The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-02-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.
ID. c., Feb. 3, '02.

The bill providing for the estab.
ishment of the department OF
Commerce aud Labor" was passed
by the Senate last week and the
House passed bill providing for a
permanent Census Bureau, but the
most important step taken at the
capitol was the action Of the Ways
and Means committee determining
upon the repeal Of the war revenue
tax bill enacted at the time OF the
Spanish war.
Rep. Claude A. Swanson, OF Va,
a prominent member Of the Ways
and Means committee, made the
following statement to your CORE.
spondent apropos of the action OF
the committee: 1.-The Democratic
party, at the time the Spanish war
was declared, insisted that the spe-
clal tax bill would prove sufficient
revenue without the sale OF bonds,
and accordingly he party voted
against the section authorizing such
sale. Events has demonstrated the
correctness of the Democratic con-
tention. The war tax, the Dingley
, bill, and the sale Of bonds have
combined to produce surplus In
J the Treasury which has proved
serious menace to business. In
fact, financial disaster has been pre-
vented only by the purchase OF
, bonds at high premium and the
deposits of vast sums in the Ma
'tional banks of the country. on
, which, of course, the government
received no interest. The govern
!, nent has paid millions Of dollars in
premiums which might have been
, saved had the Democratic policy
0 been pursued. The position OF the
Republicans is a complete ratitica-
n ton of the policy advocated by the
: Democrats at that time.
1.-The Democrats will vote for the
It repeal Of the war taxes because they
realize that the present vast surplus
! is dangerous to business interests
and to the government. They would
/ much prefer a reform of the entire
8 tax system, including tariff and in
~ ternal revenue taxes. We believe
that food and clothing, in a word
a, the necessities purchased by the
!. whole people, are entitled to at
9 least as much reduction as the Re-
IN publican party is extending to bank
capital, the sugar trust, the Stand
ot ard Oil trust, circuses, theatres,
, bucket shops and speculators. All
0. these are relieved, while the extor-
RS tionate rates Of the Dingley bill are
= continued on all the necessities Of
\ the people.
= .sThe Democrats On this COM
pit :nittee have insisted that all trust
I, made goods, which are SO protected
q by the Dingley bill as to enable the
= trusts to charge the American con
sumer double the prices asked
es abroad, should be allowed to come
q into the couotry free. This would
have destroyed many monopolles; ;
z. but the republicans would not per-
D NIT it.
,o When the recommendation TO
abolish the war taxes was before the
sa committee, Mr. Francis q. New
Hands. I OF Nevada, offered an amend
:, ment providing that every indus
= trial corporation engaged IN manu-
e, featuring, whose annual receipts ex-
ceeded ST 900 900, should be COM
PEELED to pay special tax OF one
tenth Of one per cent on all gross
s. receipts in excess OF 81 600, 900 per
C annum. The amendment further
ee provided that corporations OF the
!" above magnitude should render, at
be the close OF each year, complete
Il statement Of its capital and sur
ir. rlus, receipts, expenses and profits,
and amount and rates Of wages
D. paid. the statistics so provided to be
I'D classified and published by the
,rt Commissioner Of Internal Revenue
The amendment was rejected by
ir. a party vote, but Mr.. Newlands told
me Yesterday that he would offer II
again when the measure was called
ls. up in the House. 1.-The amend
to ment is in complete accord with
&C. President Roosevelt's recommends
ton Of publicity for the trusts,
So said MIR. Newlands. 1T would in
so sure a contribution from those in
dustries which the government i
sss protecting at rate averaging close
to so per cent. Of between - ,OOO,OO.
and $1O,OOO,OO0 year to the led
m eral expenses. Y. a. ?.