Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-11-18

lHTees uOuFS DeIOEe the vote WAS
taken, the house listened to the read
ing of a letter from President Hard
ing to Chairman Fordney of the ways
and means committee, suggesting that
the house and senate compromise. The
executive said he still believed the orig
inal house rate of 30 per cent was
nearer to a just levy and the more
promising one in returns to the public
treasury" but that in slew of the legis-
lative situation he thought it wholly
desirable" that there be compromise
at 40 per cent.
Falls to Change Result
Immediately after it became known
that the president had written Mr..
Fordney, spokesmen for the in
surgent" Republicans said the letter
would not affect the result.
They had claimed total of 90 Re-
publican votes, or one less than was
cast for the amendment. Among the
majority members supporting the
amendment were Chairman Campbell,
OF the rules committee; Representative
Green, of Iowa, ranking Republican on
the ways and means committee, and
Chairman Haugen, Of the agricultural
committee.
This vote settled the biggest issue
between the house and senate on the
tax revision bill and the managers from
the two houses will resume their their
ing an agreement on the bill by Sat
urday night. If this hope is realized
the measure probably will be sent to
the president before the end of next
week.
The Intervention of the president in
the tax revision fight-the second since
the ways and means committee began
drafting the measure three and half
months ago-followed visit to the
White House early Thursday of Repre-
sentative Mondell, Republican leader
moned Chairman Fordney and Repre-
sentative Longsworth of Ohio, of the
ways and means committee, and ex-
pressed his views on the surtax. These
were supplemented by letter to MIR.
Fordney.
President FIayed
During the three hours debate in the
house, conducted under special rule,
the president was attacked for writing
Mr.. Fordney. Representative Frear,
Wisconsin. said the presidents inter-
fair and unjust" and that he should
have made his views to the senate when ,
the so per cent rate was under con-
sideration there.
Representative Garner, Democrat,
Texas. declared that if the president
had views to submit, he should have
done SO in person or in n message to
the house, rather than in letter to
member Of the body. Representative
Sinnott, Republican, Oregon, declared
that he "grieved because the president
had been given bad advice on this sub
ject"
Supporting the presidents. stand,
Renresentative Mondell and other Re-
nublican spokesmen said the Repub-
iican party had promised to reduce
taxes and that the 80 per cent rate |
should not be approved by the house. !
The letter written BY President
Harding to Chairman Fordney fol-
sMy Dear Mr.. Fordney:
"In response to your inquiry as 70 |
rho wisest course in dealing with the |
difference between the two houses Of |
congress in the matter Of higher surtax |
on incomes, / can say only that in |
view of our earlier conference on tax |
matters and the. ultimate adoption of |
the higher surtax rate OF ~ per cent, |
I still believe the rate approved by |
fhe house to be the nearer to just |
ieyy and the more promising one in re-
f,irns to the public treasury.
Should Keep Faith
"The responsible administration is
anxious. first of all, to lay the neces-
sary taxes to meet the demands of the
treasury. There is a moral obligation,
however, in the party in power to do
every thing possible. to keep faith with
promises made to the public.
I'VE have been collecting the high
est surtax on income levied at this time
in all the world. The effect has been
the restriction Of the easy flow of cap
ital in the channels most essential to
our normal and very necessary activ-
tiles. No one challenges the right Of
the government to tax in the stress of !
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