The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-05-12
TARIFF BOARD
|. SEEKS TO STOP
OLD PRAC T|CE
Would Make Tariff Schedules Eff
fective on Date When Bill
Is Introduced
VIOLENT PROTESTS ON
@ WAR TAX MEASURE
Many Manufacturers Say They
Face Ruin if the Rates Are
Imposed
VIOLENT PROTESTS ON
RI. #@s3 WAR TAX MEASURE

Washington, May l2.-Thc new tar
iff commissions first act has been to
recommend legislation expected to
save to the country millions Of dol
lars in revenue.
The commission proposes that all
the customs increases proposed in
the war tax bill shall become col
lective from the date of the reporting
of the bill to the house. and thus the
commission hopes to stop the usual
practice of Importers Of rushing in
great quantities of products on which
they know duties are to be raised.
Consumers, they say, always had
bought the products at increased
rates.
While the house debate on the
$1,S00,OO0,000 war tax bill was get
ting under way today, the senate fin
ance committee heard violent pro-
tests from big and little interests on
which the new war levies would fall.
Manufacturers who would have to
pay the increased express profits tax,
distillers, brewers and soda fountain
interests affected by the higher rates
on alcoholic and soft drinks, and to
bacco companies hit by the tohac. .
tax, all told the senate committee that
they faced ruin if the bill vert
through as presented in the house.
Nearly every witness declored their
particular business seemed 20 have
been made the target for al unjust
and exorbitant tax.
Bill Under Fire.
In the house, too, mauy portions
Of the bill were under. fire. but the
reply of Democratic and Republican
leaders in charge was that lie money
must be raised and cnly high taxes
could provide it. Represe ta'Ive Ford.
ney Of Michigan, rankinA y.epublicall n
on the ways and means committee,
made a four-hour speecn for the
measure. He said he agreed with
Democratic Leader Kitchi1 that the
bill had some faults, but tina on the
whole it was equitable and should be
passed to meet the war emergency.
Only the excess profits, liquor, heer,
soft drinks and tobacco schedules
were considered today by the senate
committee. The hearings are expect.
ed to close Tuesday.
The income tax increase and the
rise in postal rates consumed large
part of the time tody in the house
debate.
Replying to critics of the income
tax section, Mr.. Forlney -oid tie
house that there is 4 limit to whicl;
the government can go and take from
a man his income until he begins to
evade the law
Republican Leader Mann asked if it
would not be fairer to tax newspaper
and magazine advertising thar to
put the proposed additional postage
rate on second class mail matter
MIR. Fordney replied that this would
be a tax on volume of business ard
an unjust tax.
Representative Hull Of Iowa also
opposed the increased rates for nag
azines and newspapers and cllallerg.
ed statements that The government
is now losing millions annually on
this class of business The debate
will be continued tomorrow.
1t was a gloomy picture that pro-
testants against the war tax increases
painted for the senate committee
Disorganization of industries, closed
factories, discharged employees. reduc.
ed prices to producer and destruc.
tion of retailers were among the pre-
dictiOns.
Representatives Of national distil-
ers and industrial organizations de-
Continued on Page Three7