The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-03-09
TAX OR TARIFF
PRECEDENCEUP
TO PRESIDENT
Harding Must Decide
Priority Of Meas
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
: Especial to The Argus,)


Washington. March s.-President'
Harding has taken counsel with
leaders Of the senate and the house
ss to whether the tax bill or the
tariff shall precede in the legisla-
tive program OF the special session
OF congress to be convened next
month, but it will be Warren Hard
ing who will have to make the de-
cisi0n.
Canvass today of some of the
senators and representatives who
attended the White house dinner
reveals q variety Of opinions as to
q reconstruction policy. There are
those who believe nothing can be
done In the way Of adjusting tariff
schedules until 1t is definitely
known how much money will be
available through taxation, or, in
other words, until q tax bill salts
factory to the various interests and
classes of people in America dis
closes how much money can be
safely counted upon for govern
ment revenue. Then, 1t is contend
ed, the tariff bill can be framed
and protection given irrespective OF
considerations OF revenue. For OBJ
viously there are concerns in the
United States who want a tariff
law written that will not necessar-
lily give the government revenue
out Of certain schedules, but which
will give American industry q
chance to compete with overseas
goods.
Question Tied Up.
The question Of where the rev.
enue will be obtained on imports
is moreover tied up with the great.
er consideration Of levying taxes
on products that enter into the cost
OF living. II, as it looks now, some
OF the items that would have to be
taxed in q tariff bill would increase
some item in the householder
budget, some members of congress
prefer that the money be derived
through other methods Of taxation
rather than the tariff.
It Is much easier, for example
from = political point Of view. te
present Z tax bin that diners but
little from the. revenne measurei
Of the preceding administration
than to impose new tariffs ON spe
cific items in the cost Of living
which might enable political op
ponents to make convincing argu
ments to the masses on the rela
tionship Of the tariff to the cost o
/, living. Members of congress hat
a taste OF this difficulty in trying
to enact the Fordney tariff bill
when 1t was admitted that tn
measure might increase the cost o
sugar to the consumer.
Intricate Problem.
President Harding had q good op
p0rtunity to learn how intricate i
the whole problem and how har,
it is going to be to obtain agree
ment even among the Legislative
, leaders Of his own party. Mr.. Hard
ing, however, has sought to brinl
out the various viewpoints an,
when he has absorbed them all
will be the chief executive VIII
will decide. The experience O
every president in doing busines
with congress is that large com
mi.tee, such Is attended the Whit
house dinner, will hardly agree an
that the man in whom is vested tn
final responsibility must make tn
decision.
In many respects Warren Hard
ing Is encountering the same prob
lens as confronted President Tai
in the spring of 1909 just befor
the Aldrich-Payne tariff law wa
written. Mr.. Taft consulted tn
senate and attempted to bring ou
| a national rather than . sections
result. He planned only to consul
the senate and drive through Pre-
gram much more in line with tn
national interest, but the senator's
minds dominated and MIR. Taft late
confessed that schedule X wa
"indefensible"
i All Washington is watching t
a see II President Harding in hi
consultations with the senate wi
be Influenced to become a fOllowe
|, or q leader. And the fact is. know
|