Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-10-21
Worst Measure Ever Presented

Worst Measure Ever Presented
Q ENATOR UNDERWOOD'S charactcrizar
~ ton of the pending tax revision bill
with which the Senate is now struggling
as the worst measure ever presented to Con-
gress lends additional weight to the public
impression of the unsound structure upon
which the whole thing has been erected
The House trainers OF the bill seemed to
nave had no sound conception of just prin-
cples Of taxation, and its consideration by
the membership as whole disclosed no
Moses to lead them out OF the wilder
ness of confusion into which they found
themselves severally and collectively
plunged. After weeks of consideration, the
Senate finds itself in similar condition OF
confusion, and the effort of the majority
party to unite under single leadership so
FAR has been in vain. AS result very
little progress is being made in eXpediting
the measure to final passage. In the mean
time. the business of the country continues
handicapped through uncertainty as to the
size of the tax burdens it must carry in flu
ture
In his carefully prepared attack on the
pending bill, which was marked by judicial
and temperate utterance but with clear-cut
logical analysis Senator Underwood as
serted that the bill is not satisfactory to
any member Of the House or Senate. and
so far as 1t can be ascertained it is not
satisfactory to any interest or individual
outside the two legislative bodies lndi-
eating the cause for the existing confusion
in the consideration of the bill the Senator
pointed out that it is not product of Con-
gress, but rather product of the Treasury
Department and is complicated that IL
passed as now drawn, nobody will know
now it is to apply and what its levies are
until millions of dollars have been expended
by taxpayers in litigation that must go
eventually before the United States Supreme
Court.
Charging the Republicans with failure
to be candid with the American people the
Democratic leader said they were trying to
have it go out that taxes were to be reduced,
when, as matter Of fact, they would be
increased through the operation of the adj
ministrative provisions OF the revenue
measure and the proposed American valua-
ton plan in the tariff bill. Take the adj
ministrative features OF this bill. more
than 100 of them" he said land almost
every line is changed by amendments.
nave not found man on this committee
or man in the Senate who can tell me
what all the clauses OF this bill mean'
When it is reflected that the best legal
talent in the country has been put to its
Wits end for more than three years in the
EFFORT 10 interpret the complications OF the
eNlsting tax laws, one can readily apprc-
ciate the force OF Senator Underwood's at
tack exposing features in the pending bill,
which, II accepted, will add to, rather than
dimihish, the confusion over tax collections.
How can the people in power" remarked
the Senator, expect q vote on this side
oil the chamber in favor of this tax bill
when you have it loaded with administrative
changes some of which we find are nothing
but concealed gun for the purpose of i'm
posing additional taxes on the American
people,"
the effect Of the minority leaders attack
on the bill, it is believed will be to array
almost the solid Democratic clement of the
senate against the proposed Legislation, be-
sides strengthen opposition T. il On The part
OF several Republican Senator's and give
them an advantage for demanding further
compromises to accord with their views OF
taxation acceptable to their constituencies