The Delta independent., 1917-02-02
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

the appropriation bills. During the
three weeks of the session immediately
preceding the Christmas holidays the
proper committees of the house did q
talrly comprehensive work in the
framing OF the supply bills. and on the
reconvening matters were so adjusted
that with comparatively little effort
tie bills to pay the governments ex.
penses now can be put through.
II is going to cost IL huge amount
OF money to run the government neXi
year. Everybody knows this and tn.
reasons therefor. 1t costs us Il lot t.
Keep the National Guard on the border
and TO carry on the Mexican opera
uons. If one is in Il mood to call them
operations. The expenditures of ths
next fiscal year will be much heavier
than those of the one which is pass.
ing. Money, as is virtually admitted
by members of all parties. must be
raised for absolute necessities, and so
therefore, the country probably Will
becoming grace will accept the inevita.
Die increase in the means for raising
money to pay the governments debts
AS yet no one knows definitely just
what form the new means of revenue
raising will take Members of con
gress have suggested certain means
and the secretary of the treasury has
suggested other means Between these
two suggesting forces no less thar
twenty-five methods Of getting money
for Uncle Sam have been given con
sideration.
Suggestion to Increase Tariff.
One member of the house has sug
gested that per cent duty be put or
every article imported into the Unitet
States and which Is now on the free
list. In addition to this he has sug
gested that the rate of duty on every
dutiable article be advanced 10 per
cent This would bring in much of the
revenue that is needed to run the gov.
ernment under its additional expenses
but it is, of course, regarded by some
members of congress as suggesting
something more than tariff for rev
enue only. This plan has not met with
the appreciation of the administration
The revenue next year from the in
come tax will be virtually double thai
of the preceding year. 1t is a case OF
per cent on the excess over $1,000 fol
single men and over the $1,000 for mar
ried men. where it has been l per ceni
hitherto. A greater increase. of course
will affect those who have much larg
er incomes than the ones just set forth
1t is estimated that considerable add
tional revenue will come from this In
come tax source. but 1t will not bt
enough by long odds.
An increase In the tax on whisk,
and beer has been suggested. There
is also a blanket suggestion of re
turn 10 the stamp taxes of the wal
with Spain days and possibly even ar
enlargement OF this field of revenue
raising. A good many men look OIL
coffee, tea and cocoa as being in a sense
luxuries. Therefore 1t has been sug
gested that an import duty of 3 cents
n pound be laid on coffee and one of II
cents a pound be laid on tea, with the
amount to be laid on cocoa as tea .
matter for later consideration.
Coffee and Tea Necessities?
There is strong opposition. however
TO this coffee, tea and cocoa tax sug
gestion. By some men, perhaps a ma
jority of men If one can judge by the
little crowd of individuals Immediately
about him, coffee and tea are regarded
us necessities. Concerning cocoon no
body seems to be able to give a definite
idea whether 1t Is a necessity or lux
ury for out of seven men who were
asked concerning 1t not one of then
| had tasted it. Cocoa was put on tn,
| free list by the PayneAldrich tariff
| bill which preceded the Underwood
Simmons bill which is now in force
The Democratic measure retained it OIL
the list of nondutiable goods.
1t is in the main this revenue rails
ing matter which makes possible tn
necessity of an extra session of con
gress.
The ways and means committee o
the house is considering means Of rails
ing revenue, including tariff means. /
Is some time now since tariff bill wa
passed, but the scenes in the commit
tee room are said to resemble those o
the days when tariff measures wer
under consideration. Members of tn
committee and, of course, the othe
members of congress with them. ar
more or less insstent that IL the rat
is to be raised on any particular i'm
port 1t shall be on one which will Civ
an additional protection to the dis
tricts from which the members come
AS for the other districts they are no
so particular.
The tariff as a local Issue has II
moving picture presentation ever
time members Of congress discuss Il
advance the cutting of the rate o.
something which does or may enter In
to competition with the manufacture
nroducfs of the home towns