New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-07
Tariff Bill Provision Finds Gen.
eraI Favor on Both Sides
in House Debate.
FREE LIST GOES THROUGH
Raw Wool Stands After Final
Skirmish and Entire Meas
ure Is Expected to Pass
To- day or To- morrow.


Washington. May 6.-For the first time
since the Democratic tariff measure has
been under consideration partisan lines
were obliterated at a late session of tn
House tonight, when the income tax sec
ton of the Underwood BIZ was deba ted.
The Income tax found general favor IN
both sides. although Republicans ard
Progressives offered amendments to cor
rect defects in the section.
Except for committee amendments pre-
scented by Mr.. Hull. all proposed changes
were rejected. With two exceptions the
Hull amendments were technical in char
acter and related 10 phraseology.
The House finished the free list late this
afternoon. following a final skirmish over
free raw wool. and progress made to-
night gives promise of a vote on the I'm
derwood bill tomorrow night or Thurs
day afternoon.
The night session was enlivened by a
characteristic speech against woman suf-
frage by J. Tom Hefiin. Of Alabama. who
spoke In opposition TO an amendment Of
fered ly Mr. La Toilette. of Washington.
TO exempt from the provisions of the In
come tax the women voters i'm suffrage
states
Mr.. Hefin's anti-suffrage speech was
applauded by several women i'm the gal
leries, but when Mr. Falconer. Of Wash
ingtOn. declared that against the
knowledge of the women of my state the
understanding of the gentleman from Al
ALBANIA would have no more show than a
NANCY cat In a tiger fight" the women
applauded still more vigorously.
Must Take All or None
1T is to be regretted that those on the
minority side Of the House cannot vote
independently on the income tax feature
of this bill" said Mr.. Falconer. MANY
of us approve the income tax, but the
vote must be taken on the whole bill. and
to vote for the income tax We must vote
for all the other jumbled items in the
bill"
one of the committee amendments
adopted exempts cemetery associations
from the provisions Of the tax. This is
on the theory that a cemetery associd-
ton is vanishing corporation-that ITS
income il reduced and its expenses in
creased as a cemetery fills and lots are
sold.
\ second committee amendment re-
lates TO policyholders in insurance
companies As the bill was originally
written ii exempted only death benefits.
and policies of the endowment nature.
when paid back. were taxable. The
amendment would exempt the life prin-
cipal. so termed. of endowments. but
would tax the accrued interest and divi-
dends over and above the face OF the
policy
Among the numerous amendments Of
fered by the minority tonight was one
by Mr. Copley. of Illinois. one OF the
wealthiest men In the House, who pro-
posed TO tax all incomes OF 8 000.0 or
more at 20 per cent. The suggestion II
20 per cent tax startled even the Dem
ocrats. who had been shouting about
IAN equal distribution OF the tax bur
dens."
Mir Gillett. Of Massachusetts. proposed
a tax Of half Of per cent on incomes
between $1,000 and $4,000. That the public
Is opposed to the taxing OF small incomes
Was indicated when the galleries applaud
ed the defeat Of this amendment.
The Progressive leader. Mr.. Murdoch
proposed tax OF 6 per cent on all In
comes above 100000. and Mr.. Falconer
suggested = per cent on incomes above
that amount i'm lieu II the per cent car
ricd In the bill. Both amendments were
rejected as was another offered by Mr..
Kelly. Pennsylvania Progressive. who
wanted an S per cent tax on incomes Of
this class.
May Tax Chinese.
Mr.. Mann, for Resident Commissioner
Ouczon. Of the Philippines. offered an
amendment TO tax the Chinese. japanese
and other residents of the Philippines. as
well as the Filipinos and Americans in the
islands The WAYS and Means Committee
agreed to take this under consideration.
The Philippine commissioner unsuccess-
fully sought to relieve the Filipinos OF any
income tax. on the ground that they could
not vote on this legislation Mr.. Under
wood explained that the inclusion OF the
Pbillppines was 10 reach the wealthy men
Of the islands, and said the bill hghtened
the burdens OF the small farmer OF the
Philippines by repeating the export TAX
on Philippine products.
During the free list consideration to-
day the wool paragraph brought about
detection from the solid front of the
Democrats. Mr.. Sharp, Of Ohio, repre-
senting Democrats opposed to free wool
offered an amendment placing a duty OF
20 per cent on raw wool. the rate hxed
by the Underwood bill Of the last Con
gress. He defended his Democracy by
the statement that he now proposed
rate which both Speaker Clark and Mr..
Underwood had voted for In the last Con-
Rress. This and various other amend
ments. including one to place all manu-
features Of wool on the free list. were
defeated