The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1921-08-26
WASHINGTON NEWS LETTER

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With the passage Of the tax bill
Congress is expected to recess. pro-
ably from the oath Of this month
to the same date next month. The
two all important measures Of the
session, the tariff and the tax bills,
have passed the House and the
halfway mark has been reached in
the program cut out by admins
tration leaders for the present spe-
cial session. The tariff bill has been
before the Senate Committee on FL
nance for some time and the same
committee will also have the hand
ling of the tax bill. Since the hear
ings to be held by the Finance Com
mittee will necessarily consume
considerable time the recess will be
taken at this time in order to allow
the members of the committee to
devote their full time to committee
work.
It has been the plan Of. senatorial
leaders to give the tax bill prece-
dence over the tariff act and this
course will probably be followed.
The Young farmers tariff will not
expire by limitation until November
9th, and the session will be resum-
ed in plenty of time to grant an ex-
tension to the emergency act in
case the permanent bill has not
been enacted by that date. Con-
gressman Young has already intro
duced a resolution extending the
time limit and it is understood that
this move will meet with the ap-
proval of the majority of the Re-
publican members.
Western congressman have been
working well together this session
and are in a position to work very
effectively for their constituencies.
So in the event that the Fordney
bill meets with the delay that is
now expected the western growers
will be well taken care of by the
extension of the emergency act.
North Dakota Representatives
had a prominent part in the work
of framing the tax bill and with
Senator McCumber member of
the Finance Committee the state
can continue to hope to obtain the
best possible breaks in an act that
is combination of compromises
and of such nature as to effect
the pocket book of every taxpayer
in the land.
George M. Young, as a member
of the Ways and Means Committee,
has worked on the bill throughout
and the amendment adopted by the
committee increasing the exemp-
ton allowed for each dependent
from two hundred to four hundred
dollars was one of those proposed
by him.
While party conference proceed
ings are not made public in much
detail it is understood that Repre-
sentative Burtness took a leading
part in the fight on the bill in the
caucus that led to certain remedial
changes of much Importance. Wes-
tern members Of the committee like
Young, North Dakota, Frear, Wis
consin, and Green, Iowa, were said
to have favored the changes as
made in the conference.
Many men in Congress feel that
the tax bill will not be an overly
popular measure. Legislation that
takes money away from people is
not likely to meet with any over
whelming approval. The cry from
all sides has been to reduce taxa
ton. But that has not been an
easy thing to do. Expenditures
are being reduced slowly but the
effects of the reduction have not yet
become 80 apparent as to sanction
very general leveling Of revenue.
Then, too, the war debt must be
considered, and this same debt will
continue to be factor for many
years to come. As one congress-
man aptly phrased it during the
House debate: 'The American peo-
pie can not sidestep our war obliga-
tions for many years. The only
men who have settled their account
are sleeping on the battle fields Of
France"
In speaking Of 1the bill Congress-
man Burtness said:
"On the whole. think the tax
bill will be well received by the