Omaha daily bee., 1916-07-07
DEMOS PUSHING
GREAT REVENUE
BILL IN CONGRESS
Measure to Raise Huge Sum OF
Money to Fill Void in Treas
ury Admission of Failure
of Demo Policies,
HOW ,NEBRASKAN STANDS
Congressman Sloan Outlines
Position on the Majority
Bill.
HOW ,NEBRAsKAN STANDS
KITCHIN PRESENTS CASE

w oSHli6 ISli, aiJ W NSPNNAo' ~
gram. 1.-The democratic majority OF
the house of representatives today
be gan consideration of an emergency
revenue bill that will add 100000, 900
to the Golfers of the republic, accord
ing to its sonsors. Without so much
courtesy at having the bill read in
the committee of ways and means, it
was presented TO the house without a
minority report Marked as it will be
as an adoption of republican princl-
Piles, appropriated by the majority to
meet pressing emergencies, the bill
gives promise of becoming platform
in itself, an admission that the demo-
cratic party cannot run the govern
ment on purely idealistic lines.
Republicans are likely to split over
the bill, which to say the least, has
been more deftly drawn than any
measure, that has come from the
democratic ways and means commit
tee of the house since its accession TO
authority. This is not stated in any
editorial sense, but as suggestive OF
what democracy will do to hold
power.
Position OF Sloan.
Representative Sloan of the Fourth
district, a republican, who holds
place on. the ways and means COM
mittee has been heralded as one Of
those who will support the measure
as reported by the democratic major
ity. This representation is correct
in parts. The repeal of the stamp
tax, or the adhesive tax" as it has
been denominated, is republican to
the core. The duty on dye stuffs, to
start an ~"infant industry" in this
country is distinctly recognition of
republican principles.
The anti-dumping clause is a fiat
recognition of republican principles,
which has been enunciated in every
platform of the party in the last six
teen years. The inheritance tax fea-
lures for the bill as outlined in The
Bee are new, but there are those who,
believe the state Should still control
the tax and not the federal govern
ment.
Congressman Sloan, who is men,
Der, but who was not asked whether
he liked the bill or not until it was
reported, within the course of his
speech tomorrow will offer three
amendments. One will be to reduce
by 10 per cent the salary OF every
government official except those Of
the president, the vice president and
members of the supreme court they
being coordinate branches and not
being created by law under the con-
stitution.
Tax on Munitions.
Mr.. Sloan will also move to
amend the bill by starting the taxa
ton on munitions July |, 1915, in
stead of the first of the year 1917.
Mr.. Soan, in his speech tomorrow,
will take the position that the manu-
facturers Of munitions in 1915 were
aiding foreign countries rather than
our own country in the output OF war
material, and that, therefore, they
should pay tax in greater proper
tion than those who may be called
upon to furnish ourselves with muni-
tions.
at would be manifestly unfair to
put tax on munitions made for our
own selves and allow those made, for
European countries to go scot free"
said Mr.. Sloan.
Would Refund Stamp Tax.
As to the third amendment, Mr..
Sloan said: 81 shall move to amend
the bill to refund to tn epeople who
paid the stamp tax in the last eight
cen months, the amounts they sever
ally paid, on the ground that it was
an outrage to lay the tax originally
and to collect it, and if ar outrage in
good conscience it ought to be made
right"
so many questions are involved in
this bill and so many interests in
volved that it would seem but right
that the minority leader of the house,
James R. Mann, ought to call the
republicans in conference to secure
some comprehensive action on the
bill now under discussion" said
Nebraska republican today.
Push Consideration.
Under special rule a final vote
will be taken before adjournment
Monday.
Majority Leader kitchin opened
the debate with a plea that the bill
be passed as non-partisan prepared
ness measure, Since so large part
of the revenue to be derived from
it would go to pay for army and
navy increases, Republican leaders
replied by charging the administra-
ton with gross extravaganza and by
attacking as ill-advised the means
now proposed to meet the treasury
situation.
- Plight Of Government.
Mr.. Kitchin outlined in detail the
federal governments financial condi-
ton and the expenses which will have
to be met during the coming year.
A total of $226,000,00O, he said,
would be needed to carry out the
enormous appropriation program
congress had drawn up, and the $l97,-
10000 to be raised by the revenue
bill would leave $69,000000 to be
made up out Of the general fund.
I'VE propose" he continued, ito
take from the general balance fund,
which on June 80 was the largest
by many millions of any year for the
last eight years, the sum OF $69,000,000
and then leave in the disbursing OF
fices, or to their credit, $60000,000 to
operate the governments expenses.
Continued on Page 2, Column 81
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