The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-12-26
Document Will Be Used Ex-
tensively by Democrats
During the Campaign
Next Year
PUTS REPUBLICANS
TO ROUT ON THEIR
TARIFF ASSERTIONS
Debate With Senator Pen
rose One of Most Notable
Events of Present Session
of Congress

Washington. December 25.-(speeiai)
The recent maiden speech in the Senate
of Senator Underwood, in which he put
Senator Penrose to'rout, has been much
in demand. and The Age-Herald accord
ingly herewith presents the speech and
debate in full
1t is understood the speech will be used
extensively as a campaign document py
the democrats next year. The official
stenographic report is as follows:
The Senate had under consideration the
Joint resolution Q1 j. Res so extending
the provisions of the act entitled An act
to increase the internal revenue, and for
other purposes" approved October ~
1914 to December 81, 1916.
Mr.. Underwood. Mr.. President. l would
not occupy the time of the Senate now in
discussing the pending measure, which |
assume will be enacted into law, and the
necessity for the enactment OF which Is
apparent to everyone If it We're not lof
the fact that challenge has been given
that the present revenue laws We're in
capable of producing the revenue neces-
sary to run the government at the time
of their enactment. No man is wise
enough, no man can see so far into the
future when he enacts revenue legislation
as to determine with certainty what Ell
feet subsequent events will have on the
LEGISLATION if it becomes the law OF the
lariu; and, therefore, in the eyes OF an IN
telligent public, it is not necessary to de-
fend the present conditions, winch no
man could foresee a week before the war
in Europe began.
But it is very proper challenge to a
great partys ability to run the affairs oil
a government if it could be truthfully and
fairly stated that in their efforts to pro-
duce the revenues necessary to take care
of the governments finances they We're
incapable of writing effective leg1slatlon
and. as one of the authors of the law
which is now on the statute books, feel
that | would not properly represent my
constituency If l remained silent at this
time when the fact is challenged as to
the ability of the present law to produce
the revenue necessary to run the govern
ment at the time it was placed on the
statute books.
The country should bear in mind that
when the present revenue system was
inaugurated the ordinary expenditures of
the government for that fiscal year Q9l2)
amounted to 1864, 1863. Every year since
that time the eXigences of the govern
ment have required increased expendl-
lures until today it is estimated by the
Secretary of the Treasury that for the
next fiscal year d916) the ordinary expen-
ditures of the government, exclusive of
any additional preparedness for war pur-
poses, will amount to 1881, 900, or $S7, :
337 ,OS7 in excess of the ordinary eXpendi-
lures of the government the year the
present revenue law was enacted.
NOT QUESTION OF WISDOM
1t is not necessary at this time to dis
cuss whether those expenditures have
been wisely made or not. They have been
made by the representatives of the Amer
lean people, and there has been but little
criticism in the public press or by the