The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-03-20
new SECRETARY
HAS DIFFICULTY
Congress Cold Toward Agri-
culture Appropriation
Schedule.
FACES NEW TAX PUZZLE
(BY DAVID LAWRENCE.)

| Washington, March 20-(Copy-
righted for The Chattanooga News.)
Edward, 4. Meredith, editor, adver-
Using man, promoter OF large enter
prises-in a word a successful bust
! ness man-has just had the enthu-
siasm with which he ok hold of the
department of agriculture blanketed
with the cold hand of congress.
Mr.. Meredith, who halls from Des
Moines, Ia, and that part of the
United States where candor is re-
ligion, thought that all he had to do
in dealing with congress was to tell
the members of the senate and house
exactly what sums of money were
actually needed to carry on the ex-
tensive work of the department of
agriculture and that the interests of
the farmer would be sufficient to
stimulate members of congress, r-
respective Of politics.
Estimates SIashed.
But the house slashed the estimates
of the department of agriculture and
while the senate committee undid
some of the damage by raising the
appropriations somewhat, the secre-
tary feels that the net reduction is
a severe blow to the agricultural in
terests of the country. He Is new
on the job, intensely interested in
managing the department of agricul-
ture on businesslike basis and Is,
therefore, disappointed.
Here are some of the things which
he regretfully admits must now be
discontinued unless the senate itself
corrects the work of its agricultural
committee:
There must be a big cut in the
markets service, one OF the most
active, most appreciated by growers
and shippers.
Dairy Investigations, consisting of
valuable aid being given the dairy
interests of the country in working
out better methods of preparing and
utilizing dairy products and the de-
velopment of American manufacture
of Roquefort and Swiss cheese must
be curtailed.
Cereals Plans Hit.
Appropriations for the investiga-
ton of cereals have been reduced.
They relate to the development of
improved varieties of cereals through
breeding and selection looking to the
working out of practical methods for
control of important cereal disease.
Haro TURN OF Luck
Washington, March 20.--Taxation
may not be as Ineligible to the aver.
age man as the stories OF extraVagant
expenditure and Incompetence during
the war. which has heaped up big
debt but the republican majority i'm
congress is face to face with the most
troublesome turn of luck that ever hit |
n political party in a campaign year. |
for the decision of the supreme court |
of the United States on stock dividends |
not only has subtracted from the rev.
enue that had been expected. but, un- |
less remedied by act of congress, hun |
dreds of millions of dollars win be lost |
and the eagerly looked for day when |
taxes can be reduced will have been |
postponed.
The ways and means committee
knows it-repubcans as well as demo- |
Gratis The long and highly technical |
letter from Secretary Houston OF the |
treasury department, elected by con-
gress suggests several remedies, none |
of which is particularly palatable to the |
group of taxpayers who would he af-
fected by amendments to the present |
law.
Soil Surveys Killed.
The fund for soil surveys has been |
stricken from the bill.
Funds for the bureau Of entomology |
for combating insect pests which have |
caused enormous losses every year |
have been curtRiled.|
Meredith's Views.
Secretary Meredith insists that all |