The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-08-19
REVISING TAXES :. !.
I, - $500 >ts1t, {
!. UNPLEASANT JOB
DEMANDS OF THE GOVERNMENT
MAKE REDUCTION eY CON-
GREss DIFFICULT.
BURDEN is ON REPUBLICANS
Seemingly Unavoidable Expenditures,
Including Huge Sum for Shipping
Board, Will Make Savings BY Cen
eraI Dawes Look Exceedingly Small.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

~
eraI Dawes Look Exceedingly Small.
7 BY EDWARD 3. CLARK. y,
Washington.-The house, Of repre-
sentatives is facing the task of taxa
ton legislation. The members are try
ing to put good face ON the matter,
but, taxation is looking at them with
not altogether pleasing countenance.
Taxation is an ugly customer. Con-
gressmens do not like to deal with it,
and the people do not like to have it
dealt with although they know that
the dealing Herewith is inevitable.
Congress has taken note of what
Chairman Lasker of the shipping board
has said concerning his Forthcoming
request that congress appropriate
$30O,000,OOO to pay the boards ex-
penses for the coming fiscal year. The
chairman's words were: "This may
throw sand on the gears Of taxation
revision, but I cannot help it,"
Every political party when it is in
power looks dismal-eyed at the prob
lem Of tax revision. Fairly definite
promises were made by both parties in
their national conventions that the
taxes Of the nation would be reduced.
It turned out that it is the lot Of the
Republican majority to do it. How is
it going to: be done? .<>
There are those in Washington who
easily can understand why the house
put off tax revision until after it had
finished with the tariff. 1t was simply
a case f~postponing the most disagree.
able and probably the most disappOint4
ing work that was to confront the law
makers during the present session.
Not only the probable request for
$3O0,O00,OOO for the shipping board, but
a dozen other things have been drib-
bling sand into the gears of the tax
revision machinery. Congress has cut
out adjusted compensation legislation
at the request of the President, but in
the earlier researches into what it was
to cost to run the government, the
bonus was given no consideration.
Therefore the relief is not material.
Makes Dawes Savings Look Puny. !:
|. Here is Brig. Gen. Charles G. Dawes
hard at work in the sweltering Wash
ington weather trying to save money
for the country, and yet every day, he
gets news which means that though
he shall accomplish what the boy
called .Herculaneum job, 1.-The results
with dollar sign before them will ap-
pear ,pitifully small when placed side
by side with the enforced expenditures
Of government. General Dawes will
deserve just as much credit as if con-
gress were not compelled to spend it's
>tun, and also it's ton Of good money,
but it probably will be a little bit dis
couraging to:,know that the huge sum
which he probably. will save may ap-
pear like a shriveled shrub alongside
Of a sequoia Of compulsory expendi-
lures. g =
Members OF. the Republican majori-
ty are asking themselves today how
taxes can: be cut with the idemand for
money which is constantly. being heard
through the hole in the cashiers wins
dow. There. IRE expenditures which
can be cut off, but there is day Of
reckoning for the government, just as
there is for the small business man.
The administration through it's selec-
tive commissions and committees like
those Of which Dawes and Walter r.
Brown are the chiefs, has done all that
it can apparently to produce Offsets
against expenditures, but the grim
fact remains that congress must make
provisions, for huge governmental ex-
penses, and that in order to do it
must make provisions for taxation.
Republicans Have Some Hope.
The leaders Of the Republican party
seem to feel, and justly so probably,
that IL they, can make showing of n
reduction Of taxation, relieving the
burdens where they, fall heaviest, not
only on the big fellow but on the little
fellow, they will be- secure in the con-
tinued confidence Of the country. At
the same time they know that taxa
ton and other sources eOf4revenue, if
there be any such, must produce suf-
ficient amount ofSlnoneX tosmeet inafull
the running expenses Of a Big govern.
ment with all kinds of work in hand
and with all kinds of debts to meet.
( Interest in taxation legislation ID
onS hundred times keener than in any
tariff Legislation. An American puts
his hand in his pocket and draws out
cash when the tax collector comes
round. He may lose some cash through
the tariff, but he does not know much
about it. OF course, ALSO he may gain
q little something through the tariff,
but perhaps he knows less about this
than he does about the loss.
The house will put through tax legis-
lation under rule limiting debate.
The senate will talk taxes through the
| twilight and darkness of many days.
If taxation could be talked. to death
| the senate is the body to do it, but it
is in this day an extremely lively, WELL
| - 4 Es,tN x1>s