The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1916-12-27
EWO CAROLINIANS -.
New Tariff Body Will Have Import
ant Duties. to Accomplish at
Once.
Bv P. Fl. MCGOWAN.

ByP. H. MCGOWAN. ~ =.
Washington, Dec. 26.-In view OF
fhe fact that Congressman John j.
lFitzgerald of New York, chairman OF
|the house committee on approprla-
ltions. has announced that the United
States is facing financial deficit. OF
SaOO' 600. 600, and that in his opln-
I'm the tariff laws should not at this
lime be amended, there IS strong
nossibility that the president will i'm
mediately name the members OF tne
new tariff commission. Two Soutn
Carolinians, Daniel c. Roper, recent
ly first assistant postmaster general
and B. F. Taylor Of Columbia, are
mentioned.
ItsWas explained at the capitol to-
day that two things are apparent:
first. that there is deficit which
must- be met in some way not now
known; second, that the people Will
raise a protest against further taxa
ton in any form. :
It has been known here for some
lime that both the appropriations
committee of the house and the
finance committee of the senate were
much bothered by the fact that there
Is deficit of gigantic proporuo9s
staring the people in the face. 1t
has not come about through waste
fulness Of the Democrats or anything
IA the kind. It is due largely to the
Fact that excessive expenditures will
for several years have to be made
n order to put the country on war
basis to meet emergencies should
var come-the result of prepared
hess, In addition to this, it should
be remembered that imports from
Foreign countries have been curtailed
hs q result of the war and at the
same time tariff revenues reduced
because Of the swith from the Re-
publican "high protection" duties to
Ehe Democratic "tariff for revenues
only1 basis of taxation. -
Undoubtedly the only way in which
khe tariff question will ever be salts
factorily adjusted is to follow the
presidents advice and have q strictly
noalpartisan tariff board or commits
sien, which will act absolutely with
ouS regard to political influences.
However, should the personnel of the
cofnndissien be announced at this
tihie, which is now likely, it Will take
It, least a month or six weeks TO get
IN working shape. Then, after that
s done, It is not probable that they
Feasible scheme Of bridging over the
present deficit or of preventing other
Similar occurrences could possibly be
worked out for several months. The
appointment, however, of this body,
now would have the same effect as
The peace overtures made last week
by the German authorities ~ 1t would
be d step in the right direction
which must necessarily be taken be-
fore anything tangible may be ex-
pected to come out OF it. ~
As to what congress will do at this
the short session-to raise enough
to meet this $500, ,089, 900 deficit -
with the people -slready sovertaxed
and burdened to the point where
they can not easily stand more-is
something that even these national
lawmakers do not themselves know.
1T lis certain that the two things
which now produce more than half
Of our total revenue Whiskey and
tobacco not be further taxed
without driving them out Of business.
Should prohibition come either as q
result OF national legislation or from
too much taxation just how this gi-
gantic revenue would then be sup
Piled Is not now seen.
aDemon rum on the run" is good
campaign talk and undoubtedly pro-
hibition is a splendid thing and some
Ehing to be much sought under ordi-
nary circumstances, but In the pre-
sent crisis in the country's financial
history, it is question whether the
bid story of the ''goose and the gol-
den egg" may not be appropriate.
Epitomized, a few things are ap-
parent. A further tax; can not be
placed on the necessities of life and
hot enlarge the jails and warehouses
more tax or rum and tobacco means
that these industries will cease to
produce. A raise in postage rates
hnd bank check stamps would be
most unpopular. -
This is the situation as it appears
here now and the two South Caro-
linians whose names have been men.
minds some tangible form of taxa
tion which would fill the national
Golfers and leave no further pinch on
the people-if they can do it. I'm
The event they are called up higher,
and made members of the presidents 3
Tariff commission they would then be
ready to do something worth while
and help alleviate a situation which
IS now far from hopeful.
MASTERS SALE.
"a Tho Gfata Of Soi1fh Garolina