The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-06-21
SEMI-LUXURY TAX
HAS No FRIENDS
HOUSE WAS AND MEANS COM-
MITTEE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY
FOR ITS REPEAL.
BOTH PARTIES SEEK RELIEF
Huge Sum Must De Raised by Vari-
Gus Methods, but Congress Intends
to Make the Burden as Light as
Possible
BY EDWARD 9. CLARK.

BY EDWARD 9. CLARK.
WaShingtun.-Fo~ once i'm "A lifetime
the house committee" uu ways and
means has been unanimous on Il prupO-
Siti"n. There was mo- partnership. 10
the rem"te>j degree of kinShip. in rhe
vote ON the report calling for the re-
peal Of the So-c;rlIed >emi-luXury taxes
in the war revenue bill. Cnanimiry
had il a. Republican and Democratic
members If rhe committee vOciferOuSly
voted aye"
II is the rareSr kind Of thing TO
secure Immunity in voting i'm a house
committee. let alone securing il in the
house itself. Patriotic Americans re-
member with chagrin and shame that
even the war resolutions received
some adverse votes. east ny men who
did not think the rights Of their cOun-
try were worth upholdn:. BY way Of
diversion il may be said that some Of
these unpatriotic voters still hold office
in congress.
1t seems probable that unanimity in
voting will break records during the
present session of congress. Both
parties seem determined "a get rid Of
certain forms Of taxation which wOgh
heavily on the purse Of the individuals
OF course il may be necessary to di-
vert the taxes so that they may he
raised by other methods. but with the
rapidly decreasing expenses Of gov
eminent it appears To he likely that
many levieS now can he eliminated and
no requirements made
Much Revenue Must Be Raised.
The United States government has
big war debt. Congress is now study
ing out ways and means of financing
II. 1t is probable that shortly an at
tempt will BE- made To put in several
detinitive measures, one of which may
be adequate when enacted into law
10 meet the financial situation. The
leaders of the house are studying va
riOuS plans, some of them of Repub-
lican and some Of them of Democratic
origin. In questions Of finance MEM
bers Of a majority party in congress
are not avprSe To consulting members
of the minority. for good financial
heads in the United States admittedly
are 50 few that no chance 10 get a So
luton Of monetary problem Is LET
slip.
II was not many years ago that in
terms purpOSely exaggerated a member
of congress, Sneering at the opposition
party. said that unless they took care
they would make billion dollar con-
gress of It. That remark was taken
as the height of eXaggeratiOn and Of
absurdity, but not many years went by
before the country not only had bill
lion dollar congresses, but billion dol
lar sessions. and this was in the days
OF peace.
Just how long il is going To take 10
pay off the national debt no one, of
course can determine The best that
the legislators can do is 70 guess nj il.
II has been said that perhaps it can
be reduced ut the rate of a billion dol.
lars n year. but this 70 most of the
legislators apparently seems impOSsi-
BILE. unless the intention is To levy high
or taxes thHn perhaps is iustifiabIe.
The United States owes about S30.0OO,-
100000
Within n few days ii has been eSti-
mated that 1t may he possible to keep
the actual expenses of the United
States government ar figure little
below $1,000. 100000 a year. II this
can he done it may be-, legislators
think. that the debt incurred by the
war can be paid off at a billion dol
lar rate annually. but II is admitted
that rhe governments expenses are
likely to run higher than the esti-
mate.
Congressman Not Lazy
Whatever else may he said by the
tiippant. the caustic and the critical
generally about members of congress.
no man rightly can charge the individ- !
uals of that body with laziness. OF
course there is an occasional lazy man
in congress. as there Is in every other |
vocation in life, but If congressman
wants To keep his seat he has to work |
Americans who think of their con-
gresSmen as men who come To Wash |
ingtOn to sit in the senate or the house !
for four or five hours each day discuss |
ing carefully the affairs of state. then |
tn 30 home tn the family firpside 10 |
dine. thence t. the thenter. and thence |
TO bed for rOseate dreams. have not J
vtsualized the situation with a frac- /
tional part of correctness.
The smallest part of the work which .
Il national legislator does is performed .
on the floor of the house To which he /
happens Ia belong. The solid truth is
that large part Of the actual business
Of the house and senate is carried on
IN the absence Of Cuarums. Leaders
Of moth NarrieS ar" left on guard. and
If anvth'n" : going To break members
tnSr"nt'y arc Summoned Ia thoir tasks
nf duty: bur NOR" thin onp-haIf of tho
time ~" m''Hhcrs of the two houses
are in Their "i'.ce rooms working either
in behalf Of their local constituents or
~ behalf of measures intended tn af-
focr The entire constituent body of the
United States.
Live Member Has Lots to Do.
The day ii a member of the house
who halls from a live uD-tO-dare dis 3