New-York tribune., 1905-07-04
WAR REVENUE TAXES.
Scheme to Make Up Deficit by Their
Re-endctment Urged.
lFRoM THE TRIBUNE sr-REAu.l

Washington July 3.-Sentiment in the 59th
Congress will be strongly opposed to any
changes i'm the tariff schedules If that sentiment
can be gauged by the views of the various MEM
bers who have recently visited Washington.
There is considerable sentiment in favor Of
the readjustment of certain schedules to be
found among the leaders of the Senate, but ap-
parently none whatever among the leaders OF
the House OF the little coterie which usually
dominates The upper chamber. Senators Aldrich,
Allison. Lodge and Spooner have all expressed
in unequivocal terms their belief that the time
has arrived when some readjustment of certain
I schedules is essential and the President has
declared his purpose of setting forth the same
view in his next message to Congress.
In the House, however. it is hard TO find
prominent member who regards the possibility
of tarilf readjustment with anything but alb
horrence or. at least, apprehension The Speaker
is intensely opposed to any opening OF the tarlr
subject, Representatives DalzeH and
GrosvenOr, two of the most influential members
of the Committee on Ways and Means, while
Representative Payne chairman of that COM
m1ttee. although not antagonistic to any tariff
changes. is inclined to side with majority Of
his committee.
The steadily increasing deficit is naturally the
occasion of grave anxiety TO those who oppose
now casting about for some means of augment
ing the revenues without attempting to increase
the revenue producing features of the tariff. To
that end a number of them are now arguing in
! favor of restoring the war taxes which proved
such excellent producers of revenue until they
were repealed some time after the recent war.
repealed too precipitately. many members OF
| Congress maintain.
Senator Dick. of Ohio. is of those who re-
gard the return to the war taxes as excellent.
| Speaking this subject he said to-day: II
have come to the conclusion that about the best
thing will be to impose the Spanish war revenue
taxes on numerous articles. especially the stamp
TAX where the taxation Is barely felt by the
masses OF the people. Injustice is less likely to
De done in that way than by imposing larger
sums upon various lines of business and making
Iew lines carry the whole thing. / have not
gone into the subject in detail. but my idea
would be TO aftix a stamp tax on checks stocks
n1 iesal papers patent medicines and all
such thlhss as those" Senator Warren is under
stood to hold views srylar to those of the Sem
ator from Ohio. and the "standpatters' in the
House are almost a unit i'm favor of s,,oh -
course. " ~ "
Inc war revenue taxes imposed by Congress
IN IN 1895 yielded over $1OO000OOO each fiscal wear
@ aor three years, and in the fourth year after
| t iuileht 1t produced nearly S62OO0lO0O The
stamp taxes which Senator Dick refers to were
| thE 49, on documents Of various kinds But
mere was also tax on medicinal proprietary
aTtlcIeS and preparations on seats i'm narIor or
palace cars and berths In sleeping cars on lega-
cIes ana dlStributive shares of personal prop
erty, etc:' Including playing cards In the fiscal
year which ended June 30 1899 the first wear Of
tne operation OF the war revenue act. the stamp
axes uhder schedule produced $3S 61S OSI
ana schedule S5,2l9. 73I. while legacies brought
over Sl.oOOV The three schedules togerher
yleiae1 @ about Sio.o0OD revenue which would
be fully sufficient to meet prospective dehcits
proVldihg expenditures not materially in
creased In the next five six years
The taxes returned from | cent m In S1O o,d
TOOK In stocks bonds, bank checks bius Of er
chanSe drafts. bills of lading certificates OF
PIohts charters. contracts, agreements convex
warehouses insurance of all kinds leases mort
cages steamship tickets powers of attornev
ceipts, bottles, boxes packages OF pronriatar,
medicines. champagnes. legaces The medtcins
tax was apporttoned according to the retail tay
TO y of l cent ' up