The daily times., 1921-08-17
TAX MEASURE IS
UNDERGOING THE
USUAL TREATMENT
CHANGES DISCONCERTING
These Changes Are Due to a
Number of Steps; Basis for
New Measure Proposed by
Mellon; Criticism From the
Country at Large; and 9th.
er Happenings.
CHANGES DISCONCERTING
(By David Lawrenee)

Copyright 1921 by The Daily Times)
Washington, Aug. 16-The Ad-
miniStTation tax bill as approved by
will undergo still further change be-
fore it is finally enacted. Discon-
certing as it may be to observing
business men to read one day that
certain taxes are repealed only to
find them reimposed the next day,
Congress is merely evolving reve-
nue. measure in the usual way. To
understand the changes that have
been made and will be made the fol-
lowing steps must be borne in mind.
First, Secretary Mellon proposes
to President Harding the basis of
new revenue measure.
Second, Criticism from the coun-
try at large prouces a first change
and President Harding calls con-
ference of Republican leaders in Con-
gress and together with Mr.. Mellon,
a revised program is approved.
Third, the Republican member
ship of the House in conference or
caucus makes further changes and
prepares to submit the new bill to
the House through the Ways and
Means Committee. That's the status
today.
Fourth, further criticism from the
country will influence Republican
leaders to agree to more changes
either in the Ways and Means Com
mfttee or on the floor of the House
before the bill is passed which ought
to be this week or the first part of
next week.
Fifth, the bill is taken in hand by
the Senate Finance Committee which
is fully expected to rewrite the whole
measure and put it into shape, bal
ancing revenues and reductions more
systematically than can possibly be
done in the hurried methods of the
House. When the Senate Finance
Committee gets through, better
idea of what taxes eventually will be
can be obtain
Sixth, more changes are made dur
ing the Senate debate after the FL
nance Committee has reported the
bill. These amendments may or may
not stay in the measure finally. 1t
all depends upon the ultimate atti-
tude of the House.
Seventh, When the Senate has
passed the bill it is then placed be-
fore a conference committee repre-
senting the House and Senate where
the real 1egis1ating is done. Then
the disagreements between the two
Houses are ironed out and as rule
the House and Senate both accept
the decision of the conference com
mittee and the measure is ready FOR
| signature. OF course President can
veto it and send it back for further
changes, but since President Hard
ing and the majority in Congress are
of the same political faith the mea-
sure is certain to receive executive
approval.
|
payers of the country must wait be-
fore they can pass judgment on the
tax bill. The details being published
from day to day merely show the
trend of opinion in Congress. Even
Democrats admit tbat the changes
thus far made are improvements and
they expect the bill will be changed
for the better when it reaches the
Senate.
! Just now the House is hurrying to
get through with the tax bill and
when it is realized that the Senate
will correct any errors made the job
is necessarily done without thorough
ness. The real revenue bill will
come out of the Senate because Re-
publican leadership there is more
experienced with tax bills than in