Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-05-12
Of BONUS
BILL IS PUZZL|NG
POLITICIANS WONDERING WHAT
ITS PASSAGE is LIKELY TO
MEAN AT THE POLLS.
is NOT A PARTISAN MEASURE
May Be Vetoed by President Harding
Unless Means of Raising Revenue
Are enthusiastically of Delay
for Tariff Legislation.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK

BY EDWARD 3. CLARK
Washington. - Washington poIiti
clans, and especially members of the
house Of representatives and those SEN
ators who will come up for reelection
soon, are trying hard to determine
what effect the passage of an ex-serv-
polls next November.
There are men here, Republicans
and Democrats, who say the passage
/ and the signing Of the bonus bill will
have no effect on the election-that
the thing is six of one and half doz-
en- of the other so far as vote attract
ing or vote repelling is concerned.
The Republican majority in the sen
ate decided In a caucus the other day
that a soldiers bonus bill shall be
presented and sanctioned by the upper
house at this session. There are some
prominent senators of both sides of
the chamber who will speak so strong
| ly in debate against the measure that
it is said to be possible their argu-
ments may offset any good which the
bonus advocates expect to find in the
voting field next autumn.
The bonus measure probably more
markedly than the navy bill will test
the Subscription qualities of Pres
ident Harding. He does not like the
bonus measure as the house passed it
because it left uncertain the means of
raising a revenue to meet the pay
ments. 1t is still believed he will veto
any bill which does not carry with
| 1t a sales tax provision for raising of
the money, unless there is some pro-
vision in the tariff measure to do the
same thing The house is against the
tariff suggestion.
The senate today does not seem to
be able to give definite opinion as to
the best means Of procedure along
money-raising lines. Of course the
upper house is handicapped in revenue
action because under the constitution
all revenue producing legislation must
originate in the house of representa-
tiyes.
Passage of Bonus Bill Is Certain.
1t is certain today, however, that
some kind Of a bonus measure will
psss congress at this session. OF
course, as already has been intimated,
what will happen to it when it reaches
the White House remains to be seen.
There are some Republican senator's,
| mostly fasteners, but with two or
three westerners among them, who are
opposed to the bonus and who will
speak against it even though they
may be induced for party reasons later
to vote for it. These senators do not
believe that bonus legislation will help
the Republican cause at the polls, and
there are some Democratic senators
who do not believe that if the Repub-
lican majority should decide not to
pass the bonus bill it would hurt the
party in the election; but of course,
naturally, the Democrats who hold
this view are not voicing it publicly.
The tariff and the bonus are COM
ing Of the senate. 1t is not yet decided
definitely whether the tariff will be
side-tracked for week or so in order
that the bonus measure may be given
consideration, but it is intimated that
some Republican senator's will not
weep if the tariff bill shall fail to be-
come law at this session of congress.
Tariff May Be Delayed in Conference.
1t is believed to be possible that the
tariff may go over until the next ses-
sion, not because the senate will re-
frain from passing the house measure
much amended, but because there is
a chance that after the bill goes to the
conference committee of the two
houses to straighten out the differ
ences of opinion, congress may quit,
and let the bill stay in conference I'M
til the next session.
Not by any moulding Of imagination
or of thought can the bonus bill be
called a party measure except in so
far as it is in legislative form the
child of representatives of the Repub-
lican party. Most of the Democrats
showed a willingness to vote for it
in the form in which it appeared in
the house, and probably will vote for
it in any form that it is likely to APP
pear finally in the senate. This takes
some of the partisan politics out of
the bill and will give to the minority
Democratic party in congress a part
of the blessing or the blame, which
ever it is to be, which finally shall be
bestowed by the country.
What the Republicans and Demo-
Gratis in congress would like to know
definitely is exactly how all the ex-
service men of the country stand on
this bonus bill endeavor. Neither par
ty, seemingly, is certain that the ma
jority of ex-service men favor the pass
age of the bill, although every effort
has been made to have it appear that
the men lately of the camp and of
the field solidly are back of the legis-
lation.
Plant Hunters Earn Gratitude.
One of the active officials of the Ag-
ricultural department is David G..
Fairchild, in charge of foreign explor-
ations and of foreign seed and plant
introduction of the bureau of plant
Placing Piano