Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-02-17

to insure success of the shipping
as an administration propos-
al. Last year. taking advantage OF
the fact that congress must quit on
March A., opponents of the shipping
legislation talked the bill to death. 1t
is doubtful If any such tactics will be
attempted this year. although there
is strong Republican and some Demo-
cratic antagonism to the measure as
1t stands. The bill. generally speak
ing, however, seemingly is more at
tractive to senators who last year
stood in opposition.
The proposed legislation commits
the government to the expenditure OF
some fifty million dollars for the pur-
chase or the construction Of ships
which are to be leased to companies.
The understanding is, and it is on this
understanding that some men may be
induced to vote for the measure, that
the government will not buy many
ships, but will exercise its energies In
construction. One thing which stood
in the way of the passage of the ship
ping bill as it was last presented was
the belief of a good many senators
that the government intended to pur-
chase interned ships belonging to a
belligerent country, to use them n
thereby possibly to embroil the United
States in foreign troubles.
Seaman's Law Amendments.
There is still deep interest in Wash
ington in the efforts which are being
made to secure amendments to the
seaman's law. The Great Lakes ship
ping interests are deeply concerned in
this matter and their views have been
set forth by their representatives with
all the force possible. The opposition
to an amendment which will exempt
the Great Lakes shipping interests
from the laws governing ocean travel
is alert and obstinate. 1t is said that
there is a growing feeling in congress
that the fresh water seas should have
been given the exemption that was
given certain narrow bays and sounds
of the salt water seas, but 1t is a
question whether or not this feeling
will induce congress to take up the
matter of amendments at this session.
The matter will be pushed, however,
by the interests involved and the feel
ing will be kept alive for another
session If it cannot make Roadway at
this one.
The outcry against pork" has been
loud enough and forceful enough to TX
the attention of the administration
and to move it to tell congressman
privately that their constituents must
not expect anything in fat Jumps this
year. Congress, however. because of
the individual longings Of the mem
bers and the individual proddings OF
their constituents, is not always will
ing to obey the administrations man.
date in pork barrel matters. Some
persons say that the good roads bill
cannot be put into the pork class, but
there are others who say that 1t is
pure pork. The good roads bill has
passed the house carrying with 1t an
appropriation Of $25,O 00, 900, but the
senate probably will throw rocks into
the highway.
Discussing Taxation Plans.
Every day now the members of the
ways and means committee Of the
house are discussing the question o.
how to raise additional revenue t.
meet the requirements Of expenditures
which will be made necessary by new
legislation, especially that of prepared
ness, which, of course, will cost money
although the argument is that thu
money spent for preparedness is sim
ply a premium paid on a policy to in
sure safety.
OF course the Republicans urge
high tariff as a means of raising reve
nue., thus doing away to a great degree
with more direct systems of taxation
Just at present, however, there SEEM
to be no strong ground for belief tina
a tariff, high or low, will accomplish
much when there are comparativel.
few goods coming in upon which t,
levy it.
It seems to be assured that the dom
inant party will do all that 1t al t
spread the tax SO that the ordinary
plain, everyday small business ma
and wage and salary Garner shall no
feel it. It seems to be assured tina
such things as taxing bank checks
which small business men and eve
wage earners and salaried men occs
sionally must use, will be foregone
, The gasoline tax proposition ais
/, seems to have blown itself up. Wit
: these into the discard have gone som
/, other taxing schemes which were, d
? rect in their application to the me
who in the main do not pay incom
taxes.
; 1t seems likely, also, that the hous
will not allow the taxable income limi
to be lowered. The dominant part
fears the result Of levying on the $500
/ income Of the benedict. So the prol
able solution Of the income tax ma
, ter will be the raising of the tax on bi
/. incomes. 1t seems to be a pretty goo
scheme from the point of view of tn
moderate-incomed one-and here on
, can write with a full heart-to tax tn
/. fellow who gets a lot of money yearl
J no matter whether he earned it or ha
: others earning it for him.