Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-30
MAIN PROVISIONS
OF BILL COMPLETE
Senate Finance Committee
Nearly Finishes Work on
War Tax Measure.
MANY R UCTIONS MADE
House Total Of .8OO,OOO,OOO
Has Been Reduced to About
$l,so0,OOo.0O0.
MANY REDUCTIONS MADE

WASHINGTON. May 2?-Decisirns
on nearly all important questions i'm
rcdraftinE tho Sl.SOl.O0o 600 war tax
bill had been reached late to-day when
the Senate Finance Committee sus-
pended its work over Decoration Dav
Except for the liquor and stamn taxes
carried III the measure as il passed :hc
House. the committee has settled tn.
major principles OF revision. with a
view toward reducing the House total
TO around 1900. 100000.
The principal decisions to-day were:
Elimination OF the general tariff :.x
OF 10 per cent ad valorcm on all i'm
ports ESTIMATED to raise 500. 900 ooV,
and substitution of excise. or consump-
ton taxes on sugar. coffee. tea and
cocoa.
Reduction Of the House inc; ,ascs l.:
taxes on cigars. cigarettes anI all Other
tobacco products from about 10 rcr
cent to 60 per cent. with no estimated
reduction in the SIS. 200. .o6o designed to
he brought in under tho House rates.
TAX rs ELIMINATED
On CONSUMERS MILLS
Elimination of tho House taxes Of ;
per cent on consumers electric lichs
and power, gas and telephone bills
estimated by tho House TO raise in All
so, 100000 The committee proposes
to retain the tax on telegraph and
long distance telephone mcssa cca
Elimination Of taxes on all nSur.
ancc. involving revenue loss OF s5.0oo.-
OOl
Addition Of new per pound tax
upon confectionery. estimated to raise
from slo.ooo,Oo0 to s15.ooo.o 70 nc
paid by manufacturers.
Reduction OF taxes on soft dru'ts
and their ingredients TO make :Se total
levy about $4,000, 900, instead or 500
100000
With these phases OF its task dc
cided upon, the committee arranged to
have Chairman Simmons and Treasury
Department experts make 4urvo!' 20
morrow OF its work TO date 10 see il
further changes arc necessary Setrt-
tary McAdoo to-day urged Scna or
simmons and other COMMITTEES .nr.n-
bcrs to bring out bill levv;nr near
the $500. .0o0.o total OF tn: Iiousc.
but committee sentiment was aid TO
be virtually unanimously asai:'st linn.
COFFEE AND TEA RATES
NOT DEFINITELY FINED
The committee fixed the new cxcis,:
tax on sugar at !: cent a pound, ana
that on coco at ; cents Il pound. esti- |
mated 10 yield, respectively, Size 10000
AID $1,000. 900. Coffee and tea rates
:, ere not definitely determined but it
is expected they will remain at and
cents pound. respectively. 1G fixed
by the House bill Taxes on sugar,
rectly hy importers or manufacturers.
though ultimately probably by the con-
sumner.
/ The excise taNcs were adopted as
substitute for the general 10 per cent
tariff increase of the House.
Senator's said to day that the House
taXes on public utilities, including these
pipe lines. transportation. freight,
express and Pullman accommodations,
probably Will he retained
The opinion was generally expressed
that the committee will reject the pro-
posal of Senator Hardwick, OF Georgia
and post-Ohicc Department heads for
a new postal tax upon newspapers,
magazines and other second class pub
lications based upon their proportion
of advertising space
y tentative draft Of the proposed new
Federal license tax on automobiles
based upon their horse power was re-
ccived to-day. but not acted upon. The
Treasury Department submitted esti-
mates proposing to raise $4,000. 900
from the motor vehicle licenses upon
{, minimum OF $40. payable by the We
hiElcs' owners, and Il graduated surtax
of - cents per horse power.
HOUSE RATES on SOFT
DNiNI<S kUE REDUCED
In reducing the House rates on soft
drinks and their ingredients. the COM
mittce. il was stated. proceeded with
the idea of levyinG the bulk of tho
taxes upon soda fountain or other
bevcra ces containing carbonic acid gas
and tightening tax burdens OH sirup
and extract manufacturers. The car
bonic gas rate was reduced from = To
> cents a pound to he paid by the
purchaser instead Of the manufactures. !
:, reduced rate of l cent a gallon upon
soft drinks bottled by the small pro-
duccr was fixed.
instead Of the 10 per cent gross
sales tax upon sirups and extracts. tho I
following rates were agreed upon by |
the committee: 3 cents "A gallon upon /
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