The Washington herald., 1914-10-10
Rsvenus and Reform.

Theory bows to the viii cf necessity. and IN the
face Of war, home rule and woman suffrage are for
gotten in Great Brisain, socialism in Germany and
political differences IN France. The contests over
theofies of government are forgotten when the life
of the sovernmena is at stake
The United States is not at war, but the Federal
government has felt the influence of war in the re-
duction Of revenue and the apparent necessity for
new domestic taxes Congress has been considering
this necessity for nearly two months and it has dis
eussed many theories only to find all meet with great
opposition when it Is proposed to writt them into
law that will lay taxes on business industry, and
professions. Everybody is ready to have the gov
ernment colect taxes provided that these taxes
do not bring the collector to their own doors.
The House passed bill to raise $Ios.oooooo.
The Senate Democratic caucus wrestled for two days
with the problem and the objections registered
Against the House bill; then agreed to amendments
which will produce $Io8oooooo, more than one-half
of which will be collected from whisky, beer wine,
cigarettes cigars and tobacco, the products against
which there has been great outcry from the the
orists 1t has been loudly preached that the Federal
government should recognize these products even
for taxation because they may be the cause of evil
by overindulgenee But the hand of necessity swept
aside the theories and the Senate caucus concluded
that here is the source of revenue and so amended
the House bill
This bill has been reported to the Senate by Sena-
tor Fernifold Simmons, Of North Carolina, and as
chairman of the Finance Committee, Mr.. Simmons
will take the laboring oar in its defense Chairman
Simmons halls from prohibition State and so do
four other Democrats on the committee Johnson Of
Maine; Gore, of Oklahoma; Hoke Smith, of Georgia,
and John Sharp Williams, of Mississippi These
FIVE Senators constitute one-half of the majority
side Of the Finance Committee, and they are also
recognized leaders of the Senate. Not only did they
consent but they took the lead in urging the in
creased taxation of the products which their States
insist should not be recognized by taxation.
These Senators must be reelected by the people
if they are to continue in public lfe and it remains
to be seen whether these prohibition States will
sustain their Senator's in going directly contrary to
the constitution and laws of their States. But at
this time it is not necessary to ask why Senators
Simmons, Smith, johnson, Gore and Williams voted
to increase the taxes beer, recthed whisky, wine,
and cigarettes. They would simply point to the
deficit in the Treasury the necessity for more reve-
nues and the strenuous objections from all other pro-
ducers against having the tax fall upon them
The theorists are confounded by their own aver
sion to contributing to the support of the govern
ment, and necessity sweeps aside all theories of
taxation when there is deficit in the Treasury and
voluntary tax ready to meet the necessity. So it
will ever be with theorists. They can preach the
reform but the government cannot live without reve-
nue.; and, under the Senate BILL the taxes whisky
beer, wine, and cigarettes will be increased until
these products pay fully one half of the revenues
Then, why should the Prohibitionists heckle Mr.,
BRYAN and try to persuade him TO advocate system
which would wipe out one-half the governments
revenues when he knows that the Prohibitionists
cannot and will not make up the deficit. Why, they
have compelled the Senate to cut out the tax on
Chautauquas, which are said to beat the movies in
gate receipts.