Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-05-11
Floor Leader kitchin Says
Cost for Year to United
States Cannot Be Less Than
Five Billions.
MONEY MUST BE HAD
AS WELL AS SOLDIERS
Increased Postal Rates Are De-
Tended; Explains Why Only
80 per Cent Of Big Incomes
Are Taken.
ter MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED w'ssi

Washington, May l0.-The sl,S0G,-
100000 tax bill. carrying war time as
sessments on a multitude of every
day necessares and Injuries, was
taken up in the house today with
leaders of both parties behind It, but
with scores of members objecting
to individual sections
Democratic Leader Kitchin, in a four
hour speech urging prompt passage
said that while some items seemed
unjust and excessive, when consid-
cred separately, the only answer is
that the government needs the
money For his part, he said, he
was willing even to swallow his life
long tariff convictions in the emer-
gency and support the bills high
tariff section.
Il am going to shut my eyes and
vote for it, said Mr.. Kitchin.
Members Are Perplexed.
The debate developed a dearth of
expert information ON the question of
Just what is provided by the involved
legal language of the measure, and
throughout the day there was rapio.
fire of questions from perplexed
members. The income tax section
raised such cloud of confusion that
for a time the house resembled a
class in higher mathematics. with
tee taking turns in expounding the in
tricate workings of the proposed
schedule of percentages and super
percentages.
Mr.. Kitchin said the bill would
raise more additional taxes than any
that has ever been presented to any
legislative body in the history OF the
world" and that more tax burdens
might follow. He estimated that all
told the war expenditures to the end
of the next fiscal year would total
$h, ,000, 100000.
Must Endure Hardships.
THE men VINO must sustain the
government by tax, he said, mus,
understand that they must endure
these hardships in dollars and cents
while the others are enduring the
hardships in tears, stress and blood
Referring to the petition of the
railroads for a general Is per cent
freight rate increase, Mr.. Kitchir
continued
I'VE will have plenty of chances tc
get some of that back for the Ameri'
can people in the way of taxes. II
the railroads are permitted to raise
their freight rates Is per cent Of theiI
gross receipts, I am willing to come
in here with a tax bill and tell them
to pay some of that to help support
the government"
Defending the bilrs proposal to ad
vance postal rates, Mr.. Kitchin de-
clared that it costs the government
500, 100000 year to carry anG
handle second-class matter, and i
gets back only $11,000,000. The pro
posed increase, he said. will bring IL
$31, 100000.
Not Enough on Big Incomes.
Representative Reavis of Nebraska
interrupted Mr. !Kttchin with sew
eral questions about the income ta,
schedules and finally launched into {
general attack on the question be
cause the levy on big incomes wa
not made greater.
You are taking a great deal so fal
aat., I4lIa nx,1 ,t,
cerned," said Mr.. Reavis, "but in tn,
proportionate sacrifice that the mel
who pay it will make, You are tax
ing great deal more from the mar
ried man with $4,000 who has a fam
lily to support than you are from tn,
sl0,000,0O0 man. The man with tn
income Of 100000 is paying tina
ipcome out Of funds that he can US
only in the way of investment. TIL,
relative sacrifice cannot be com
pared"
Might Not Pay Anything.
| Mr.. Kitchin replied that the com
mittee did not 60 over SO per cent II
taxing incomes, because "if we ta
these men of wealth exorbitantly Ii
their industry and income they woul,
no doubt put money into the rura
credit bonds and get four per cen
and not pay the government any wa
tax"
"rhe committee thinks, in refer
ence to the income tax" said tn
democratic leader. that it has put o.
about all the traffic will bear"
Representative Fordney of Mich
igan. the ranking republican membe
of the ways and means COMMITTEES
will speak for the bill tomorrow
General debate probably will b
closed Friday, and the leaders hop
for passage early next week.