Omaha daily bee., 1921-10-06
Chiefs Call
OnHarding
InTaxFight
Groups in Senate Proceed
With Conferences While
Leaders Consult With
Chief Executive.
Minority Report Filed

washington, Oct S.-The tangle
in congress over tax revision legis-
!ation was given the attention OF the
administration today at a succession
OF conferences between President
Harding and senate and house lead
ers. What position the president
may take regarding substitution OF
sales tax for the miscellaneous ex-
cises in the pending bill was net dis
closed, those who saw Mr.. Harding
declaring he was keeping an open
mind on the subject for the present.
Meantime groups in the senate
went forward with conferences on
the whole subject and opponents OF
the pending measure continued their
assaults on it. The democrats on
the finance committee put in their
minority report which declared the
bill neither fulfills the promise OF
the republican party for a simplifi-
cation of tax law and procedure nor
satisfies the demand OF the democrat
ic party for a complete survey OF
existing taxes and their modification
and simpliiication."
LaFollette Joins Demos.
Senator LaFollette OF Wisconsin,
a republican member of the finance
committee, also filed a minority
view, declaring he was in general ac-
cord with the democratic report in
so far as it criticized the proposals
of the majority to reduce the super
taxes upon large individual incomes,
to repeal the excess profits tax and
the capital stock tax, to retain the
transportation taxes and to greatly
aggravatc the existing disparity be-
tween corporation and individual and
partnership taxes
He added, however, that he felt the
recommendations of the minority
would "do little more than palliate
some of the monstrous iniquities OF
this bill, without curing any of its
fundamental evils" |
"There is nothing to be gained
by the forced and inconsiderate en-
actment of the present BILL" said
the minority report. "The bill at
fords no relief to the country. There
will be no reduction effective this
calendar year-nine months after
the advent. to full power, of the party
which promised immediate relief
from oppressive war taxes. Prac-
tically every change in the rates or
repeal of present taxes is postponed
until January l, 1922, and the re-
ductions made after January /, 1922,
are to be accomplished through
promised cuts in expenditures that
may not materialize, with contingent
borrowings in that event as well as
certain borrowings to pay the Sl70.-
100000 estimated to meet savings
stamps and Pittrnan Act redemp-
tions and expenditures.
Rap Republicans. a
"The purpose Of the republican
majority seems to have been CEN
tered upon the exemption of mil
lionaires from the higher surtaxes
and the exemption of corporate in
terests and monopolies from the pay
ment of proper taxes upon inordi-
nate profits. In pursuit of this pur-
pose, the committee has divided the |
income taxpayers of the country into
two classes: Those who have incomes
greater than 100000 year and those
who have incomes less than $4,000
a year.
"There are 1907 miliionaires in
the first class and 5,32l, ,683 people
in the second class. The committee,
in its solicitud fer wealth has
accorded these HOY millionaires
very substantial relief by the repeal
of the higher brackets of the sur
taxes while the 5,32l ,683 ordinary
taxpayers have been given no sub
stantial relief"