Evening star., 1921-09-25

toned by the democrats. and while
it might perhaps be lese majestic
to state that either the republicans
or democrats have even the tiniest
thought of gaining a political ad-
vantage, yet every one must reaiize
that even statesmen are sometimes
human. The members of the COM
mittee must weigh we'll the result OF
imposing tax that would. perhaps.
result in curtailing rather than con-
tinuing revenue. They seek to strike
the middle ground that will permit
the reduction of taxes to as low a
| point as possible and yet produce
sufficient revenue to pay, in part, the
expenses of running the government:
SO. day after day, the members OF
| their undivided time and attention to
working out a bill that. perhaps. may
r, be satisfactory to the people and
! that, perhaps. may meet the approval
i of their colleagues and, perhaps.
| again may meet the approval of the
| members of the House OF Repre-
! sentativeS.
IWH1LE the matter of tax revision
w was being considered by the
| finance committee it was necessary
| to have the meeting held in execu-
| tive session. Had this plan not been
| carried out there probably would
| have been enough witnesses coming
/ to the front to have held the atten-
| ton of the committee for two or
! three years, at least, for from all
| parts of the country came letters to
| senators and representatives urging
that this, that or the other plan be
| adopted.
! Some of these communications con-
| tanned suggestions of a helpful ma
hut har n
! came from individuals, who evident
| ly had but one idea in mind and that
was how to get their own tax re-
| duced. The preparation of this meas
| ure was tedious and tiresome task,
| and while the members of the COM
mittee worked day and night trying
| to solve difficult problem. they were
| not deluded into thinking that when
| the measure came up for discussion
on the floor of the Senate, later to be
sentatives. it would become law in the
exact form that it left the committee.
Each member in his heart knew that
some one was waiting to 1ampoon 1t.
! Another handicap was the fact that al
though number of the legislative ex-
| perts appeared, these men did not al
| ways agree.
! One item estimated to yield a reve-
! nue. of $6,000,000 annually was the
portion devoted to cosmetics, and even
l
| each other when this item was men
! toned, because milady, ever jealous
! of her prerogatives as a voter and
! citizen, must be considered in the
| framing of the bill and both political
parties are fully aware that the vote
Of the female is as deadly as the male:
I Taxes and surtaxes, whether to be
| retroactive or not. and a thousand
and one problems arose during the six
weeks of tax revision consideration by
! the committee. Innumerabie briefs
! were read, financial tables and reports
r., carefully scanned and a thousand and
one other methods of securing in
| formation were adopted.
| While the tariff measure has, been
put to one side, the matter OF Its prep
aration is even a more interesting
study than that of the bill devoted tc
tax revision. Tarin bllls must pc SO
framed as not only to protect. foster
and encourage American industries. but
also to produce a goodly number of dol
| lars from foreign manufacturers. 1t
also must be so drawn as not to stifie
competition; it must take the middle
! ground.
r EFT the visitor drop in at one Of the
- hearings while the tariff IL UP
for discussion. Taking the portion
of the bill devoted tc earthenwarc.
crockery, ETC., the divisions are
termed schedules. The one we are
| IdiscussinE is schedule Q. Representa-
tlves Of the pottery industries from
Trenton, East Liverpool. Ohio
| Wheeling. etc. take the stand. Chair.
man Penrosc OF Senator McCumber
may be in the chair, or perhaps SEN
iator Reed smoot may occupy the po-
sition at that moment. The pottery
imam IL called to take his place beside
the long table. He gives his name
and the firm, corporation or company
he represents and proceeds TO ad
vance reasons why the pottery indus
TRY OF the United States should have
| the beneif of high protective
tariff. He lays stress upon the diff