Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-08-24
Penrosc and Mclean Charge
Administration With
Extravaganza.
FORMER CALLS FOR
INDUSTRIAL ACTION
Protective Tariff Is Urged
by Speakers; Under
wood Is Defender.
XXTAsHINGToN, Aug. 98.-Debato

WAsHINGToN, Aug. 9S-Debate
w IN the senate on the emergency
revenue bill today was featured by "a
long speech by Senator Penroso urg-
ing preparedness to safeguard the
country against commercial warfare
at the closs of the European war, and
vigorously attacking the pending
measure. He questioned the legally
Of the proposed munitions tax and
criticized the proposed inheritance
tax and the general Democratic ad-
vance toward substituting direct tax
alton for the protective tariff
Senator Underwood, Democrat
author Of the present tariff law, and
Senator Mclean, Republican, also
participated in the discussion, the for
mer defending the tariff law and the
later charging the Democratic admin
istration with extravaganza and de-
ploring its tendency to resort to
sources for federal taxation that
should he reserved to the states
This question of industrial pre-
paredness," said Senator Pcnrose.
has received definite recognition in
the pending bill in the provision rcla-
tive to dycstuffs. II dyestuffs re-
quire protective duty and II tHey
are essential to our industrial nde-
pendence, | conclude that the same
argument can be applied all along the
line
Referring to recent conference of
the nations at war regarding com
mercial plans that will operate To
their own benefit after the war, the
Pennsylvania senator said:
''ln the face of these developments
already occurring and with the like
IfhAAa pf .ti nnrtantin1tG aunagfu
of trade war arising in the near flu
ture, we are called upon to pass the
pending revenue measure without any
regard whatever for the menacing
situation which will inevitably con-
front us as the war in Europe draws
to close. The only recognition oc-
curing in the bill of such menace
is found in the anti-d lmping para
graph. Here again we have an act
of Inconsistency similar to that which
We find in the instance of dyestutfs.
Are Drifting Now.
1--WE are drifting to system of di-
rect taxes at time when nearly every
civilized nation is going in the other
direction"
"Gf a munitions tax is to be inn
posed" Senator Penrose declared, sit
should he applied to all who sell con-
He said that the munitions tax is
section un-uniform, of doubtful va
lidity, Of questionable legality and OBJ
jectionable in many other ways.
1t might also be argued that such
tax would affect our neutrality he
said.
"A neutral government does not
protect trade in contraband. If 1t
tried to turn it into a source Of rev.
enue it would lay itself open to a
charge of such interest in the busi-
ness as to make it virtual partner
Senator Underwood spoke at length
in defense of the existing tariff law.
He approved the pending revenue
bill in it's main features. he said, but
did not concur in the recommends
ton for a tariff commission and in
creased duties on dyestuffs. After re-
viewing the operations of the tariff
law and submitting a multitude OF
statistics, Senator Underwood said he
had "conclusively demonstrated that
tariff taxes now on the statute books
do not ieopardize American industry
or threaten American labor
The law, he declared. was written
TO provide revenue and I'm repudia-
ton Of the Republican doctrine, which
levied taxes primarily for the purpose
of maintaining protective tariffs to
foster and build up special industries.
The revenue bill, Senator Under
wood said was necessitated by the
demands of the wealth of the country
for military preparedness and lit is
but Just that they should pay for
that protection"