Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-16
Afraid Of the Opposition

| was hoped that when the soldier bonus
oiii reached the Senate Finance Commit
te" It would be indefinitely shelvcd but
from the way views are understood to be
shaping up among Senators the measure will
nave more support in the upper branch than
was at first thought. One-third of tho
Senators Will have TO stand for reelection
this fall. and like the members of the House.
they are afraid to risk the opposition of The
soldier votc--at least, most Of them are al
though few OF thom have the courage 10
do so. When the bill was passed in the
House the general belief was that it would
be kept under the surface in the Senate for
several months. But the active proponcnts
o. bonus legislation had other plans They
nave succeeded i'll arranging to bring i, out
OF the fihance Committee shortly and are
preparing 10 attempt 10 force consideration
OF ii ahead of the tariff bill Senator Nc
Cumber, who succeeded the late Senator
lehrose as chairman of the Finance Com
hlttce' Is one OF the most uncompromisng
advocates of the bonus. and he is credited
with the swift action OF the committee on
the bill
In the effort TO head of early considera
ton OF the bill its opponents have appealed
TO the White House for help To This mr.
pose the President has let Il be known that
ne iavors disposition Of the tariff before
the bonus measure is brought forward for
consideration. AS further Encouragement
TO supporters Of the bonus he has convevad
Information that his position as to the bonus
legislation framed in the House has under
zone no change whatever His attitude AT
TIA, time was that the measure mus, nrovido
for sales tax 10 finance the scheme IIo
never has said that he would veto the meas
NIc unless such tax was provided but that
l. the reasonable inference
The real hope OF Senate opponents of ,bo
measure IL that the bill either Will ne so
changed from the form in which il passed
the itouse that the two branches will get
INTO protracted quarrel over it, or tha,
the Senate debate can be so leng,bcuod
that it will be Impossible to get a vote before
Adjournment. They have about made mn
their minds that il cannot be defeated ON
" dircct vote. 1t may be conceded that
there Is more general demand for tariff
ACTION oi the right Kind than there Is for
bonus legislation But the country ne 81
whole is as much opposed to The tariff bill
as reported out by the committee AS !, is
70 bonus legislation. Hence IL the Sonata
Is really III earnest about giving the conn
Try i"lr tariff, the party in power viii
nave much 20 gain by dcvOtng The whole
oil lis ctorts before Adjournment To- porfnc, i.
Ing that measure, to the exclusion of bonus
discussion
The country is not satisfied with tho in
cqualIti"s OF the Underwood law. as Tho tri
umph the rcprcs cntativcs OF the agricuI-
'ural states in securing the rates for which
| troy contcndcd in the new measure givos
plain notice. Intelligent nonpartisau and
EoAsectonal consideration OF the new tariff
! ni!i, therefore. offers real opportunity for
! tie present Congress TO Offset some Of ,ts
| failures at after-the- establishments bv
! IL" enactment OF a measure that wouId
/ prove truly serviceablc 10 every section and
| every interest concerned in the incidence of
/ surh taxation. and TO that extent hasten ,bo
! return OF the whole country to normal so
the opponents OF bonus legislation can host
/ capitalize their strength against il bv con
| "ch'ralInG their efforts in long fight n
! perfect q ihTih that will meet popular an
| piuYal. II partisan treatment OF IN. nu.e
| tion be abandoned and the capable ronro
scnia,Ivcs of both parties will work rogc,hc,
in that behalf there Is no reason WHY ,bcy
may not achieve that purpose and thus lrt
both parties higher in public estimation.