New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-13
freight ImpOst OppOSi-
iion Causes Underwood
to Shift His Plans.
INSURGENTS CALL
CAUCUS THIS WEEK
p,aooSe to Tax InheritanceS 5
Per Cent, with 10 to 20
on Automobiles.
- - rrLhune Rnrcau.I

Washington. Sept. IL, When the
p,,si5ent returns next week he must
.,,une full responsibility for the
.,errcney revenue bill, recently agreed
.on by the majority Of the Ways and
,,,,rs Committee. or tho bill will not
!. ;ntroduced hy Mr.. Underwood. The
.;ority leader. faciI9 the most seri-
r.. revolt IN his party since Il OBJ
..;,e4 control OF tho House, suddenly
.L;ftcd his nlaps to-day, and announced
.5.t no revenue bill would be offered
\, him IN the Presidents absence and
.S.t the measure introduced must have
~ uneouNocsl Endorsement Of the
Executive.
Wsspwhilc insurgcnt Democrats were
;,culatipg petition for q party eau
."s carly next week. The requisite
sg,ber of signatures was obtained.
This caucus promises 70 repudiatc the
,e,tative bin proposing tax on rail-
"a freight. unless the President for
Liz insists upou its adoption. Rep
...sniatiyes kitchn and Garner, in
genital Democrats on the Ways and
Means Committee, arc at work on
,gbSt;tute bill eliminating freight tax
~, which will be offered in caucus.
The unexpected announcement by
n, Underwood that there would be a
...si6erable delay in tile introduction
u the revenue bill followed a con-
is-enee between the majority leader.
secretary McAdoo and Postmaster Cen
s1sl BurleSun. az which Mr.. Under.
wood apprlS Cd the administration
.pokesmon CT :hc violent opposition
,morg the rank and file to the railroad
Freight tax. a scheme which the Presi-
lent had informally approved. The
majority leader S said TO have taken
he position that ne did not purpose to
assume personal responsibility for the
jil and risk republication by the House
Democrats. and would decline 10 intro
51,e it withou, moro specific indOrse-
nert by the President.
Underwood Balks.
Tr Urderwood's friends say he does
rg. intend 10 be the goat in the rev.
aue legislation crisis. Fearing that
n, opposition Democrats will get be-
yond control, the majority leader will
INSIST that President Wilson assume
goYeserved responsibility for the en-
tire emergency revenue scheme-for it
known that Mr. Underwood and 90
per cent of the Democratic membership
q the House arc against a taxation
sill at this time. Although opposing
me bin, Mr.. Underwood was in accord
with the President on the proposition
e tax freight if anything must be
,utj-and the strength of the revolt
sgai1st this item led 10 4 panic to-day
smOng administration leaders.
When the Democrats hold their eau
,ul Nessrs. Eitchin and Garner will
ies3 a fight TO defeat the freight tax
provision and 10 tax instead liquors.
rhertances incomes. automobiles and
cigarettes. They claim that with a tax
90 beer and wines already agreed upon
he assessment Of these additional ar
tces will produce sufficient revenue
and freight may remain untouched A
AK Of per cent Will be proposed on
Uhertances; 10 to 20 per cent OH
automobiles; a nominal tax on cigar
cites and an increase Of one-half of l
per cent in the normal income tax rate,
With a lowering of the exemption. A
il1 Of so cents a barrel on whiskey
sould produce a revenue of S65, 900 900
year, but that is violently opposed
b. Senator Ollie James and others in
sympathy with the distillers.
The delay in introducing the war tax
5 postpones .he date of the adjourn
neat Of CONGRESS- and affords addi-
icaal time Tor the campaigning of
opposition Democrats who are deter
21ed 10 defeat the freight tax section