The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-10-15
THE wArcHnAN AND sourHRoN, OCTOBER Is, 1921
Tax Revision
in the Senate
Republicans Get Together and
Begin Pushing Compromise
Plan

Washington. Oct. 1.-THE Re-
| publican compromise tax revision
program was started on its way
through the senate today with the
adoption without a dissenting or
record vote of an amendment pro-
posing repeal on next January l OIL
the transportation taxes on
freight, passengers, Pullman ac-
commodations. express packages
and Oil by pipe line.
There were increasing evidences.
| however, both on the floor Of the
senate and behind the scenes that
some of the other compromise pro-
posals would not find so easy sail
ing.
Senators in the so-called man
ufactures bloc. supported by
house leaders. were all set 20 launch
their fight against the so per cent
maximum income surtaX rate
amendment. after its Introduction.
House leaders were understood to
have made it plain that they would
! not recede from the original house
/ maximum rate of 32 per cent, but
some senators were of the opinion
the reduction likely to be made by
the conference would not be quite
as great as Is per cent.
Before adopting the transporta-
ton tax repeal amendment the SEN
ate voted down. 3S to 80, an
amendment by Senator Trammell
(Democrat> Of Florida proposing
that the repeal be effective ten days
after the passage of the bill. Dis
posal Of these two amendments
constituted practically all progress
made today on the bill itself. Much
of the day was given over to a pre-
pared address by Senator Smoot
! Republican) Of Utah. explaining
his proposal for q manufacturers
sales tax and to a political row over
the tax bill between Senators Har-
rison CDcmocraD Of Mississippi
and Watson (Rcpublican) Of In
diana.
TwittinS the Republicans on the
finance committee for accepting the
compromise program, Senator Har-
rison said he had never known the
"old guard" in the senate to "be
put to such utter rout and surrend-
cr without giving battle" He add
ed that it was singularly strange
that Senator Lodge Of Massachu-
sets. the Republican leader. at
! tended the meeting of the agrlCul-
tural bloc" and assisted in sub
marininG the finance committee.
Charging that certain promises
were made to the "Wall street in
tercsts" by the Republicans in the
last campaign, the Mississippi SEN
ator declared, that those interests
came to Washington last May to
have the promises" fulfilled. re-
ferrinS to the White House dinner
of May % attended by prominent
Eastern bankers.
Senator Watson in reply said in
the compromise plan the senate Re-
pub!icans had gore back practically
to the house bill that the Demo
Gratis on the finance committee
had made no proposals for I'M
proving the measure while it was
before the committee and that
there was evidence Of a filibuster
by the Democrats against this and
other measures in an effort to force
the tariff bill over into next year as
close to election time as possible.
In considering tax revision Sen
ator Watson said the Republicans
had kept always in mind. the one
great thing we promised in the
last election-repeal Of the excess
profits tax
This is one tax We intend to re-
peal at all hazards and all costs. y
he added. and it was for that
thing that We made some conceS-
sion, some promises as is always
done in legislation of this charac-
j ter