Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-10-13
To Remove Tax on
Parcel Post Packages
"Chew" on Gum Levy

WASHINGTON, OCT, I&-Aooptton pS
the Senate Of the Republican COM
promise plan for repeal Of all the
transportation taxes on next jan
uary LIST was completed today with
the acceptance without q dissenting
vote Of an amendment removing the
tax on parcel pest packages. Sena-
tor Reed, Democrat, Missouri, sought
to. extend the repeal to levies on
messages by telegraph. telephone,
cable and radio. but his motion was
voted down. 80 to Is.
Committee amendments to the bill
accepted included those imposing Ii
cense taxes on brokers and others
and manufacturers taxes of two
cents a gallon on cereal beverages.
still drinks and unfermented fruit
juices; seven. and one half cents a
gallon on finished fountain syrups
and five cents a pound on carbonic
acid gas.
Until the chewing gum tax was
reached the Senate made fairly rapid
progress on the bill. But there it,
stuck for nearly two hours, with a
discussion Of chewing gum. tariff and
other subjects. A Republican pro-
posal to repeal the two per cent. tax
on chewing gum was opposed by
Senator Reed, who said the Senate
had voted to retain SIS, 100000 in
taxes upon senders and receivers Of
messages by wire and radio while it
was proposed Ito refund one 18th Of
that amount to Wrigley."
Who made this bargain?" asked
Senator Reed. with reference to the
compromise plan TO knock out the
chewing gum tax. who overturned
the action of the committee? When
was it agreed to? 1t demands an ex-
PLANTATION when a gentleman can es-
cape 81 10000 DIN taxes on something
that is useless and worthless. What
was the influence that reached be-
hind the doors and took the tax off
Mr.. Wrigley""
Senator Watson, Republican, In
diana, said the information before
the finance committee was that fac
tories of the American Chicle COM
pany were closed down and that the
removal the tax had been suggest
ed to get those plants started up
again. He declared that so far as
! the committee knew mfr. Wrigley"
did not care about the tax, that he
never had asked it be removed.
In Senator Reeds address there was
reference to the agricultural bloc, and
Senator Moses. Republican New
Hampshire. wanted to know how many
agriculturists were in that bloc" This
; led later to an address by Senator
Ashurst. Democrat. Arizona. who de-
clared the time had come to quit re-
ferrlng derisively to the agricultural
bloc. He warned that it was COM
posed OF Democratic and Republican
senator's who were determined to get
legislation through the Senate for the
benefit of the farmers and who were
equally as determined that the min
ions of Wall street should not control
tax and tariff legislation.
| After an address by Senator Helm,
| Democrat, Alabama, who told of the
work of the agricultural bloc" and
again attacked the federal reserve
board the excise tax section was
passed over. Those in charge of the
bill explained it would be advisable to
wait until the Senate had passed on
the excess profits repeal and other ma
jor proposals before finishing with
the miscellaneous taxes az II NIGH
be necessary to raise more revenue
from those so1rces than the committee
had contemplated.
Chairman Penrose Of the finance
committee announced today that as
Oon as the peace treaties were dis
posed of he would ask unanimous con-
sent for final vote on the tax bill on
/ October 81.
II look" he said. "for all amend
ments suggested by the finance COM
mittee and those accepted by the ma
jority of Republican members to be a
part of the bill. No amendments
! from the minority or any other sourcs
will have any show.
| The bill doubtless will be improved
, in conference, by which time senti-
ment in both houses will be thoroughly
canvassed and public sentiment doubt
less will be clearly heard throughout
the co,ntryo