The daily times., 1921-12-07
THE PRESIDENT IS
NOT SATISFIED IN
THE TAX MEASURE
REMARKABLE ADDRESS
Was an Appeal for the Solid
arity of Political Parties in
America; Harding's Address
is Outgrowth of Executive
Discomfort Which has Been
Brewing.
fBy David Lawrence.
Copyright, 1921, by The Daily

Times
Washington, Dec 6.-PreSident .
Harding's address to Congress is in
many respects one of the most re-
markahle documents ever sent by
the executive to the legislative branch
of the government, remarkable for
the many significant circumstances
which have made necessary an appeal
for the solidarity of political parties
in America as we'll as the plea for
more executive power with the prom
Use that it will be prudently exercised.
Mr. Harding didn't mention the re-
publican party nor did he make re-
ference to the agricultural bloc"
which threatens to become an insur-
gent movement not unlike the ia
nous revolt which led to the Taft
Roosevelt split in 1912. The fact that
the President devoted the very be-
ginning of his address to plea for
party harmony as against sectional
ism is due to the tendency of the
agricultural west and south to unite
as against the manufacturing east :,
underm lining the hold which demo-
cratic as we'll as republican leaders
have hitherto had upon their respec-
tive followers of the same political
party in congress. President Harding
has seen a coalition of democrats and
republicans become . powerful as
to force the republican majority to
accept a tax revision bill for which
Mr. Harding. with characteristic
/ frankness, now says he would be in
sincere if he accepted responsibility
| 1T would suggest insincerity,'
says Mr. Harding, IF | expressed
complete accord with every express
sion recorded in your roll calls, and
a sentence further, the President tells
what is in his mind when he adds:
Later on, when other problems are
SOLVED, l shall make some recommen
dations about renewed consideration
of our tax program"
This is the first public indication
that Mr.. Harding isn't satisfied will
the tax bill which congress passet
land which he signed. There is o
course a renewed discussion of
sales tax as new method OF taxa
ton altogether but Mr.. Harding's ad
dress to congress is the outgrowth
executive discomfort which has beel
known on the inside for severa
weeks and which has just come to
head in his message.
The President feels deeply on tn
isubject of agricultural bloc" an
the way it exerted its Influence
the making of the tax bill and her
is his rebuke:
q believe the political party
spower should assume responsibilit.
determine upon policies in the col
:. ference which supplements CONVEX
), tions and election campaigns, an
then strive for achievement thrOug
adherence to the accepted policy.
This was the doctrine Of -Woot
g. row Wilson, too, except that the la
elected president as the party lead'
and initiator of party policies, vie
which Mr.. Harding also shows sig1
of accepting.
8 The President made it clear tn
he had no desire to encrOach upt
the legislative branch of the cover
ment or ''to dictate" to Congress b
his message contains the followil
requests for more authority and po'
er to the executive than is now pc
s. sessed:
,vi First, the right to negotiate WI
no foreign governments concerning t
g funding of war debts. Mr.. Hardl
nd promises that he will submit t
-2iagreement reached to Congress q
;s- must not be hindered by Congre
Continued on Page Six.)