The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-10-13
AGRICULTURAL
BLOC DICTATES
TAX REVISION
Democrats VIII Vote
As Unit for All
Amendments.
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright. 1921
Especial to The Argus.l

Washington, Oct 1S.-The agri-
cultural bloc in the Republican
party which calls itself the pro
gressiEe" group has been strength
ened instead of weakened by the
Overtures made to them by con-
servative senators in the last few
days. They are openly saying the
new tax bill will not be a compro-
mise but practically as they die
tate it.
The Democrats have determined
to vote practically as a unit in sup
port of the appointments proposed
by the agricultural bloc. This
means that the tax bill as finally
put up for a vote will be a radical
ly different bill from that which
President Harding and Secretary
Mellon originally proposed. While
the Democratic strength will be
, sufficient to change the character
of the bill. the minority will by no
means vote for the measure as a
whole. The bill will receive sew
eral Democratic votes and will be
! put through mostly by Republican
votes.
Revised Bill or None.
! Thus the Republican leaders face
the prospect of having to vote for
bill which they do not themselves
like and which does not follow the
| original desires of the administra-
ton. It's this tax bill or none,
| however. and the measure has to
! be put through during this session
| or else Republican prospecs s for
the congressional elections next
year will be dimmed It's curiously
analogous to the situation which
I developed over the Versailles
treaty. The Republicans had
enough votes to include a series OF
reservations in the ratifying reso-
| luton. These reservations were sc
Objectionable to the Democrats that
they declined to give their votes tc
make the necessary two-thirds tC
insure ratification.
In the tax controversy, the fina
bill as it passes the senate will re
ally not represent the will of a ma
ljority of the senate at all. Fol
when the Democrats vote fol
amendments in support of the ag
ricultural Republicans they will 81
framing measure which as {
whole they oppose. Whether thu
Democrats actually find it neces
sary. TO vote with the progressive
Republicans OF whether the con
servative Republicans accept tht
amendments of the progressive
group doesn't change the situation
much. In the end, the senate viii
bring out a hybrid measure.
Repub. Leaders MiSpIay.
There is considerable doubt il
the minds of observers here wheth
er the Republican leaders havi
played their cards well. Fearing
the power of the agricultural bloc
they promptly deviated from The
original Harding Mellon program
as it passed the house Had they
forced the agricultural Republi
cans into an open coalition will
the Democrats, the detection nigh
not have been so great as wa:
claimed to be the case Party reg
ularity is a much more serious mat
ter for most of the agricultural
bloc than they are willing to ad
nit. The prOgressiVeS now, how
ever, have achieved a victory with
out the necessity of joining tht
Democrats. OF course on the in
side the administration leaders
still have hopes OF changing the
senate bill in conference by boil
stering up the house leaders il
such a way that they will not yielt
to the senate. Little by little it i:
expected that the senate will re
!. cede. That's why the White hOus,
signs OF worry. 1t really mean
that the Republican majority in tn
house which is being splendidi
handled by Mr. Mondell will saw
President Harding from the Repub
Ecan senate which instead of a.
i advantage to Mr.. Harding. as wa
confidently predicted during tn
campaign, has become a milestone