The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-11-30
TIFETIAWATIAFEJ GAZE TTF
1ol1a aTRlpT EDITOR F s1sP,s, n aTts En0I7
LPdyG Pav! Pay!.t:a ).

1
sl,Ris taken for granted that one method o
lhdpyg ioutthe federal treasury supply, will b
the, Fetention. of the duty on sugar, but this ap
pears to be about the only method that is taker
for granted Excise instead OF tariff duties seem
to offer tie only way out for the Democrats, i
they are to be at all consistent with Democratic
principles but that is a ,thorny way and besei
| with political perpexities Free trade theories
are hne to discuss, but even DEMOCRATS hate
direct taxation when it Isl directly out of their
lpocketssa And STILL more nfofeyn9s the cry from
every governmental quarter. - &
For there is great lack OF federal funds at Wash
Iington. 1t probably will be far more difficult for
the administration to get these necessary funds
lin hand than il will be during a similar period
for the British, French, German, or Austrian gov
ernmentto obtain hundred times as much For
the federal treasury @wilf want only $l0oO00000
perhaps, enough to meetss threatened deficit this
present fiscal Year, Any one of the big warning
nations can obtain $f0ooAoQ,Ooo, as far as the
voting of the sum by its parliament is concerned
without particular fuss or objection.
On the other hand the American congress is
icertain to buck" hard against any Legislation
whatever that imposes additional taxation. No
particular enactment is at all likely to impose
Hardship but it involves contentious schools on
the proper principles of taxation. Every possible
scheme Democratic leaders advance will be met
with the Republican criticism that it is make
shift and that the only, proper course is tariff
provision which provides ample protection for Am
erican industries. There will be long speeches
both pro and con, delivered with election day in
mind, ."%5S
Republicans are plainly attempting to force the
treasury deficit into prominence as party issue
They have no patience with Democratic asser-
tions that the big has cut off normal sources
of revenue. The present status is charged direct
lily to Democratic ineiciency in handling the fed
leral government And there again, speeches OF
exaltation and Remuneration on the Democratic
administration Of affairs may be expected The
case will haveto be made up in congress- far
as the orators and the politicians are concerned
Ito further the political propaganda before the
country. "'
|, The cabinet has just begun to worry over the
Questions OF revenue, while it seems to have be-
come one of the secondary matters with President
i Wson-at least matter that could be better
determined after measure Of increased ex-
penditures, as for the Army and the Navy, had
been well outlined. The ancient aversion of pow
crs-that- beo at Washington to bond issue still
holds! In all probability bond issue is not to
be expected, except possibly to meet the military
and naval expenditures. There seems general ex-
fpectation that excise tax will be laid upon
manufactures of munitions Secretary of the
Treasury McAdoo has directed the collectors OF
internal revenue throughout the land to report
regarding the quantity and character of such man.
ufactures within their respective districts This
is clearly forerunner of special taxation although
| it is to be borne in mind that most of these fac
tories are now paying special corporation tax
into the federal treasury. 1t is probably a safe
guess that President Wilson will recommend a
special munitions tax to congress, whereupon the
makers OF munitions will undoubtedly descend
on the Capitol in mighty protest. A fierce conten-
ton may arise to what shall be caSsed as NUM-
tons. Shall the tax be confined strictly to powder
and ball and shooting irons? In these modern
times there is much else within the munitions
category, There be acids, steel bets, barbed wire
and even good warm wooden clothing, not to men
ltlon thousand and one articles that the Entente
1 allies are now Luyng in the United States. u
Congress may be expected to yield interesting
assertions about this revenue question in the next
few months. Some believe the preparedness bills
will become law early in the session and without
very much ruction. The trend is certainly that
way at present. The matter of proper change for
the fiddler will probably be quite different The
Lgame OF politics will be played most deity over
this Subjeett which lends itself as the situation
stands to political exploitation. 1t involves more
or less the question whether Democrats have been
efficient o.: inefficient and whether tRe) country
! been getting anything like a dollar in return for
every hundred cents the federal government has
Expended since March 4, 1913
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