The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-06-14

(From the American Economist)
In special dispatch to the New
York Journal of Commerce and Com
mercial Bulletin, published in it's issue
of June A, very interesting disclosures
regarding the attitude of leading
Republican Representative in Con-
gress, in respect to increased revenue
through the Tariff, were made. Rep
resentative Fordney has been so COM
PLEASANT and tractable in dealing with
his Democratic colleagues that now
he takes firm stand in behalf of in
creased Tariff revenue they are dis
concerted and angry. His position as
ranking Republican member of the
House Ways and Means Committee
makes his stand all the more formid-
able. Here is the Journal of Com
merce's Washington dispatch:
Washington, June (Special)-
Representative Fordney, the ranking
Republican member of the Ways and
Means Committee, today broke with
the majority and insisted that if addi-
tional revenues are to be raised by the
Tariff duties. The speech caused some
apprehension in Administration ranks,
inasmuch as it had been expected that
Mr.. Fordney could be counted upon
to assist the Government in putting
through the big war revenue pro-
gramme. 1t was due to Mr.. Fordney's
assistance last year that the war tax
4, fn1 haf
casion an agreement was effected be-
tween the Democrats and Republicans
not to interfere with existing Tariff
duties.
The Tariff an Issue
This agreement, it appears, does
not hold now, and a further revenue
law threatens to break the House open
and bring in again the Tariff issue.
Mr.. Fordney made but brief remarks
to the House today, although he was
loaded down with figures and Stats
tics. Many of his exhibits he had col
lected from officials abroad, and it ap-
peared at various points in his speech
that he has been combing our execu-
tive departments for information.
His arguments were especially telling
in that he was able to show that Eng
land has adopted import taxes as a
war revenue, and this in spite of the
fact that England has been a Free
Trade country.
Democrats Muddled
al do not agree with some of my
colleagues" said Mr.. Fordney, Gas to
the proportion Of our expenditures
that we must raise by taxes. 1t has
been repeatedly stated by the Admin
istration and by the Secretary of the
Treasury to me only a few days ago,
that we are not raising by taxes in
proportion to our expenditures the
amount of money raised by Great
Britain. In that the Secretary is in
error.
What Britain Raises by Taxes
81 am in receipt Of letter address,
ed to me by our American Ambassador
at London, England, dated April rs,
which I have here in my possession.
He gives the amount of money spent
in Great Britain since the beginning
Of the war. He gives the amount rails
ed by direct taxation, and gives it in
great detail and the amount of bor-
rowed money. In order to be brief,
let me say that up to the end of this
fiscal year 1917 and 1918, Great Brit
ain since the beginning of the war
has raised &c, 454 ,034 900, or $31, 4O8,-
$4,000. OF that sum there has been
raised in Great Britain by taxes ST.
871 200, 900, or 25.6 per cent. That
is in round numbers 20 per cent of all
expenditures in Grain Britain from
the beginning Of the war until June
80, 1915"
From the figures furnished by our
Ambassador, Mr.. Fordney estimated
that England raised about 20 per cent
last year because her taxes were rails
ed all along the line. Canada, he said,
is raising 1876 per cent by taxes;
France, IL per cent, and Italy, 9 per
cent.
Our Colossal 1918 Expenditures
"Now the Secretary of the Treas
ury stated to me one week ago." con-
tinued Mr.. Fordney, chat he expect