Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-05-04
REVENUE MEASURE
TO RAISE BIG sum
HOUSE COMMITTEE PREPARES
WAR BILL TO RAISE BILLION
AND HALF DOLLARS.
LOWER INCOME EXEMPTION
Increase Of Excess Profits Tax is An
other Proposal OF Subcommittee
Increase Taxes on Liquor, Beer, O.
baccos, Soft Drinks, Freight and Pas
senger Traffic, etc

Washington a war revenue meas
ure designed to raise not less IMAM
$1,000. 100000 by direct taxes during
the coming year was reported 20 the
House Ways and Means Committee
Tuesday by subcommittee when
had been drafting the bill In secret
sessions
Reduction OF the income tax exemp.
tions from $4,000 and $4,000 to SlOoO
and $1,000 for single and married per
sons, respectively. and an increase "
the excess profits tax from eight per
cent on all amounts over eight per
cent and $4,000 to sixteen per cent
are two OF the subcommittee pro
posals
The tentative bill also carries m
creased taxes on liquor. beer cigars,
cigarettes and tobacco new taxes on
automobiles soft drinks, ammunition
places, freight and passenger tariic
and a stamp tax Of wide scope Much
of the bill follows the lines suggested
by Secretary McAdoo, but many of
the most important proposals are re-.
jected
The total Of the proposed bill falls
millions OF dollars short OF the orig
inal figure of $500. 000 GOO TO be de
riva1 fron tnyng this yaar
Fordney Responsible.
Opposition of Representative Ford
ney, of Michigan ranking Republican
member of the committee to raising
more than 00OO0O.0OO by direct
taxes is largely responsible for this
situation
A bitter fight on the bill in full
committee is certain Resentment
among some members aroused by the
prolonged executive meetings OF the
committee, coupled with vigorous op
position to the income and excess
profits tax proposals make storms IN
evitable
A new cloud also has appeared in
the threat Of a Republican member 10
demand doubling OF the present one
cent duty on sugar
Secrecy which has marked suh.com
mittee conferences. will rule IN the
full committee Unprecedented safe
CARDS are being established against
leaks Only one copy Of the tenta
tive bill for each committeeman has
been printed and an effort will be
made TO prevent members taking them
from the committee room
There have been insistent demands
from all sections Of the country for
public hearings but none will be held
II present plans are carried out
A normal tax Of two per cent would
be levied by the proposed bill on all
incomes above the proposed exemp.
II, MS Above $4,000 and $4,000 and
up TO $4,000 four per cent would be
levied Surfaces would begin at s.
300 and continue upward
Higher Liquor Tax
Decision to recommend increasing
he tax on whiskey from $40 10 50
A gallon and that on beer from 81 80
o $3.50 a barrel was reached after
determined efforts to make il higher
had failed
In an effort to protect the manu-
'acturer and smoker of cheap cigars
I was decided TO fix graduated tax
IN all kinds of cigars Cigarette
axes would be doubled
Suggestion OF fat four per cent
ate on freight and passenger trans
lortation proceeds was rejected in
avor OF taxes higher than four per
'ent on passenger tickets and four
Ter cent on freight charges
A Ave per cent tax on the factory
'ost of automobiles and musical in.
truments is recommended
Amusement places. including mo.
ion picture houses and baseball parks
would pay stamp taxes equal TO ten
Ter cent OF their gate receipts.