The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-08-19
DEMOCRATS OPPOSE
LOWER TAX BILL
FAULT FOUND WITH MEASURE
DESIGNED TO TAKE BUR-
DENS FROM RICH TO PLACE
ON PEOPLE OF SMALLER
MEANS. :;

| Washington, Aug. 18.-Democratic
members Of the house at a caucus
tonight pledged themselves to vote
against the Republican tax revision
bill, and adopted resolution declar.
ing that the measure was "subver.
sive of the principle that should gov.
ern taxation for the support Of this
government"
| The decision was reached at the
fourth meeting which had been held
since yesterday in an effort to chart
a. course for the minority. The eau
GUS also instructed the Democratic
members of the ways and means
committee to offer a motion to re-
commit the bill Immediately before
the final vote scheduled for 8 p. m.
Saturday. 49,.
The resolution charged that the
bill relieves profteers and taxpay-
ers of large incomes from their. just
share Of the load of taxation and
leaves an unfair portion of the bur-
den to be borne by the people Of
moderate means.
O.. 1T Violates" the resolution con-
tinued, 'the promise of all parties
to reform and revise the system of
taxation so that all citizens and cor
porations shall bear a just portion
of the tax load" .-
The Republican defense of and the
Democratic assault on the new tax
bill got under way today in the
house of representatives. Discussion
however, was not confined to the bill
itself, ranging all the way from the
number of cooks President Wilson,
took to Paris to the question of
social justice. :
Chairman Fordney of the ways
and means committee, in charge of
the measure, opened the four-hours
debate after the house had adopted
on a strict party vote, 223 to 115, a
rule providing for a final vote at 8
p. m. Saturday. Most of his speech
of an hour as he said in closing, was
"a little about the Democratic party"
Reviewing what he described as
extravaganza under the last admin
istration. Mr.. Fordney charged that
President Wilson had taken over the
railroads "for political purposes only
and had placed in charge of them
"his son7in-law, McAdoo, whom he
was grooming for the presidency"
Asked from the Democratic side
why he eNhad voted for the bill author
izing federal control of the carriers
the speaker said:
81 voted to put the president in a
hole and we did it."
Later Mr.. Fordney said he had
made his statement about taking
over the railroads jokingly, but this
declaration was greeted with jeers
from the Democrats.
The committee chairman went into
details about shipping board opera
tions and war purchases as well as
operation of the railroads and the
telephone lines and declared that
now the Republican administration
had to '.go to the country and ask
for money to pay for these extrava-
gances." He then gave some figures
about the number Of people Presi-
dent Wilson carried with him to
Paris and the money spent while
there, adding:
"The fiddler wants his pay now;
we. danced them"
Turning to the bill itself, the chair
man discussed briefly the changes
in tax levies proposed and declared
the committee had made an honest
effort to reduce taxes and believed it
had given to the house 'Sas equi-
table measure 'asiwas possible un-
der the circumstances. ~ Mr.. Ford.