Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-23
Would Pay and Receive.

manufactured, just as the government i'm
poses a tax upon whisky.
Would Pay and Receive.
The munitions bought by tho United
States government. of course, would
pay the tax. but this would be merely
transferring from one pocket to the
other. as the government would both
pay and receive. AS innocent by
ISLANDERS the sportsman would suffer,
but Senator Walsh declared that while
this was not desirable 1t could not be
helped il this plan Of raising revenue
were resorted to.
Il am in favor of raising the revenue
which the government needs in addi-
ton to that raised from the present
sources" he said, by an export duty
Of 20 per cent on all war munitions.
am aware that an export duty has been
considered as unconstitutional because
Of that provision Of the Constitution
which forbids export duties from one
state to another.
But it is my distinct impression that
an export tax would be constitutional.
The government has the power to put
an embargo on any or all exports, and
has done SO in the past. If the gov
altogether, surely 1t has the power to
put an obstacle in it's wagon the the
DRY that the whole is,grsater than any
of its parts. *. ~
Desirability Not Questioned.
"As to the desirabi1ity Of this form of
tax, III. it is constitutional. there is no
question in my mind at all. I consider
1t infinitely better than a bond issue or
additional internal revenue taxes At
this time it is the proper method for
this government to use In imposing
taxes to provide the additional revenue
that is needed. 1t would place the bur-
den of extra taxes where 1t could be
most easily borne-on the industries
which are making huge profits out OF
the extraordinary conditions caused by
the +EuropeaH- war.
Possible Return From Tax.
In figuring on the revenue that could
war exports, it was shown that the re-
turns would easily reach the $150,000.-
600 mark for year, while they might
greatly exceed this figure. For in
stance, the exports of explosives and
guns alone, on the basis OF August fig
ures, which will tend to increase rath-
err than diminish, would amount to
$lSO,000,000 a year. producing reve-
TakmEsa few additional items-steel,
brass. copperss aeroplanes. automobiles
and chemicals-the reports Of the Com
merce Department show that the in
crease alone in these exports is fig
produce $49,O00.000 more of tax. Ex-
perts believe the increases in these
commodities are all for war purposes.
The increase in the exports of leather
alone is figured at $108,000.000, using
figures for the last seven months as a
basis. which would bring in s2O,S0O. 900
more of revenue. Submarine parts,
horses and mules, uniforms and cloth
for uniforms, lead and zinc and hun
dreds of other war exports have not
been touched.
Sees Greater Expenditures.
1T have no doubt that the expendi-
lures of the coming Congress will show
large increase over those of last
year." said Senator Walsh. especially
for the army and navy. j am not one
Of those who are easily frightened by
the prospect of this country being at
tackled either now or at the conclusion
of the war in Europe, but l do think
that the army and navy ought to be
Increased The people Of Montana had
a taste of the present paucity in num-
bers of our army last year. when 1t
was only after much effort that the
War Department was able to send 900
troops to Butte.
Senator Walsh expressed pleasure
that the administration had decided to
retain the present duty on sugar. but
said there was no sentiment particu-
larly that he could discover in favor OF
replacing the duty on wool, which has
been proposed by some democrats as
a purely revenue measure
Montana produces more wool than
any other state in the Union," he said
but producers now are averaging n
cents a pound, as against an average OF
less than Is cents during the life OF
| the Dingley and the Payne-Aldrich
| tariff measure. so that the wool grow
ers are not very much excited about
whether there is a high duty on wool
| or not