Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-09-01
WASHINGTON NEWS LETTER.

The making II a n0nparrlsan revenue
bin might seem 10 be very easy. espe-
ciauy when such a bin receives the
unanimous support OF tie ways and
means committee In the house and
practically tie unanimous support Of
tAe aumee committee Ia the senate.
il is natural 10 suppose that when men
az botl parties unite on revenue iii
IL is a very good bill m
However tAe present revenue bill
uoupaTt.san ia almost every particular
is far from the success that might be
expected. This revenue bin seems 10
have been the subject Of a great deal
% trading. aud tie Democratic ma
1onty ia both house aud senate were
obliged 10 make concessions to the Re
publican minority in order to insure
Hgupagtisanship. The result has been
very severe criticisms Of the bill ia
both branches Of congress.
Not Whipped nso Shape"
When the revenue bin was being
considered 10 the house many members
said they did not Ike il, but voted for
il ia hopes that Il would he whipped
into shape" by the senate. Judging
from Rbat different senators have said
If the biz. including members Or the
finance committee that worked SO long
over IT, the process Of whipping II
iuro shape has not been wholly sue
cess
OF course Il is difficult 70 raise 81
oUu,pse0 IN taxation in addition to
the billion necessary for ordinary ex-
leuses u the government aud satisfy
all who have to bear the burden. The
same difficulty Is encountered as In all
taxation measures. Those who repre-
sent 50 many varied interests find IL
very difficult TO levy taxation 50 as TO
avoid serious complaint on the part Of
many people.
Process Of Elimination.
Senator simmons Of North Carolina.
in charge II the revenue bill. knows
the difficulty Of preparing a measure of
this kind At one stage Of the proceed
Ink lee told the senate. after several
criticisms aad been made Of the var1-
ous taxing features Of the bill.
II We were - strike out everything
in the o5il against which there Is a pro
test we world strike out the whole
bill"
He then went on to say that the bin
leFies exceptionally and phenomenauy
high rates IF taxes. but that the erner-
cvncy If the war made # necessary
a. raise an enormous amount of mon
~. more than has ever been attempted
by the government before.
Comment From 5randsses.
Senator Myers NJ Montana mtroduc-
el a 5l intended 10 stop the picketing
hr suG8eists iu front Of the White
House. and when be had made some
comments aH IL Senator Brandegee OF
Connecticut made inquiry as to wheth-
er there weren't sufficient laws on the
statgtue books and II the pickets had
not been convicted "Inasmuch as the
law was sufficient TO land them In
1au" said Brandegee and they only
got ogt because the president wanted
them gut, / fail 10 see why additional
legislation is necessary"
Senator Myers said that the president
erred iu granting the paCdons. and be-
did it because he was SO good hearted
An Unpopular Tax.
There was one feature u the revenue
bin whleh was shown 10 he a very un.
popQ.ar tax and that was taxing bank
checks senator Smoot pointed out
that such taxes would tend to make
people draws their money out u the
hanks. just as iu the past He said
that saEAe Jeu years ago an endeavor
was nade rs business men TO encour-
age "a 3epo~tiuE ~ small amounts In
the bauas. This had created a spirit
81 saving among ,he people and had
resulted iu the establishing Of banks in
small communities Several other sen
ator- spoke Of the desirahllity Of keep
Ing money Ia the banks and 10 clrcu-
lauou. AS q Result ~ the discussion
the bank tax proposition was voted oct
viii e large majority.
Consumers Pay the Taxes
Strenuous objection was made TO the
proposition Tor stamp tax OF cent
on parcel post packages. Several sep
ators iuye@aed against this tax as hit
ting the people " no were using parcel
post service Finally the point was
made that tie men who would pay the
largest tax ou this account were the
mail order houses This caused a shift
IN the controversy. aud lt was then as
serted that the consumer werld pay
the tax. and here was where Senator
MeCumber rose TO the occasion with
this emphatic declaration.
Il should like TO have any senator
or any other man upon the face Of the
earth give me a single instance IA
which q tax San be levied that will not
ultimately he Tax upon the consumer
II this awful tax@this exorbitant tax
OF ] penny, ought not 10 be put upon
the shoulders OF he consumer then
should Ike 20 ask what tax can De
levied y hlch would not he in the end
at least e exorhitant upon the con
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