The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-08-17
MoreChanges
In Tax Bill
Premature to Accept De-
tails Of Present Measure
In the House As Final.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
t'opyr sh; ty The lntelhgencss9

Washington. August le.-THe ad'n'H-
istratIon IAN bill as approved BY the
Republican caucus a tho House will
undergo still further change before It
Is HraUy enacted. D;sconcertlng as II
may &c - Observing business men TO
read ono day mat certain taAes are re-
pealed or'y 70 ind them r"jnposed the
next day Congress is merely evolving
revenue measure ~ ;he usual way. To
understand the changes that har" been
made and VIII De made me following
steps must De borne in mind.
tIrs, Secretary Mellon proposes TO
President harding the basis OF new
revenue measure.
Second. criticism from the country a:
large produces a nrst change ard tres-
dent Harding calls a conferences OF ke-
publican leaders In Congress and TO-
r-ther with Mr.. Mellon n revised pro
gram - approved.
Third the Republican membership or
tho House IN conference or caucus
makes further changes and prepares 70
submit the new bill to the House
through the ways and means commit
toe That's tho status today.
Fourth. further criticism from the
country will influence Republican lead
prs 10 agree 20 more changes either In
the WAYS and means committee or on
he Fo0r Of the House before the bill
is PASSED which ought 70 be this week
or the FIRST part os next week.
Fifth, the bill is taken In hand by tho
senate finance committee which Is
fully expected 20 rewri'e the whole
measure and put Il into Share. eaianc-
ing revenues and reductions more syS-
-emntically than can possibly b. done
In the House. When the Senate finance
committee gets through. better idea
~ what taxes eventually will be- can
be obtained.
Changes In Senate
sixth. more changes are made during
Tho Senate debate after the finance COM
m!ttes has reported the bill. These
amendments may or may not stay Ia
the measure finally. 1t all depends up
on tho ultimate attitude of the House.
Seventh. when the Senate has passed
the bill It Is then placed before con-
ference committee representing the
House and Senate where the real iegte-
latinx Is done. Then the disa gresments
between the two houses are ironed out
and as rule the House and Senate
both acSpt the decision OF tho confer
ence committee ana the measure Is
ready for signature. OF course prest-
hefS- can veto Il ana send II hack for
further changes but snce President
Harding and the majority in Congress-
arc OF tho same political faith tho
measure Is certain TO receive executive
approval
Through these seven steps the tax
payers OF the country must wait before
.hsy car pass Judgment on the tax bill.
The details being published from day
10 dav merely show tho trend ot opinion
N Congress. Even Democrats admit
hat the changes thus far made are inn
r-ovements ard they expect ths bill
w'1i &c changed for the better when Il
reaches the Senate.
The House NsaSurS
Just now tbs House Is hurrying to
pet through with the tax bill and when
Il Is realized tia, the Senate win cor
rect any errors made, the Job Is neces-
.artlY done without horoughness. Tho
real revrnue bill will como out OF tho
Senate because Republican leadershi p
here IS moro experienced with tax bills
han is the House. But the federal con-
stituticn requires that revenus meas
rres must originate IN the House 50
therefore the process starts there with
general recognition on every side that
The Senate will eventually do the Job.
The tax bill in tts present shape
hat IS as passed hy the Hou<e--tS moro
likely 10 be a political tax bill rather
than business measure. The House
membership Is mostly new and Is re-
sponslve to waves OF protest from vir-
tually every quarter Sometimes cla NOR
- mistaken for sound Judgment. Tho
senate however. has dealt with these
'hings before and being 4 smaller body
with only one-:hird OF It's membership
up for reelection year hence more
responsibility can BE- taken there than
II the House IN the making OF a bill
'rA: rray uot be entirely pala tab" from
I political viewpoint but economically
justified.
Eopuhnrar leaders In the Senate ad-
rr'' 'hes mus. make a business mans
tax hlN rather than a political measure.
Tn"v tHsjs, th1' tre average man who
,r'"s on. - th~ rcpeal % the excess
0ro6's t,N t->rausc ot it's alleged favor
'rST for the. wealthy r"a.,y loses sight
~ the fac, that big BUSINESS concerns
~ - beer laying oT rTr TrioycS and dim
finishing fhNrr operations because or a
a. = ir'eN'ive ard Nat when taxes
40 r"adjuS.rd p business revival vii
-o0,N which vii rrn~dIate,v benefit the
. avo-aS 80 mar - 9-tns'HS rim mp-s work
l~d poSS,h', better -e'Ur1s
l. - therc'orr ?-nn'.>,Yre - accent as
fnal ths details 81 rhr tax h,ll being
reported from day 70 Gav. The cvolu-
ton of tax hi = necessarily Y gradual
ard only three steps out OF seven have