Washington sentinel., 1901-02-23
DUTY NOT PARTY,

The Washington EvENt1g STA,
an AdI~ ~inistration organ, feels tn
pulse OF public opinion on tn
subject OF a postponement of wa
tax reduction in the following par
agraphs in its issue OF Wednesday
last.
Among some OF the Republican mem
beTs Of the House the opinion is ex
pressed almost with the force OF con
viction that the bill reducing the wa
revenue tax will fail IN conference. Tt
some extent there is a sentiment
strongly IN favor of the postponemen
OF tariff reduction until such time as il
can De accomplished in a more satiSiac-
tory manner. a criticism of proposed
legislation, as il appears in conference
which is reflected IN letters received bs
members of the House, is the failure to
relieve the inconvenience to the public
involved in the stamp tax: and il IS
suggested that II a law is enacted at this
time IL will be apt to stand for long
time, with all its imperfections, whereas
BY waiting little longer a general
repeal OF the special war tax may be
secured.
The opinion is held by some that
there will be a permanent deadlock in
the conference, and Il is said that il the
House conferees do not yield to the
Senate there will be strong opposition
on the Republican side of the House to
the adoption of the conference report,
Unless the matter is hung up perma-
nently IN the coDferen nee the Democratic
vote In the House will figure IN the
controversy, as il did IN connection with
the fight over asking the Senate for a
conference Tne Democrats, while not
favoring either the House or the Senate
bill. will take the position that there
must be a reduction of the War Tax,
and will vote for such reduction even #
u b suusausfactor il rpethod and extent.
Iterelufe substantially solid DEM
ocralic vote NAV be reckDned q in support
Of any conference report or agreement
that may be submitted, or in support OF
ments, If one can be got before the
House, II the matter comes before the
House 10 a way to divide the Republi
cans the Democrats will vote with those
who favor an agreement between the
two Houses on a bill.
The Democratic position is now
and always has been in favor of
sweeping reductions in the War
Revenue act. If a relief measure
fails il will not be for want OF sym
pathY with such a measure on that
side OF the House. In committee,
on the floor OF the House, and in
private conversation Democrats
have advocated the passage Of the
bill, and their only regret has been
that they could not wipe it out en-
tirely.
WhV should Republicans hesi-
tate in the performance of their
duty in this matterP When the bill
was passed brewers were assured
by Republican leaders that il was
only meant to be temporary, and
as soon as the way was clear the
double war tax on beer would be
repealed. During the course of
the campaign Speaker Henderson,
at Milwaukee, publicly declared
that in the event OF McKlnley's
election the tax would be repealed.
In his message to Congress the
President advised revision OF the
War Revenue bill and suggested
that reduction should be made in
those provisions OF the act which
bore most heavily IN the indus
tries OF the people. Are not these
sufficient inducements for them to
make it a party measure, il such a
thing were necessary
Upon the assembling OF Con-
gress the Ways and Means Com
mIttee applied itself to the task OF
discovering in what lines the meas
ure caused the greatest hardships,
and after patient and thorough
investigation decided that beer was
entitled to and should receive sub
stantial reductions. In their re-
port they recommended that the
tax should be reduced to 81. 90 a
barrel. In this shape the bill vent
to the Senate.
When the Finance Committee
of that body presented its report It
was found that beer had received
a further cut OF 10 cents a barrel,
making the rate $3.50, or a total
reduction Of IS per cent. The
saving to brewers, If the bill had
passed in this shape, would have
been SI5,7oo, ,ooe-quite a large
sum, il is true, but no larger in
proportion to the gross reductions
than was justified by the share
beer had contributed to the rev.
enue bill.
OF the total amount collected
under the War Revenue bill beer
had paid fully one-third. AS the