Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-09-30
Thursday, September 80, 1914.
The Democratic Problem.

November the only result would be
chickering's that would demorailze the
regular session. A Washington writer
says that Congress has sterner work
ahead Of it than playing politics. The
revenues are falling behind at the
rate Of 100000 a day and at the most
kindly estimate the balance in the
general fund of the Treasury. now
about $4,000, 900, will be exhausted by
Jan. /, 1916. The Democrats must
raise money for the ordinary purposes
of government and if they would con-
slider nothing but the business Of gov
eminent an extra session might be
valuable. With all the possible re-
ceipts from tariff, corporation tax. in
: come tax and war revenue tax, the
revenues are insufficient to balance
the expenditures and fresh income
must be provided at once.
In normal times the party in power
turns to the tariff when more money
is needed and this the Democrats
naturally would do if it were not that
such resort would expose the weak
nesses Of their own tariff legislation.
!. Senator John W. Weeks of Massachu-
sets quotes figures to show that the
= Simmons Underwood law is SO badly
framed with respect to its practical
Y application to imports that the Gov
= ernment is collecting an average rev.
enue Of only about II per cent and
i that, had the Payne bill been con-
tinued in operation until the present
!. time, the customs receipts of 1915
would be almost s1OO.00O,O00 more
than they were on the same business
under the Simmons Underwood law.
This is a striking charge. when it is
made in the knowledge that the Euro
pean war has disorganized commerce
all over the world, but the fifures are
the result of cold calculation and
hardly can be disputed.
1t is imperative that the Admins
s tration should revise the tariff at once
il 1t is not to resort to new direct
taxes or bond issue, but with the
small fry of the Senate throwing the
\ monkey wrench Of cloture into the
wheels the chances for quick and in
\ teiligent action are remote. 1t is tao
" lilly understood in Washington that no
special session of Congress or the Sen
yylte will be held, the President having
= listened respectfully to the men who
4 have advised him to call one and then
s.1uietly fallen back to his profound
4 conviction that nothing could be ac-
I. eomplished in the extra six weeks.
In a recent address or interview
Senator Weeks listed as follows, in the
rider of their importance. the issues
,ion which the Republican party nat
~ lilly would conduct the campaign of
"a Tsrin.
vL Merchant marine.
E. 3. Reasonable preparedness for ma
|fllonaA defence.
l.. Cooperation Of the Government
with business rather than restrictive
and coercive methods.
8. Foreign policy Of the Admins
tration. with. especial reference to
Mexico and the footing Of the diplo-
matte and consular service.
Tho senator emphatically places tar
! m revision in the position Of first i'm
!. portance: and while 1t is pre-eminent-
~ important for revenue reasons, Con-
fess Aill be called upon to meet a
Molly new demand for protection in
novel. direction. In a recent rather
portant letter to the Transcript the
taFespondent pointed out the vital
4cesaity OF rendering the United
ates Independent. Of the German
chGhical supply by development Of
American rendering plants ana proc
esses. This point since has bean emu
phasized publicly by DR.. Thomas H.
Norton. the chlmicai expert OF the De-
partment OF Commerce ana Labor,
who is showing the country that BY
means Of new processes g ~ prop
er encouragement Of Amef1d manu-
facturers tho United states can supply
itself adequately with the intermediary
coal tar products necessary to a thou
sand and one domestic industries,
These products will require not only
the ordinary projection of import dut-
les but q specidfla which shall ex-
clude from the country competing
products sent in here. chiefly from
Germany and Switzerland. at prices
sintended to undermine American
producers and put them out of BUSH
ness. Here Is task at once unique
and Of unequalled importance to
American business which will call for
the D. FORK among the American
tarff :. The Democratic parry