New-York tribune., 1919-02-12
Chairman Simmons Esti-
mates ''Relief'' Features
Mean Half-Billion Loss
Finds Much Opposition
High Takers Say Public Has
Been Deceived Into Belief
Profteers Are Hard Hit
BY Theodore M. Knappen
Netc York Tribune
Washington Bureau

4
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON. Feb. lit is prac-
.;csIly imposs bic to estimate what the
revenues will be under the pending
revenue bill, according to the state
ment of Senator Simmons in the Sen
ate to-day so generous and broad are
the relief and amcliorative features.
This statement was made by the
chairman of the Finance Committee in
defending the bin against those critics
who have carried on campaign to de-
feat it and let the present revenue law
stand. He thought that these features
Of the bill had reduced the revenues
bv at least s50O000, 900 and that in
many eases the taxes paid under the
higher rates of the present bill will be
less than under the lower rates Of the
present law.
Senator Simmons's admission caused
much surprise and raised the question
Of whether, after all the advertising
the bill has had of one of high rates
and great amounts. it is not a rather
modest measure. This view is held by
Senator Smoot, who admonished the
Senate last Friday that on account of
its relief features the bill would not
raise more than $1,000 100000 in 1919
and only s325000O.0OO in 1920.
According to the view of the radical
high takers in the Senate, the country
has been deceived by means of high
nominal rates into believing that the
bill is the bane of protiteers, whereas
the "relief' measures are the real in
dicators of the degree Of actual taxa
ton.
Poll Uncovers Opposition
The one other feature of the tedious
session on the revenue bill, which will
not be disposed of until tomorrow, if
then, was Senator Simmons's elaborate
and labored explanation of how the
conferrees managed to get rid of the
campaign contributions amendment
which was proposed by the Senate and
accepted by the House subject to
change that only made it more accept
able to the Senate.
The gist of the Senator's apology
was that he had caused polls of the
Senate to be made and thereby ascer-
tanned that the opposition of Senators
IN some cases was so strong as to
threaten the defeat of the revenue bill
II the conferrees brought it back to the
Senate with the Senaue's own amend
ment IN It, though slightly improved.
Moreover, majority of the House con-
ierrees were strongly opposed to the
amendment even though q House ref
erendum revealed the House as
strongly in favor of its substance.
senator Thomas. of Colorado. author
oil the amendment, said that the amend
ment was cut off the bill because all
'ne hVe Senate members of the confer
elee were against 1t, because the chair
man OF the Republican National Com
mittee was against it and because the
democratic leaders of the Senate were
against 1t, though the Senate had voted
lot II by decisive majority.
Says Senate Had Best of 1t
Senator Penrose declared with all
possible. solemnity that the conferres
nao refused 70 yield to the House
paopuS-llon that the bill be made pros
Eve S and not retroactive because they
uIa NOT wish to mar the symmetry Of
'He WORK Of the Senator from Colorado.
,nas. aenator thomas replied that the re-
~. u 'ne Senator from Pennsylvania
~. ,ne symmetry of form as com
sSa.u WIN symmetry Of substance was
o..a' ,oa" Aaoie. "hereupon Senator Pen
sbss bs ssgaih insisted without smile
ID .He eohlerrees We're solely actuat-
Tbona.e uesiFe 10 maintain Senator
changes. ~ u''"'sfreo Dy any
'enator Simmons maintained that
" " me me whol e the Senate had the best ~
,.o .ne conference wrest!e, having a
rrsas. ie VI 4l' unmodified items to its
h.. Sus as against Is for the House
~. ne admitted that the Senate had
,sS :, oea'en decisively on insurance
/ ho-u '"c estate tax and that the stub
ssrra s-m ihslstence Of the House CON
lsss - mat there would be no bill un-
wsTo iaf. ,ns second class postage rates
a = 'eI' alone, which almost amount
vio.o ~ coercion, had given the House
great ra,, y" mat point to the very
~ regret of the Senate.
,osrnator Penrose corroborafed Seno
srs 'tfninons's statement on this no;nt
;, -o senator Smoot verbally pointed
nh. Nl. hitchin as the imperious mar
s "''hout naming him.
ro'nis to Importance of "ReJief~
lin lpIsSloes L touching on the rates of the
,as,, ie &c ana there and explaining
1rss, SSA SiiHmOns SAID that the
stors message he wanted to get to SEN
sr,,s 70 business men and TO the conn-
S,s. a. sarge was that the relief meas
80, sS Of the bill, such az inventories.
sssss,lns,sEages, net losses. amort;zat;or, 'e'
si1 i11No.escence oace and depletion Of plants
/ t;snsa sno gas wells, natural depogits and
lss s. together with the general re-
seyns1 Ten MEASURE giving the collector Of in
Ia, ei 81. revenue vide discretion in deal
o,s,0 BE WIN particular cases. we're Of su-
ese Importance.
4 ,sSs ~ ,eheetiye would these provisions bo
I4a Iss 70 be that in most cases. inclnd-
s,ss. s .ne application Of war and excess
isst ist.a :, taxes. business men would find
ssr va soey had no greater relative bur-
sns ~ pear than under the prtaent law.
sqp;;t. moreover, with the burdens
''zely distributed. - N''''
n, Calls Rates Lower
sasetsd assh people came to apply the bill
n;rssIa. n;sa INTO Law and found how ad.
linz W ~ was adapted to the present
s.js., js o. ~ falling prices and shrinb,ne t,Sf
fs,ssss ,ney would appreciate with whaf
'ugnt and with what desire 70 do