Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-07-19
Chairman Simmons Vigorously
Defends Provisions Of Meas
ure as Drafted by Finance
Committee.
DIsCLAIMS SPIRIT OF
ANTAG0NISM TO HOUSE
Claims That Proposed Law Is
Drafted in Interests Of the
Masses Of People Instead of
Wealthy Few.
Lby Lrass.l VIC lu IsNenInr slcrnlll. !

lhy Ltaatd Wire 60 Evening slcrnld I
washington, July 49,. The tariff
debate began In the senate today
when Chairmnn Simmons OF the IT.
nhhcr committee began his EXPLAIN
ton of the bill tie reviewed what
lis termed the failure OF the Itepubii-
cans 20 redeem their 1905 pledges to
revise the tariff downWard. The
Democratic party inherited this duty,
ne said, when u came into power.
The bill now presented % the SEN
ate, u h. confidently believed" said
he, "ls q fair Interpretation of the
VIII Of th. pcopk' and is an honest
compliance with the pledges of the
bemocrutic party.
Amendments offered 10y the com
mittrc are not proposed In a spirit Of
disagreement with the house or TO
the Theory of tariff revision on which
that body acted. Tney are offered
with Wow Go further carrying out
and pcrf-vting the principles OF a
revenue producing tariff on the basis
of competitive rates cnunciated by
the Ways and means committee OF the
house as just and fair lnterprctn-
tion in the light of existing condi-
tions. of the platform pledges of the
Democratic party on the tariff
Like the house, we have sought 10
untax the necessaries Of lie as FAR
az y consistent with the revenue
needs 0f the government. which
would lay the heaviest burdens on thu
liuXuries of the rich aud which would
impose on those things which were
neither prime necessities or luxuriss
or which were proper subjects OF tar
iif taxation, "a rate sufficiently COM
petltiVe To yield revenues adequate 20
meet the needs Of the government on
the one hand and on the other Op-
crate as regulation of dunesuc pri-
ces. by making outside competition nt
an times possible"
Charges that the bill dealt unfair
ly with the farmer. senator Simmon-
declared 10 be without foundation
lie enumerated many things on the
/ free list especially for the farmers
/ henent and said. "No class Of OuI
/ people have reaped as little benefit
| from the Republican tariff system
nnd suffered as heavily from its eXac-
ton AS the farmer. lie knows that
under the Republican system he has
had 10 buy In highly priced market
ana sell most of his products on d
basis pi free competition with tbs
world. There In In my mind no doubl
that his verdict will he one OF
proval. especially In view of the fact
/ that ne viii be among the first u
I feel the bencncient result Of the tran
sutton from tariff in the interest al
olnsses To a tariff in the interest oi
the masses"
! The income tax scction of the bill
I Senator simmons said, WAS not fran
"a on the theory that the chief obiec
| 81 an income tax was to supply dciiclt
/ IN revenue but Il is bnsed on th'
theory that property should bear III
| Just share Of federal as well aa state
| taxation and that. therefore, the rat'
| Of this tax should toe fixed with
view to requiring the wealth ~ ,h'
country as reflected In the incorne
Of the well-to-do to contribute equi
tahly to these expenses"