The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1915-02-20
HOW TO WIPE OUT DEFICIT.

United States senator-Elect. Brous-
sard Analyses Situation Confront
ing National Government - Con-
gress Not at Fault.
The Congressional Record of Feb.
4 contains the following report of a
speech delivered in the national
house Of representatives by Con
gresham Robert f. Broussard OF
Louisiana, in support of his resolu.
Z ton looking to the repeal of the
tariff act of 1913 under which the
duties on imported sugar are to be
discontinued on and after May J.,
1916:
s'The resolution introduced by me
contemplates the suspension of the
free-sugar clause of the Underwood
bill, which provides for free sugar af
ter May l, 1916. It is probable that,
With the congested condition of the
congressional calendars, it may not
be possible to consider this resolution
in this congress.
1t is fair to those upon whom
rests the responsibility of reinstat-
to those who favor free sugar, that
the efforts which j contemplate max
ing in the next congress should be
made known to them; hence the in
PRODUCTION of the resolution at this
time. It is my purpose to renew
these efforts Immediately upon the
conVening of the next congress,
/ whether in an extra or a regular ses-
sion
These efforts, if successful, will
to a large extent obliterate. the de-
/ ficiency that confronts the United
States treasury.
We are informed that there is
practically an s80,000,OO0 deficit, de-
in times of profound peace.
The defenders of our present
financial policy have ascribed the
pending $S0,000,O00 deficiency to
what they are pleased to term
'pork-barrel' appropriations by con-
gress.
No one cognizant of the existing
situation is at all disturbed over
that statement. The uninformed
alone are misled by this false cry.
When called upon to explain what is
| meant by 'pork-barreP appropriations.
one is referred to appropriations for
the improvement of our rivers and
harbors and the construction of
ings for the proper transaction of
the public business.
1T is not true to say that this de-
ficiency grows out of any such ap-
preparations, because, during this ad-
ministration, no public buildings have
been provided for by congress-; and
the appropriation for rivers and
harbors was during tlesgl life@4of this
congress reduced from a normal ap-
preparation of fifty million to a
twenty million dollar lump appropri-
alton, to be used in the discretion of
the United States engineers in con-
tinuing projects already under way.
Even if this twenty million were
charged to the legislative pork bar
rel,' it can not possibly account for
a hole in the treasury of eighty mil
lions
"As a matter of fact, it can be
demonstrated that this deficiency
grows out of an entirely different
situation, which situation precludes
| absolutely the use of the word pork
barrel in connection with it.
1T is not difficult to ascertain
just how this deficiency occurred. In
the first place, when the Underwood
bill was under discussion in the
house, Representative Hull, of Ten
n1on of he
tax section of that bill. have
every reason to believe that the
ways and means committee, and Mr..
Hull in particular, sought every ave-
nue. of information for the enact
ment of an equitable and just income
tax
"Mr. Hull, in his opening address
on the floor of the house, stated
that the income-tax provision as
written in the Underwood bill would
produce $70,000,000. Such was the
estimate furnished him.
''The returns, however, of the in
come tax show a total receipt of
S2S,253, ,534.S5, a deficiency from the
estimate of Mr.. Hull of nearly S42,-
600, 900, which miscaleulatlon &C
counts for more than half the pend
| ing treasury deficit.
when the War-tax measure was
reported to the house out Of confer
ence, Leader. Underwood made the
statement to the house that the IN
formation he had was to the effect
that it would yield one hundred and
five millions. When it passed the
senate it was estimated to yield one
hundred and seven millions; when it
came out of conference he said 1t
was presumed to yield more than
ninety millions. Collections thus far
made indicate this estimate far too
high; i'm fact, the secretary of the
treasury himself now estimates that
| the war tax will, approximately,
yield fifty-four millions for the fiscal
| year of 1915. From the collections
| already made, this estimate, seems
reasonably accurate. Therefore, TAX
ing the lowest figure for the war tax
given by Mr.. Underwood, that OF
ninety millions, and subtracting the
estimate now being made BY the sec
retary of the treasury, there results
a deficiency of thirty-six millions IN
| that TEN alone.
THE revenues from these two
sources are in no wise affected by
| the European war. If the term1na-
ticn of the war causes any increase
in our custom receipts, this increase
can not entirely make UP the deflelt'
but congress will have to look else
where, for the most part, to recoup
the treasury.