The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-03-26
MAY EXTEND EXTRA SESSION.
MitMI'ERS OF HOUSE READY TO
ENTER UPON GENERAL LEG
ISLATION
president Has But to Send Message
recommending Action on Other
Matters Than Tarif1--Currcncy
measure Will Probably be Taken ZIP
After Tariff

Washington, March 23.-Dcmucrats
expressed the view tonight that the
extra session of congress would be
prolonged affair. This was on the
assumption that President Wilson
would recommend to congress con-
slderatlon of the currency question, as
well as perhaps other matters of
pressing importance, in so far as their
discussion would not interfere with
the right of way of tariff revision.
The president has indicated within the
past day or two that he will urge
other needed legislation when the
talltf is out of the way.
Consideration of currency and
other questions might carry the seS-
sion well into the autumn!
'The Democratic leader, Mr. Under
wood, is known to believe that the
tarlft will be disposed OF in the house
by May l and by both houses by July
J., Speaker Clark said that if only
the tarln were taken. up congress
would adjourn the middle of August,
while other leaders predicted that
tariff revision would be ready for the
presidents approval by August l.
IF the president should send a
message recommending action on
other important matters than the
tariff, said the speaker, Il have no
sort of doubt that congress would take
up tneSe matters. a good many mem
bers of the house want to go right
into general legislation. y good many
other members believe that the extra
session should be confined to the
tariff. In the three special sessions,
called to revise the tariff, in which
nave served, the work was confined
largely to the tariff, barring such rou-
tine matters as naturally come up"
The big problem with which the
house ways and means committee ma
jority now is wrestling is the income
tax. Three points especially are being
considered, the amount of income
exemptions, the rate of tax, including
questions of graduation or straight tax
ana collection. The Wilson act OF
1898, the last Democratic tariff, made
$4,000 as the minimum taxable in
come, which some of the reVisionistS
argue was really equal to $4,000 or
$4,000 under present living cost con-
ditions
Some house leaders, while pre-
ferring straight tax at the outset
and to have the system developed
gradually, would not oppose a con-
servative form of graduation. Others
favor a graduated tax increasing
heavily on large incomes. The COM
mittee majority is working With IL
dummy" percentage rate and the
final result will hinge on the calcula-
lions and on the report yet to be
made on the probable revenue from
the II dutiable schedules. The ques-
tiOn Of collection SOurccS-Whether
from the employer instead of directly
from the salaried man--is being care
fully studied out.
The maximum and minimum pro-
vision of the bill, it was said tonight,
probably will be radically changed,
perhaps with n reversing of the so
called big stick" policy by making
the conventional or regular tariff
rates the maximum to meet discrim:-
mating conditions in any foreign
country.
The Cuban reciprocity treaty Of De-
cember II, 1902, allowing 20 per cent
reduction in imports from CuDl from
the regular tariff rates, PROBABLY VIII
be maintained by a rcitcratIon Of the
declaration that nothing in the new
tariff shall be construed to abrugate
the treaty. Some substantial changes
in the Philippine tariff are likely.