Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-06
HARDING FACES SPLIT
f. Of c. 0. ?. ON TAXES.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
U.eased Wire Service to The Journal.)
Copyright 1921

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4.-For the
first time since inauguration, Pres
ident Harding is away from the
White House on long trip, and
Washington. today is experiencing
the full effects of the absence of
the executive. The machinery of
government is not slower, there is
no apparent dimunition of energy,
but it is a fact that many things
to decide on his returnaS
Congress is in no happy mood
over it's enforced presence in the
national capital during the so-called
dog days." and to add to it's normal
discomfort, there not only is a tar
if bill to deal with, but an even
more complex piece of legislation
a revenue bill.
Broadly speaking, the differences
of opinion that are cropping up over
the tax program will continue and
already the sharp criticism directed
by Republican members of congress
at Secretary MELONS tax proposals
are making lines of cleavage.
Protests Pouring In
In the end, Mr.. Harding will have
to step in and force through an ad-
program or there will
be no tax bill at all.
The theory that a tax measure
could be passed more rapidly than
the tariff is being disproved. More
individuals are affected by The tax
proposals than by the tariff duties.
Furthermore, the tariff is not as
readily grasped by the layman as
is tax program. The mention of
$40 per year as q tax on automobiles
is quickly understood, whereas
fourth of one per cent duty on some
kind of mineral doesn't excite much
interest.
Already the protests over the tax
proposals made public the other day
are pouring in. This is not unex-
pected. Nobody wants any increase
of taxes on anything and the whole
country would like to see all taxes
removed if possible. The plan to
open up new sources of taxation
meets inevitable opposition from
those who were not previously af-
fected.
Fortunate To Be Away
Congress with its varied represen-
tation and sectional interests i'm
mediately hears from the country.
and the voices of approval never are
as loud as those of disapproval.
Ultimately the executive has to
intervene. President Harding for
tunately is away during the first
tempest. 1t would be to his advan-
tage to stay away until congress
threshed the whole thing out and
either reached an agreement or be-
came so deadlOcked as to require his
aid
Meanwhile, other legislative pro-
IL 4
gress moves slowly in summer time,
anyway, but the clouds that come
with tariff and tax discussion hover
menacipgly over the heads of the
members of both the senate and the
house. The chief desire of most
members is to be reelected, and the
political dangers of both tariff and
tax revision are only now beginning
to be understood, as the wall of COM
plant rises up from the country over
high taxes and poor business condi-
lions.
The Republican party has a big
majority, but nearly every Repub-
lican leader will admit that he ex-
poets losses next time which will
Mr.. Harding, however. needs a big
majority in congress to overcome the
various groups and factions. The
success of his administration will
depend largely on what can be aC-
complished in the last two years and
therefore the executive is as much
concerned that congress does the
right thing as are the members
themselves.
Congress Anxious to Recess
There isn't much petulance mani
fest over the absence of the preSi-
Gent at a time when he himself OPP
posed a recess of congress. On the
other hand, Mr.. Harding doesn't want
to keep congress here continuously.
He has said again and again that
as soon as the tariff bill is passed
by the house and a tax bill framed
in the lower house, a recess would
be desirable. But as Congressman
Mann of Illinois, veteran Republican
leader, said the other day: THE
sooner the house passes a tariff bill,
the worse it will be-" Mr.. Mann be-
lieves that hastily passed legisla
ton is bad legislation, and seems to
think members of both houses would
do better if they went home for a
two or three weeks vacation and
came back to business refreshed and
ready for the long siege ahead.
The late Speaker Champ Clark once
remarked that he believed hereafter
congress would stay in almost con-
tinuous session throughout the year,
and members of congress, like other
folks, want a chance to rest from
their labors. A recess of congress is
likely to be agreed upon within an
other tnight-probably after the
president gets back to Washington.
The departure of the executive on
ten-day vacation has set a precedent
which many members of congress