New-York tribune., 1901-02-20
WAR TAX CUT S4O,OOO,OOO.
,,orsF LIKELY TO YIELD no SENATE
on THE REDUCTION BILL.
fry TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrRuNE.l ]

.-,-.nineton. Feb. 19-There will be another
.,ng tomorrow OF the conferrees on the
=. Revenue Reduction bill, when the deadlock
!. 0-obably ne broken and the bin will be put
,,s dnal passage substantially IL was
,sed by the Senate. The Senate bin makes
49, cut in present war taxes of about s40-
s.ooeo instead Of the $50. 100000 provided by
House The Senate clauses reducing the
:, tobacco and beer and retaining the bank
- tax win stand. This assertion is based
,.s certain knowledge that the Senate con-
...es-Messrs Aldrich. Allison and Jones. OF
..s.nsas-win stoutly refuse TO yield an inch.
"a that of the House conferrees Messrs Payne
richardson are understood TO have indicated
senator Aldrich their intention 10 vote I'm
..,srence for favorable report on the hin IN
:, ,resent shape II is probable. therefore.
-, Nr Dalzen. Of Pennsylvania. VIII cast the
.-,r vote IN the conference tomorrow against
-. senate hill At least, this is the confident
nsc,ation alike Of the friends Of the measure
q - those who are strongly impressed with
-. ssvisability OF an early reduction Of war
taxes.
uhne the conferrees have been unable here
,o-a 10 reach an agreement there has never
an among them between the houses
.,,.,hing like the acrimony that has been repre-
,.,tsd IN the general run OF press reports The
..,,ss, has been conducted quietly and with
,hs utmost good feeling all around. The Senate
-, s,ooa out firmly for Its bin because SEN
-. are convinced that their measure was pre-
,..-ss with a great deal more care and DELHI
.-.,,on than are rkely 10 characterize this
,,s.,es of legislation in the House, bound down
- ,ha, hody is by rules which place all the real
81, an the shoulders Of a few men. on the
,,h.r hand the Senate operates under rules
ana traditions which give the freest latitude 20
s,scus.ion and deliberation, so that when a
,,oasure emerges from that chamber il usually
!. .,ns shape which represents the best thought.
,vor.manship and wisest counsel available.
This 4, Is contended. is particularly true OF the
War Revenue Reduction bill. reported without
s,v,s,op from the Senate Committee on Finance
nv Chairman Aldrich The committee was az
work on the bill nearly month, and when II
anslly was reported 10 the Senate II was elab-
orstsy debated in all It's features. II is true
,hst the Senate bill exceeds by about Sl0.o00.oo0
On. reduction OF war revenue recommended by
the Secretary of the Treasury, but IL is ssid
that this increase was not made until the
Finance Committee. after careful consultation
with Mr. Gage. learned that the estimates az
income and expenses for the fiscal year justified
. larger cut in war revenues than at first sp-
peared probable 10 the Secretary. This was
made all the more apparent when il became evil
dent that the House River and Harbor bill. car
rying appropriations aggregating S60,0o0.0oo
would not be passed al this session, thus reliev-
,nr the Treasury ~ a burden which the Secre-
,sry thought il would have 10 carry when he
said that the war taxes ought not TO be cut
more than SS0,Wo.ooN
The prediction that Mr.. Payne. ~ New-York,
chairman OF the House Committee on Ways and
Means. VIII vote 10 sustain the Senate bin is
based by those who make IL on the fact that
Mr. Payne voted for the Senate reduction on
tobacco and beer when the bin was referred
hack 20 his committee. Mr.. Richardson, OF Ten
nessee the ranking Democratic member OF the
committee has all along favored a cut in the tax
on beer and tobacco. II is thus shown that
there really is slight calse for friction in con-
ference, and now that the session is so rapidly
drawing 10 a close, IL is believed that there will
he relatively no more opposition in the House 20
the amended bill than is expected to be mani
tested al tO-mOrrOWs meeting OF the cOnferrees.
The feeling is SO strong among Republicans
of all shades OF opinion that the country de-
mands a reduction Of war taxes, and that the
present and prospective condition OF the Treas
ury will warrant reduction, that IL is feared
II this legislation should fail before March
through obstinacy in sthe House, the President
would have additional cause for SummOning the
new Congress in extra session, AS few members
~ either House ara at all favorable 10 an extra
session II can be understood that this Will
have much influence in determining the issue
as 70 war revenue reduction. There is little
doubt that the President would call Congress
hack here II no reduction in war taxes should
he made Indeed a Republican leader OF the
Senate who visited the White House this morn
ing said that the President had intimated as
much 10 him. ITO put il mildly said the SEN
ator Ill would De very foolish in us not 10 re-
duce war taxes al the earliest practicable date.