The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-09-17
REDUCING TAXES FOUND TO BE NO
 SIMPLE MATTER
Republicans Unable to Eli. minate Luxury Taxes As
 Promised.
APPROPRIATIONS
 EXCEED REVENUES
Politics and League of Nations Overshadow Tax
 Measures.

Washington, D. C., Sept 1.-The Republican majority in Congress ap- pears to continue in a state of quies- cent agitation over the question of taxes and revenue.
 The Senate majority is worrying but little for two reasons. One is that Boies Penrose, chairman or the committee on finance, is still busy reforming" Philadelphia, and. in cidentally, fighting for his political life and prestige; and has no time to devote to such trifles as carrying out Republican campaign promises anent reducing the cost of living In his absence none of his party colleagues dare move. The other reason for Senate apathy is the conflict over the League of Nations
 Consequently all the worry is transferred to the heads and should CTS of Representatives Frank w MOndeu, Republican floor leader, and Joseph w. Fordney, chairman Of the ways and means committee who are responsible primarily for such legis- lation in the lower House of Con Eress. where all such bills must have their inception.
 These gentlemen apparently have
 
 can House already has appropriated two billion dollars more than the tax es and other forms of revenue will bring in for the fiscal year.
 Having pledged the people to re- duce or eliminate the so-caned luxury taxes. and being unable to do so, the Republican leaders now find them selves in the position of having to re- tain these taxes and add a few more in order to meet the governmental expenditures they themselves have voted.
 The irony of the situation is made particularly jarring because it was on these luxury taxes that the Republi- cans had planned to play their very best partisan politics. The Demo- cratic House of the last Congress had passed a bill repeating the luxury taxes, it had been reported out by the Senate finance committee, and, by a l gentIemen's agreement, was to be given right of way during the closing days of the session. But when Sena- tor Simmons attempted to secure the floor he found that gentlemen s agreements were of little value when matched against party politics. The bill was lost in the filibuster conduct ed by Senators La Toilette and Sher- man. Republicans, largely because their party leaders decided such a popular bit of legislation as abolish ing the luxury taxes should be re- i served for the special session which | the Republicans would control. In calling this session the President urged the repeal of these bother some taxes, but after three and one half months they are still on the statute books. and the Republican | leaders are unable to figure out the proper method of getting rid of them. So far as the political value of the repeal-when it Comes-is concerned, it will be almost nil, party leaders | agree. because of the inability of the Republican majority to hang to- gether
 The Republican claim of a saving l of a billion and a half dollars in the first six weeks of the special session, was quickly dis5ipated by the Demo- cratic leaders; so much so that it has not been advanced since. The fact remains, as the Republican Congress men regretfully admit, that the only luxury tax they have repealed has been that on ice cream and soda, and their partisan colleagues in the Senate de cline to pass that, so glory is literally | effervescent.