, 1922-10-12
RECENT LEGISLATION.
Emergency Tariff.

Mr.. MondelH was one of the first to
urge the prompt passage of n tariff
bill protecting the products of agri-
culture as an emergency measure to
meet the situation until permanent
tariff revision could be accomplished.
He earnestly supported the emergency
tariff bill which was vetoed by Presi-
dent Wilson, and when the measure
was again presented in the Sixty
seventh Congress. Through his influ-
ence with the House conferees, he was
largely instrumental in securing the
final agreement, under which the
emergency tariff was extended until
such times as its provisions would be
superseded by the permanent tariff
bill.
a Revision and Reduction.
One of the most difficult problems
confronting the Harding administra-
ton and the Congress was that of re-
ducing the tax burdens laid upon the
people during the Wilson adminlstra-
ton, and the difficulty of affording
real relief was enhanced by the fact
that the "overhang" of liabilities grow
ing out of the war and war contracts
proved to be vastly greater han any
one had anticipated-the peak Of ex-
p%enditures coming a year after the
Armistice was signed. The problems
involved in tax reduction were taken
up promptly by the administration and
by the Congress Immediately upon its
assembling on April IL, 1921.
On April 4th, seven days before Con-
gress convened, Mr.. Mondell presented
to the Secretary of the Treasury, and
after n talk with the Secretary, to the
President, an outline of tax reduction
which opened with the sentence:
"What we should have is n lifting
rather than "A shifting of tax burdens
A Lifting and Not a Shifting Of Taxes.
This slogan, announced by Mr.. Mon
dell, that taxes must be actually lift
ed from the shoulders of the American
people and not merely shifted from
one class to another, became the
watchword of his efforts. But lifting
rather thar a shifting proved diff
cult. In fact, the first statement from
the Treasury to the Ways and Means
Committee rs to probable revenues
and expenditures seemed to leave no
opportunity for any considerable ac-
tual reduction in the sum total of
taxes, and n very general shifting
was proposed and II wide variety Of
new axes suggested In lieu of the
taxes II was proposed to repeal.
In this state of affairs Mr.. Mondell
appeared before the Ways and Means
Committee in the presence of the
Treasury experts md presented an es-
innate OF receipts and expenditures
under which II would he possible to
actually reduce the total of Tux levles
by approximately nine hundred mil
lion dollars. On President Harding's
return to Washington. three days
later, after consultation with Secre-
tnry Mellon. the President invited Mr..
Mondell and the Republican members
Of the Ways and Means Committee to
the White House. and there the Sec
rotary of the Treasury. Mt the Presi-
dents suggestion, presented a new set
OF estimates under which n reduction
Of tax levIes I'm approximately the
sum suggested by Mr.. Mondell was
possible. This cleared the atmosphere
at once The new stamp. gasoline, au-
tomobile and other taxes which had
been suggested were no longer consId-
cred, and instead the revision became
n real lifting Of the tax burdens to the
amount of nearly nine hundred mil
lion dollars, nffording substantial re-
lief TO MI classes of taxpayers.
Farm Loan Act.
Mr.. MOndell supported the original
farm loan net and assisted from time
to time In amendments which perfect.
ed the legislation. He was largely In
strumental In securing the agreement