The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-03-09
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
SnecInl DnSnatnh In Tho De

by DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Despatch To The Reformer.
Copyright 1921.
WASHINGTON, March 9.-President
Harding has taken counsel with leaders
OF the senate and the house as to
whether the tax bin or the tariff shall
preeede IN the legislative program of
the special session of congress to be
called next month but it will be Warren
harding who VIII have TO make the de-
cisIon
Canvass OF some of the senators and
representatives Who attended the White
mouse DINNER reveals a variety of opin-
IONS as TO reconstruction policy There
are those who believe nothing can be
zone IN the way OF adjusting tariff
schedules until IL is dennIteiv known
now mucn money Will be available
through taxation. or, in other yor0s
until Il tax bill satisfactory To TN, var,
lous interests and classes of people i'm
america dlscloses how much money can
De safely counted upon for government
revenue. Then it is contended, the tar
iii bill can be framed and protection
gwen irrespective OF considerations of
revenue. for obviously there are con-
Germs IN the United States who want a
tarIt1 law written that will not neces-
sarlly give the government revenue out
OF certain schedules but which will give
-AilSI iCdH INDUSTRY q CnanCe to connect
with overseas goods
The question of where the reyenue
VIII be obtained on imports is, more
/ over, tied up with the greater consider
alton OF ievylng taxes on products that
enter INTO the cost of living. If as it
looks now, some OF the items that
would have to be taxed in a tariff bill
would increase some items in the house
holders budget some members OF CON
gress prefer that the money be derived
/ through other methods of taxation
rather than the tariff 1t is much cas-
/ Ter. Tor example, from political point
| OF view TO present Il tax bill that differs
! but little from the revenue measures OF
! the preceding administration than to
impose new tariffs on specific items in
the cost OF living which might enable
/ political opponents to make convincing
! arguments to the masses on the rela-
/ tIonshlp OF the tariff to the cost of liv.
ing. Members of congress had a taste
/ OF this difficulty in try ing to enact the
| Fordney tariff bill when il was admitted
that the measure might increase the cost
OF sugar to the consumer.
| President Harding had a good oppor
tunity to learn how intricate is the
whole problem and how hard it is going
TO be to obtain agreement even among
the legislative leaders of his own party
Mr.. Harding, however, has sought to
bring out the various viewpoints and
be the chief executive who will decide
The experience of every president in do
| ing business with congress Is that a
| large committee such az attended the
| White house dinner will hardly agree
and that the man in whom is vested
the. final responsibility must make the
| decision.
In many respects, Warren Harding is
Iencountering the same problems as con
fronted President Taft in the spring OF
1909 Just before the Aldrich- Payne tar
if law was written. Mr.. Taft consulted
the senate and attempted to bring out
4 national, rather than a sectional re-
suit. He planned only to consult the
senate and drive through a program
much more i'll line with the national in,
terest but the senatorial minds domi-
mated and Mr.. Taft later confessed that
schedule *" was indefensible All
| Washington is watching to see if Presi-
dent Harding in his consultations with
the senate will be influenced to become
a follower or a leader. And the fact Is
knowing the conflicting interests inside
congress. everybody hopes Mr.. Harding
will at the very outset assert his lead
! ershiD.