Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-23
President Wilson Signs the
Resolution Extending War
Tax Law One Year a Few
Hours after II Passes Senate.
Both HOUSES TAKE RECESS
Democrats and Republicans
Have a Wordy Debate in Sen.
ate before Joint Revenue
Measure Comes Up for Vote
Underwood Tariff Attacked.

Washington. Dec. l7.-Congress adjourn
ed tonight for the Christmas holidays
after the Senate had adopted the Joint
resolution which passed tho House yester.
oay extending the emergency rev
December 81. 1916 The Senate adopted
the resolution after n lively partisan de-
bate. 81. a vote of As 20 %. democrats sup
portirr it solidly and republicans unani-
nous; opposing H. flesiden- Wilson
sig.oH no measure tonight.
Bot houses will reconVeue a. noon
TUESDAY. January A. when the admins
tration Legislative program, including the
plans for national defense will he Under
taken in earnest
During the TWO weeks Of the session
the only important legislation was the
extension of the war tax. This was
done to prevent n lapse Of the law De-
cember 2, next with the understanding
that the law will he taken M for
| amendment in order to increase the re-
venues as soon after the holidays as
possible
! Upon the adjournment tonight there
was a general exodus Of members for
, their homes The day in the House had
1
! defense.
| Discussion Of war revenue resolution
! in the Senate resolved itself into Il
tariff argument, republicans assaiing
! the Underwood law "a Inadequate ana
condemninc the general fiscal policy of
| the administration. Senatov Underwood
Of labama. in his first Senate speech,
vigorously upheld tho law which bears
his name and challenged republicans to
compare it with the Payne ldrich
| tariff.
Senator Simmons, chairman of the
finance committee, in response to qucs-
lions from the republicans said he un-
derstood it to bo the administration
plan to propose further revenue LEXIS
lation after the holidays and that his
/ impression was there would he no issu-
ance Of bonds to defray increased ex-
penses of the government including the
preparedness program.
Senator Penrose OF Pennsylvania, VIII,
led in the minority attack on the reso-
, luton, interrupted Senator Underwood
speech to draw picture of idle men in
his State during his campaign for re-
election last year He said the present
prosperity in the steel business was due
to the war and immense purchases hS
! belligerent governments
THE senator from PENNSYLVANIA" sal,
Senator Underwood in reply. has mad,
clear his belief then that the depression
which followed the terror of the frs
few months Of the war was due entirel!
to the democratic administration, bu
that the present prosperity alone is du,
to the war.
This discussion to-day. whilc no
illuminative on the fiscal condition %
the country has clearly defined the is
sues between the two great parties ol
questions of legislation Mr. Penros
says We are committing crime agains
the American people by reducing thu
customs house taxes. and replacing then
with taxation resting solely on the wealth
of the country"
Revenues were greater in the first yea
OF the present tariff law. ne added. thar
in the last year of the Payne law
Senator Penrose insisted that the wa
had been a political blessing to tn
Democratic party rather than handicap
to the successful working out of it's FIRE
trade policy.
The treasury deficit which is blame
on the European war;" lie said. "woul
in my opinion be thousand times wors
We're it not for the war in Europe. Tn
war IN Europe had been the only caus
which has saved the fiscal policy of tn
party now In power from the mos
gigantic collapse ever witnessed in
civilized country. 7 believe if we had nc
had tie war in Europe W. would hay
had tho blacklist times in the history g
the American republic, compared
which the depression under cleveland
second administration and under tn
. Wt'soh-Goiman law would have bee
insignificant"
Republicans who joined in the dehat
. included Senator Lodge, Smoot, Gronus
. Gallinger and Works Senators Thoma
and Gore supported Senators Simmon
and Underwood.