Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1912-03-15
HOUSE Fighting
ON FREE" BILL
Continued from Page y

nate dNu NNdNdllllE. u nldut Tue
measures so unpopular Us to almost
cnuanger their passage through the
House and spelled absolute aud GER
tain doom Tor them IN the Senate.
Ihr ng5t eject was to arouse the bit
ter antagunlsm Of every Democrat
lgcm a beet sugar state ana all those
from Louisiana. where cane is a lead
iIg industry. II also took away all
hope oil assistance from the Progress
syie Republicans This brought the
BILLS down to narrow margin Of ma
iIrily ia the House.
The situation in the Senate became
Immediately impossible. Senator
Haley, a tariff-for-rcvenue Democrat,
and senators Foster and Thornton. of
Louisiana, promptly announced they
would seek to defeat the measures by
al means In their power This re.
Guccd the Democratic vote in the Sen
ate 10 80 The help Of seven Repub.
tcJus is essential for the passage OF
tac bills II Is predicted that not one
Progressive Senator will cooperate
with the Democrats. This defeats the
bills by u comfortable majority In the
Senate.
senator BriGt9w. who for years has
sought to eliminate the Dutch stand
ald Il color and lower the turin duties
o. sugar, threw up his hands when he
heard Of the House program. He said
It WIS neither Republican, nor Demo-
cratic doctrine. He pronounced 1t
nothing bat free trade, pure and sim
pie, saying the plan was modelled att
ct the English system, which provides
Tor free trade and taxes incomes. He
would have nothing whatever to do
with the proposition.
II developed that more opposition
exists to the free-sugar feature than
10 that taxing incomes above $4,000 Il
year. II IL held that If wealth Is to be
taxed for a lowering OF tarin rates the
reduction should he equitably distrib-
utCd among all the schedules c)yerin Z
the necessities of life and not bestow-
Cd on one article OF consumption. 1t
L. declared unfair and unjust. The
annual loss to Louisiana Is placed at
from Sl0,0O0.OO0 to $50 100000 u year,
although the lower figure is regarded
az sufficiently high. The loss to the
beet-producing States Is also enor-
nous. It must be remembered that
the late Senator Hughes of Colorado
voted against free sugar when pro
posed as an amendment to the Payne
Allrich tariff act. His action indicat'
ed that even the DEMOCRATS did not
care to ruin entire sections of tn,
country merely To supply campaigr
battle cry.
The income tax adjunct received
less commentator than was given sn.
gar A majority of the Senate favors
imposing a tax on incomes. but action
has already been taken In that direc-
ton. An amendment TO the COnstitI-
ton has already been ratified by thiV-
ty States Six more will have taken
similar action by this time next year,
thus making the plan operative. Any
legislation now would only complicate
TIA" situation and possibly induce some
state Legislatures to refuse ratifca-
tiOn for the income tax amendment
The Underwood bin Is pronounced
crude and imperfect. The uGe of the
words excise tax Ia regarded as 4
bubble. In view of the Supreme
Courts decision on the subject there
Is grave apprehension that the pend
Ing bill, II enacted into law. would
meet the same fate as its predeces-
sors a majority of Senators think
well enough should be permitted Il
stand.
Another objection Is that there will
not he sufficient time during the pres
ent session to pass upon the combina'
ton bills. Measures providing fol
lower duties In the steel and chemica
schedules are pending. These vii
have preference and are sure to pre-
cipltale long ana bitter debate. II Il
proposed to terminate the session mo-
later than June IL In order that tn,
tracks may be clear for the two Ma
tional conventions. All OF the grea
appropriation bills are awaiting nc
ton by the Senate. Some Of them In
yOlye cOntrOyerted problems aud will