The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-18
war REVENUE BILL
SIGNED BY WILSON
Passed in Senate by q strict
Party Vote After Six
Hours Debate.
UNDERWOOD IN THE FRAY

WARRINGTON, Dec. 17-The Senat
to-day passed the Joint resolution ex-
tending the war revenue ACT for another
year. The vote on the passage Of the
resolution was . strictly party alignmen,
-forty-nvs Democrats voting for the
measure and twenty-nins Republicans
against Il.
senators Poindexter and Ciapp. known
heretofore as Prosressives. voted with
the Republicans. Senator smoot pro.
posed = substitute I limit the provisions
Of the act to expire June 30 nsx, IN.
stead Of . yea hence. This was re.
jected by . vote Of 50 to IS.
The joint resolution . signed BY
the President tonight.
For nearly SIX hours preceding the vote
on the passage Of the resolution the
Senate participated In an old fashioned
partisan debate that pointed YER clearly
to the tariff as an issue In the Presiden-
tial campaign next year. Senators Pen
rose. Smoot. Lodge, McCumber. sier.
ling. Townsend and Gronna argued for
a restoration Of the protective duties, and
Senators Simmons. Gore and Underwood
defended tho Administration,
Senator Ledge Attacks.
Senator Lodge charged that the Demo-
cratic policy WAS ono Of taxing the rich
simply because they were rich and lift
lug the ~ from the masse simply
because they were numerically stronger
and necessary politically TO the Demo-
Gratis.
Senator Underwood In his maiden
speech accepted Mr.. Lodges challenge
and said that the Democratic leaders,
who framed the Underwood.Simmons
tariff act. had deliberately reduced Gus
toms dues, because they desired to make
tho wealthy Of Ne country bear the
burden Of taxation. Mr.. Underwood said
he was glad &c have the issue raised. for
1t indicated what would be the limo OF
attack and defence In the next Presl-
campaign.
Senator Smoot attacked the Treasury
figures OF Secretary McAdoo on which
the war revenue measure was based. He
said the Treasury deficit had been caused
In part by an increase OF 2lO.3ss,s I 0
In appropriations by the Sixty-third Con-
gress and that the war was being used to
cover up the situation and defer discus
sion OF a general revenue measure until
after the election.
Senator Underwood was drawn into
the debate by attacks upon the tariff
law as a evenue measure. The year
h tariff Law was enacted, he said, the
expenditures OF the Government were
$3.50. o00. 600. since then they had In
creased each year until now Il was esti-
that exclusive Of the prepared
ness programme the expenditures next
year o reach $77s. 000. 900.
1T Is not necessary to discuss whether
these expenditures were wrongly made
or not" said the Senator. THE Repub-
leans were just As responsible for them
as the Democrats and the votes on these
increased expenditures would show that
great a ~percentage Of Republicans al
that OF Democrats voted for them. They
had not been criticised by the press or
public to any great extent.
Placing the Responsibility.
"If you assist IN putting the laws on
the books looking to these expenditures
you must stand responsible for them or
be willing to admit that you voted for
the legislation to embarrass the Demo.
Gratis. which would not be crediuable.
Tho Underwood act was written for
1913" said its author. "and not for 1917.
expenditures have increased since
Senator Underwood said that the con-
that the bill had been a disap-
as "A revenue producer was
without foundation In TACT. Then he
proceeded to read the receipts by years:
For the fiscal year OF 1912 (under
the Payne-Aldrich act). 4ssl.77s.000
Tor tho fiscal year Of 1913 (part under
the Payne-Aldrich act). &72t.1l1,o00:
for 1914. under the Underwood-Sim-
mons act (wholly). &~73+.S+S.0o0.
He directed attention to the fact that
the present law had yielded $4,000. 900
more evenue h nrst veal 1t was in
operation than ths Payne-Aldrich act
did the last ear II was on the statute
produced S<5. 200. 900 moro than the Re-
publican statute did In 1912.
Mr.. Underwood. In j~ustifying thu work
Of himself and his associates on the
revenue measure, declared that they sue
in shifting the burden from con-
to wealth by decreasing GUS
toms receipts, a. they started out to do,
and also by increasing tho corporation
receipts about 34.o00.0 900 and by
33s.oo0.000 from individual In
you levied your tax for monopoly"
said the Senator from Alabama. address,
Ing the Republicans. You levied It to
prevent competition. You built your
wall so high that before the pres
ent law went into effect only l per cent.
of the iron and steel consumed In the
States came from abroad. and
only 2 per cent Of the cotton goods
from without"