The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-08-16


development of the federal treasury,
financing the Mexican and Civil wars,
the income tax and excess proIts
systems, taxation OF the Spanish
America, as well ae the proposed new
war tax bill. These articles will be
Issued from time to time within the
next few weeks and shouid prepare
the public mind to grasp the signifi-
canoe of the forth coming great war
finance bill when 1t is ready for the
debate In congress The first or IN
troductory article follows:
TAssociated T-ress Disnatch.i
Washington, August 12.-War tax
alton with all its problems, and its
bene-,s a., .ve-i rs It's evils, IS fne
subject which will occupy congress
almost to the exclusion of all others
when it reassembles. for regular ses-
sions on August "a A statesman of
an older generation once remarked
that government was nothing more
or less than the power to levy and
collect taxes, 1t is obvious that Whlle
the subject of war taxation has the
attention of congress it must neces-
sarily command the attention OF the
American people, because the sta
bility of government is measured cher
ly by its revenue.
The ways and means committee OF
the house now is engaged in the pre-
liminary work of framing the twenty
four billion dollar revenue bill which
is to provide the Sinews of war Tor
the coming year. Passage OF the
bill by the house in substantially the
form in which it comes from the COM
mittee promises to be matter or
course.
Revision and Reconstruction
In the senate, however, will come
revision and reconstruction, often
the subject of prolonged debate and
even filibuster, which will put the
bill more nearly in the shape in which
it ultimately will become, the SEN
ate, as some historian has said, be-
ing the sauces in which is cooled
the hot tea coming from, the cup OF
the house. the deliberations there
are sure to be prolonged.
After the bill has been passed by
the senate, it will go to conference
often referred to as the place where
bills are really made. Here joint
committee representing senate and
house smoothes out conflicting pro-
visions, arranges compromises for
hard fought amendments, and finally,
induces each side to give way a
little, or when agreement is shown
to be hopeless, discarding provisions
entirely, reports back to both houses
of congress a completed bill. Some
times one house or the other insis-
tent on some provisions, ref u
accept the decisions O" &c Conferees
and demands fu.tner consideration,
but in the end bill is that adopted
by both branches Of congress comes
out
Must Run Gauntlet
The war revenue bill will be
threaded it's way through these for
tuous passages in the halls OF con-
gress for several weeks, possibly until
snow flies and it will be well for
any American newspaper reader who
. wishes to grasp the significance OF
its movements as it progresses to fix
in mind the five stages through
which the bill passes before it goes
to the White House for the signature
of the president, these stages are:
The bill is framed by the house ways
and means committee. (This is now GO
and with a more or less limited debate
and possibly some amendments from the
committee form, is passed and sent u
the senate. The bill is considered by the
senate finance committee, to which il
has been referred. In this committee the
bin may be practically made over" OF
to the structure of the work OF the house
may be added the ideas of the senate
committeeman. 1t is debated and passed
in the senate, after often nights of pro
longed argument and parliamentar!
manoeuvre.
Bill Goes to Conference
AS altered by the senate the bill goe
to the conference committee of senators
and representatives which finally re
ports back a compromise draft on which
both houses can agree.
InasmlIch as this particular bill length
ems the long arm of the government tai
collector so it can reach into Amos
every mans pocket. one who attempt
to be informed of what sacrifices he VII
be called upon to make that the worl
NAV become a decent place 70 live in
will do well to survey the needs wnic
8 have brought before the country thi
measure for taxing the high and low.
The American people OF course WI
not only finance their own shape of tn
wiz but they will furnish in large mea
sure, the monetary back bone TO en-, ena D
expected o make an equitable dlstrl
button of the burden to all the peopl
i'm lust proportion to their share or IN
nations
laws have not been entirely satisfactor!
Experience. has pointed OUT weak spot
The Estimates Submitted.
Estimates submitted TO congress plac
the expenditures of the coming year 6
about $50, 900, 900. 1t does not neces
sarily follow, however, tlat actual 60
'nenditures will reach that figure. TT
house committee on appropriations, Is
the opinion that $24,000,OOO.00 600 viii SUI
- flee According to the original budg
the expenditures for war purposes alor
n will be s24, 47s. 2sS s91.77.
THE fourth issue of Liberty bont
would be authorized at 100000 90
which. leaves $4,000, 100000 to be secur,
through other means It is with =
raising of this $4,000. 100000 that the ne
revenue law will be concerned. III
problem confronting those drafting Il
bin is just how to levy equitably upc
the various taxable sources; what pr
portion of the amount is to be take
through excess profits taxes and incon
taxes, and what by luxury, consumptiC
and other taxes At the present tin