The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-01-31
Leader Insists Plea for Pre-
paredness Causes
Increases.
UNDERWOOD TARIFF
COSTS $246,OOO, 900
Fordney Shows Payne Law
Figures-Treasury !.
Methods Scored.

WASHINGTON Jan. 30.-Attacking the
Administrators sectional revenue bill
~ the acme Of Southern hog combine"
tax lodging, Republican leaders in the
tauntingly flung by Representative
Ktchin of Scotland Neck. N. c.
Kitchin had told his Democratic coll
leagues in caucus. and to-day repeated
the substance Of the taunt In the House.
that the Inheritance and excess profits
taxes imposed IN the bill would fall
largely north of Mason and Dixons
line and would make the sections Of the
country whence statesmen clamored
most persistently' for preparedness pay
the bills for increases in the army and
navy.
Republican speakers showed that the
revenues raised by the bill are neces-
STATED. not by preparedness measures
alone. but by Democratic extravaganza.
misgovernment and unsound economic
features.
Now then" said Kitchin, "this excess
profit tax bill for the main part will be
paid by men. Democrats and Republic
cans, in every section of the country
who were loud clamorists for prepared
ness who in every shape. fashion and
form demanded OF their representatives
here and at the other end of the Capitol
these immensely increased appropria-
tons for the army and the navy. The
man who pays a tax under this bill and
under the bill OF last session will know
that he is not paying II for pork bar
rels' under the river and harbor bill. or
for any similar purpose. but he is paying
Il for what he desired and what he de-
manded, namely, for an increased ap-
propriation for preparedness.
while many of the men who will
pay this tax were loud in their demands
for increased preparedness, and many
perhaps will protest violently against
what Is known as the excess profits tax.
they will know that every dollar is
going for the very purpose for which
they shouted
Great Demand for Time.
Virtually all of the time to-day was
consumed in Republican attacks on the
Bill. Representative Fordney, in charge
Of the Republican time, has been
swamped with requests for time, while
Chairman Kitchin. leading the Demo-
Gratis. has found that while he can have
the votes because the President wants
them there will be few attempts on his
side of the aisle to defend the inequali-
lies of the measure. Kitchin hopes to
close debate late tomorrow and possibly
reach a vote before adjournment
Republicans attacked the bill and the
condition which the hill seeks to meet on
the ground that 1t represented the direct
result OF the abandonment of the policy
~ protective. revenue producing tariff
of what Representative sloan, Ne
hraska. characterized as "the high cost
OF msgovernment" and OF the control Of
the Government by section which un-
her direct taxation 10 in position to
direct the expenditure of revenues COL
lected from other sections of the country.
Dealing with the tariff question Rep
resentative Fordney. ranking Republican
on the Ways and Means Committee. an
nounced that the Republican tarin ex-
perts would spend the next three or four
weeks whipping together a bill which
would represent In substance the kind
OF protective tariff for which the Re-
publican party stands to-day.
Difference of s248.7O4.OOO.
~ know there are many gentlemen on
that side Of the House who would rather
vote for a bill Of that kind to-day or to-
morrow than for the bill now before the
House." he said "If the Payne rate had
been in effect during the calendar year
1916 there would have been placed in
the Treasury a customs dues $246,794,-
900 in addition to the amounts collected
under the Underwood tariff law"
Representative -'ordney enumerated
the following items as representing in
part the useless expenditures for which
the Democratic Administration now asks
bond issue:
Nitrate plant 80 make fertilizer for
the Southern farmer and nothing else
under Gods heaven" $20.000.000.
Armor plate plant, between $ll,-
ooo,0 and $40 1000. 900.
Shipping bill. $50 100000.
And here liz sl62. 900. 900 spent on the
Mexican border to catch Vills-and did
gu catch him? No." he added. but
with your slogan that you kept us out
OF war and with this s162,OOo,00o and
The money raised by the Democratic
party you elected a President"
Taking parting shot at the book
eeping methods In vogue In the Treas
Try Department Fordney said:
There Is deficit now of S37. 900. 900
IN the Treasury, and no man can deny
though under their bookkeeping II
'oes not show. II any national bank In
he country adopted that system OF
bookkeeping the bank examiners under
NE direction of the Secretary OF the
Treasury would have every mothers son
"A the bank In Jail within twenty-four
hours for fraudulent bookkeeping"
Country exiting Checks"
We are In the position OF a stagger.
.ng insolvent who seeks TO put of the
me eitable day by kiting checks" said
Representative Sloan, who characterized