxes now. The Ways and Means
committee had given some hearings and
| mad found that all who paid war taxes IA
| vored their repeal or reduction, but the
| majority did not propose to enter upon
legislation now that>might create deficit
| In the Treasury. During the recess the
whole subject could be investigated and a
comprehensive and intelligent measure
| framed for introduction at the opening of
the session in December.
| MIR. Fitzgerald enquired If Mr.. Payne
thought the men who paid the war reye-
| nue. taxes should be taxed to refund the
| Government bonds.
Il think the Government should paw its
| obligations as rapidly as possible, and use
| the proceeds of the war tax to that end {"
| said Mr.. Payne.
Then the Republican party does not in-
tend to reduce the war taxes at this ses-
| sion?" Mr.. Sulzer asked.
"1>can say nothing more than I have
with the hope of penetrating the gentle
| man from New York." Mr. Payne replied.
The resolution was antagonized by Mr.
Richardson. who said that this session of
Congress should not close until Congress
had reduced the war taxes. 1t had been
in session six months in a time of profound
peace, but nothing had been suggested to
relieve the people. He had moved In the
| committee that a bill be reported reducing
all these taxes so per cent, but the ma
| jority would not consent
The Government could get along without
| the enormous sum TOW being collected as
| war taxes. The report of tie Secretary Of
| the Treasury showed that the surplus at
| the end Of the fiscal year would be $780,
| 600. COO. The gentleman from New York
| might juggle figures, but he could not GET
| away from the fact that the Secretary of
! the Treasury said there would be a vast
surplus June 30. Congress should not ad-
| 1ourn without giving the people some re-
| lief Mr.. Richardson said he was in favor
| of repeating the tax on beer.
"The gentleman might also tell that the
minority advocated cutting down the tax
| Mr. Steele.
| docs the gentleman think that wrong -
! asked Mr.. Richardson.
| Yes" replied Mr.. Steele
Mr.. Richardson: We'll, 1 don't. I am
! in favor of reducing the tax on heer"
/ Mr.. Robinson called attention to the
| statement of the Republican leaders on
! the occasion Of the passage of the war
| revenue act. that the act would be repealed
as soon as the emergency passed, and nota-
bly, the statement Of Mr.. Cannon that IL
| the war lasted but six months the law
| would be repealed at the end of six months
Mr.. Sulzer declared that the Republi-
| cans never intended to repeal the wal
revenue act. 1t was all a subterfuge. The
other side was playing politics. There
will be no repeal of this law" said he
! until William Jennings Bryan sends his
| first message from the White House.
Further objection was urged by Messrs
| Underwood. Fitzgerald, and Lewis, upon
| the grounds chiefly that the Republicans
| had promised to reduce the taxes and had
failed to do so. and that the condition oi
the Treasury demanded a reduction in the
| interests of the public. Messrs. Hopkins
| and Grosvenor criticised and made fun oil
the Democratic record on tax reduction
and insisted that the proposed investiga-
tion and report by the Committee on Ways
and Means was the best and safest line OF
action.
Mr. Grosvenor called attention to the
| plight to which the Government had some
| times been put by failure Of confidence in
| Administrations, and to the situation that
| arose in 1884, when a Democratic Secretary
| of the Treasury asked Congress for power
| to borrow 5000 000, 900 to meet current ex-
| penditures. Contingencies must be guarded
| against. If there was any assurance that
| the present regime would continue Con-
gress could proceed with more confidence
| I'VE can give no such assurance, OBJ