Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-12
BITTER PROTESTS MADE
AGAINST WAR TAX BILL
Big and Little Interests ON Whom
New Levies Will FALL Iio-
lentIy Oppose Measure.
MANY SAY RUIN is CERTAIN
Nearly Every Witness Declares His
Particular Business Seems to Have
Been Made Target OF Unjust and
EXorbttamt Charges.
Inv Asseriatcd Pre,>.l.

WASHINGTON, May IL. While the
House dcb#le on the $1,000. 1000, 900 war
taS .6Iri was getting, under waytH- day.
the Senate Finance COMMITTEES heard
violent protests rom big ar.l l,tlc in
,rrrsts on which the new war lcyies
would fall
Manufacturers who would have t."
pay the Increased excess rr"hls tax.
dstillcrs, brewers and soda fountain
interests affected Ivy tho higher rate
on alcoholic and soft drinks. and to-
bacGo companies hit by the tobacco tax
all i0ld the Senate committee that they
faced ruin il the hill went through as
presented in tho House. Nearly every
witness declared his particular husi-
ness seemed to have been made the
target Of m unjust and eNorhitani TAX.
In the House too. many portions
were under fire. but the reply "f Demo
cratic and ] cpublican leaders In Charge
WAS that the money must he raised.
and only high taxes could pro !idc il.
Representative Fordncy. Of Michigan,
ranking Republican on the Ways aud
Means Committee. made four-huur
speech for the measure. He said he
agreed with Democratic Leader kitrhin
that the bill had some fnults. hut that
on the whole IL was equitable. and
should he passed t" meet the war
emergency.
Only the excess profits. liquor beer.
soft drinks and tobacco schedules were
considered to-day by the Senate COM
mittee which opcned hearings before
the measure came over from the House
in order to hasten final congressional
close on. Tuesday.
INCOME TAN INCREASES
TAKE UP MUCH TIME
The income tax increases and the
rise in pustal rates consuileJ n large
part OF the time to-day in the House
debate. Some Representative suggested
that the tax ON big incomes was not
high enough, and others oppuscJ Wig.
orously the proposal to increase the
postage rate on second class matter hy
creation of a 2onc system.
Replying to criticisms of the income
tax. Mr.. Fordncy told the House that
there is a limit TO which the govern
ment can go and take from man his
income before he begins to evadc thc
law.
There is no law in this country. or
dHS othci' it Stiu. tliHl .cOmDtiS Il
corporation to pay dividends The min
ute YOU have taxed the corporations to
point where they see you are about
to contiscatc their property. Ihcy viii
pass to surplus thci" earnings instead
Of paying them to dividends"
Republican Leader Mann asked i: il
would not be fairer to tax new spupcr
and magazine advertising than to put
the proposed additional postage rate ON
second class mail matter. Mr. Fordncy
replied that this would b. tax on
volume of business, and an unjust tax.
Representative HUI, of Iowa, also
opposed the increased rates for maga-
zines and newspapers. aud challenged
statements thai tho govel nmcnt nov is
losing. million annually on this class
OF business. kcpresentativ> Bland. OF
Indiana. told the House the Post Office
Departl ent hal worked out an amend
ment to provide that no salaries Of
postmastors shall be Increased during
the war. The debate Will be continued
Tomorrow
GLOOMY PICTURE PAINTED
S ny PROTEsTAN NTs
u was was II gloomy picture that
protestnnts against the war tax in
crease pa inted fer the Senate commit
tee. Disorganization OF industries.
closed factories, discharged employees
reduced prices to producers and do
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