The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1909-04-23
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
Washington, D. c., April 18th


Mr.. Editor -
The Democratic Senators in their re-
cent caucus on the tariff decided to
support the income tax proposition
which Senator Bailey, of Texas has
introduced as an amendment to the
PAYNE bill. The amendment provides
for tax Of three per cent on all in
comes above 5000. exempting incomes
from federal, state; county, and munich
pal securities, the salaries of state
officials and the incomes of corpora
tions when they are below IS; 900. Mr..
Bailey explained that by exempting in
comes from State, county and munich
pal securities he had, he convin ced,
avoided the constitutional rocks on
which the former income tax law was
wrecked when it reached the Supreme
Court of the United States. When
asked for an estimate of the amount of
revenue which his amendment would
produce Mr.. Bailey said that while 1t
was impossible to state this accurately
he was convinced it would yield from
s ixty to eighty million dollars 4 year.
There are some s enators who hope that
as a result of coaliti On between the
solid minority and the disaffected Re-
publicans the Baily amendment may
be adopted by the Senate, but the gen.
eral view is that there is no likeliho cd
of 50 fortunate result and even did
that happen it is almost certain that
the House, under the domination of
Speaker Cannon, would prove success
full in killing the amendment.
Senator Beverage, of Indiana, has re-
introduced his tariff commission bill of
a year ago.. offering it as Al amend
ment to the Payne bill and IL sxtre me-
ly confident that it will be adopted.
There is little doubt that the Finance
Committee will incorporate in the Sen
ate substitute portion of the Beveri-
dge am endment. That is to say, there
will be create d tariff bureau, probab-
ly under the direction of the Secretary
of the Treasury which will be charged
with the duty of gathering together
and collating all that tariff information
which now reaches the government
through several different sources, and
also of collecting and preparing for the
use of the President data concerning
foreign customs law 80 that the Presi-
dent may be Informed, when the time
comes to enforce the maximum duties
against any country " hich does not &C.
cord to the prod ucts Of the United
States as full! privilege as it accords to
those of any other country. There is,
however, fundamental difference be-
tween the policy of the Finance Com
mittee which will be adopted by the
Senate and the Bevetidge commission
idea. Mr.. Beverage would create
commission clothed with authority and
rssponsib ility which would seek con-
scientiously to ascertain the facts re.
garding the cost of production at home
and abro Cd, whereas, it is not the pur-
pose of Congress to delegate such
authority to any executive body. The
makers of the tariff in the Republican
party have no purpose to establish the
machinery whereby such facts may be-
come generally known, as once known
they would onstitute basis for mer CT
less criticism of the party which frames
tariff bills to protect it's friends and
promote special interests. Senator La
Toilette has also introduced a tart IF
commission bill, his measure providing
for straight-out tariff commission
clothed with authority not only to COL
lect data, but also to make recommen-
dations to Congress regarding proper
changes in the tariff schedules. 1t is
almost unnecessary to add that Mr.. La
Follstte's measure has far less chance
of adoption than that of Senator from
Indiana, fact which he doubtless fall
" realized when he introduced it.
An important and interesting in
quiry has been set on foot by the Presi-
dent who has requested the Attorney
General, the Secretaries of the Interior
and of Commerce and labor, and the
Solicitor General, to consider and pre-
pare fer him an opinion on the feast
biiity of utilizing some quasi official
organization which shall act as a
medium between the railroads of the
country und the Federal government.
Experience has demonstrated that in its
quest for information the Interstate
Commerce Commission is const antly
hanpered by the fact that it is COM
PEELED in numerous instances to con-
duct prosecutions based on informa-
item acquired in its investig cations. The
President believes that if such data as
is required by the Fedral government
could be gathered by = separate branch
of the Administration, or at least by
distinct portion of the commission,
such friction would be largely avoided,
and it is to that problem that he has
directed some of the ablest lawyers of
his administration to apply themselves
GA q ToRIA.
Bear, Il. >7Ihs Kind You Have Always Bought