Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-13
Comes Overnight to Change
Entire Outlook on Politi-
cal Situation.
WAR HAD SEEMED TO GIVE
DEMOCRATS ADVANTAGE
Need of Providing Revenue Changed
Situation, and Now Repub-
licans Are Jubilant.

LAS bolt from the blue, deVeiopmeh.s
In Congress In the past few days nave
completely changed the political stu
alton, according to politicians at the
Capitol The new revenue tax Is tne
cause. Here are the phases OF thf
swiftly moving events:
+ Seven weeks ago the republicans
wers in high feather over the prospect
FLOR the fall elections. They were ap'
praised Of an alleged condition OF dis
content widespread throughout the
country which would inure to thei'
political benefit. they felt assured.
The republican leaders then would
tell you that they had the House a.
good az carried. Many democrats Sc
cretly feared as much, and when talh-
in1 conf,dentially would not withhold
their apprehension.
Then came the war in Europe. In 3
jiffy the situation shifted. 1t cnange,o
almost overnight, as the war came a
most overnight. Sobered by the appaH-
ing length and breadth of the catastio,
ME abroad, fearful lest the United
States might be drawn into the
maelstrom of war. a wave seemed 70
go over the country smashing down
political acrimony.
Partisanship in Background.
The temperament of the people
seemed to be to stand together nationally
and minimize partisanship. That sentt-
rnent undoubtedly accrued to the bene-
AT of the administration. Republicans
admitted it even as democrats were
gratif,ed by it. Political writers and
obseryers all over the land felt It
wiped their pens and closed their INK.
psts. Travelling ccrses s dsra ,s eame
THINKS than politics in the air.
6o. It went for weeks. republican
hopskA steadily diminishing before the
support being given by the country
to the Wilson administration. not alone
as the democratic administration, but
as administration Of the whole people
and for the whole people in the face OF
threatening international calamity.
Then came the war revenue bill. All
saw and foresaw the necessity OF rais-
ing additional revenue to meet the def
icit in customs duties occas.oned by
the curtailment of foreign trade. The
.s fssh' ssas' and nEeWsss snsasa the air
Ehey scented trouble TOR l4sdemocrats
q the WakingM the hsll Eifeh won, .
Jay thesnew t4xes And apbaEentlysthe
fepasi s ms wers e6e1sling today -
They declared that the democrats In
their selection Of taxable articles have
been placed upon the defensive.
1t was the freight tax, largely, which
did it. Avoiding taxation of tobacco
due, republicans charge. to the influence
Of southern members desiring to favor
the tobacco industry. and exemptine
whisky, the committee on ways and
means put per cent tax on each dol.
lar Of freight charges.
A Roar Of Protest,
Immediately there was a roar Of pro-
test from democrats as well as republi-
cans. "You are taxing the poor mara
breakfast table," was the cry Of the oppo;
sition. Every pound OF butter coming
east from Elgtn and Fox river would
pay 3 cents on the dollar. and Aiwat
felt to be a certainty that the Eletn but.
ter trust would not submit to the loss
Lard, beef and bacon the same. and no.
body thought the beef trust would suffer
hardly to be expected that the sugar
trust would charge it of on their books
The consumer was doomed in the end tc
pay 1t all. it was charged.
The satisfaction of the republicans.
openly expressed. alarmed some Of the
democrats. They went to Oscar Under
wood with protests. but he told them the
bill would go through as planned, and
that the President was back OF it.
Then. the alarm spreading furtAen. 8
movement was started yesterday to cali q
caucus of democrats Monday night to dis:
cuss the bill petition was circulated
around the House and signatures were
sought :,
Chairman Underwood and all the way,
and means members opposed the call
Ing of a caucus. They declared tina
the new taxes could easily be defend
ed and that the brethren were. .a,fd,il,
alarmed. II
The war revenue tax was the sol.
topic Of discussion among senators ant
representatives all day. The republi
cans were in high glee and their lead
ing speakers are preparing to open tn,
. fight and make an aggressive Campaign
when the bill comes up in the Hous,
this week.