The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1902-02-07
OUR WASHINGTON LEFT Err.

OUR WASlilNGTON LETTER.
WAsu1NGToN, D. C., February 3rd.
MIR. EDIToR:-The bill providing for
tue establishment of the "Dcpartment OF
Commerce and Labor" was passed 1y the
Senate this week and the H"n-e passed
bill providing for Il perm ,rent Census
Bureau, but the most important step tax
en- at the Capitol was the Ways anG
Means Committee determining upon the
repeal of the war revenue tax bill enact
ed a, the time of the Spanish American
War.
r preventative Claude A. Swanson, Of
Virginia, prominent member OF th'
WAYS and Means Committee. made the
following statement to your correspond
ent apropos Of the action of the committee:
THE Demot ratio party, at the time the
war was declared, insisted that the special
tax bill, would provide sufficient revenue
without the sale of bonds, and according
w the party voted against the section au-
.horiZing such sale. Events have demon
stratcd the correctness of the Democratic
contention. The war tax, the Dingey bill,
and the sale of bonds have combined to
produce a surplus in the Treasury which
has proved serious menace to business.
II fact, tinanciel disaster has been pre-
vented only by the purchase of bonds at
a high premium and the deposits of vast
sims in the National Banks of the coun-
try. on which, of course, the government
received no interest The government
has paid millions of dollars in premiums
which might have been saved had the
democratic policy been pursued. The
position of the republicans is a complete
ratification of the policy advocated 10y the
democrats at that time.
"The democrats will vote for the repeal
of the war taxes because they realize that
the present vast surplus is dangerous 10
business interests and to the government
They would much prefer reform of the
entire tax system, including tariff and
internal revenue taxes. We believe that
food and clothing, in word, the necessi
ties purchased by the whole people, are
entitled to at least us much reduction as
the republican party is extending to bank
capital, the sugar trust, the Standard Oll
trust, circuses, theatres, bucket shops and
spectators. All these are relieved while
the exturtionatc rates of the Dingley bill
are continued on all the necessities of the
people.
The Democrats on this Committee
have insisted that all trust made goods,
which are So pro ecicl Ivy the Dinglcy bill
as to enable the truss IL charge the
American consu mer double the prices
asked abroad, should be allowed to come
into the country free. This would have
destroyed many monopolies: but the re-
publicans would not permi, it. They are
to ignore the advice given by
Mr.. Mckinley in his Buffalo speech, to
reform the tariff and so enlarge our for
eign markets. The republican party IS
to persist in policy which is
breeding trusts, which is glaring in its in
eouali,ies and which is bound to destroy
our foreign markets. The only possibili-
ty of reform lies in democratic supremacy,
which would permit the democrats to re-
model the system of taxation along the
lines of justice and equality.
When the recommendation to abolish
the war taxes was before the Committee,
Mr.. Francis &. Newlands, of Nevada, Of
fered an amendment providing that every
industrial corr or iii N n2ayed in manrfac-
turing, whose annual receipts exceeded
81 ,OOO, OGO, should be C 'mpellcd To pay a
special tax of one tenth of one per cent
On all gross receipts in excess of $1,000
300 per annum The amendment further
provided that corporations of the above
maynitude should render, at the c.ose of
each year, Il complete statement OF It's
capital and surplus receipts, expenses and
profits, and amount and rates OF wages
paid the statistics so provided |" be class
fled and published by the Commissioner,
of Internal Revenue.
The amendment was rejected by party
vote but Mr.. Newlands told me yesterday
hat he would offer it again when the
measure was called up in the House. !
The amendment is in complete accord
with President Roosevelts recommended
lion of publicity for the trusts, said MIR.
1T would insure contribu-
tri. Il, Ina
eminent is protecting at a rate averaging
close to so per cent of between $4,000
300 and $10,000,0O0 year to the federal
expenses, and would insure that publicity |
The President so strongly advocates and
which is essential before intelligent legis-
alton can be enacted, either for the con-
rol of the trusts or the adjustment of the |
,ariff rates If the war revenue tax be re-
oealed without the adoption of this amend |
nent such gigantic monopolies as the su-
gar trust and the Standard Oil trust will
be left in position where they contribute
nothing to the support of the government
which deals so beautifully with them,
" While the necessaries of life Will be hcavi- |
" taxed and the burden, from W hich cor
poratc wealth is exempted, will fall Oh
the poor and middle classes
So severe was the storm of disapproval |
which surged about Chairman Payne as
soon as the action of his committee be- |
came known that, after conference with !
he Speaker, he issued an official state
nent setting forth that the committee had
10 intention of blocking the way to Gu |
Jan reciprocity by its revenue reduction
policy. as had been charged. He protCs S