The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-28
BID FOR R|CH ID BLOCK TAX CHANCE
Republican Majority Seeks To Remain In Good GraCeS
 Of Wealthy
WASHINGTON BUREAU l
 THE AGE-HERALD ! Washington, D. C., Oct. 27

The desire of the republican ma-
 jority to remain in the good graces of the wealthiest class of the popu-
 lation will prevent revision of the taxation scheme in the forthcoming
 session of Congress.
 It is not denied by Senator Shoot, chairman of the finance committee, that the treasury has recovered, as | result of reconstruction after war,
 to such an extent as to warrant degre of relief for the overtaXed. He
 admits that this and other reasons make d re-opening of the tax prob lem advisable. He does not believe, however that from a political stand- | point. it should be re-opened. That l is taken to mean that it will not be.
 Andrew w. Mellon, Secretary Of the Treasury further advocating his contention that prosperity follows the reduction of the tax rate as ap- piled to the very rich, would further decrease surtaXes, of the higher clas-
 sification.
 He will so advocate. Senator
 Shoot, though without apparent en-
 thusiasm, contends that d reduction should be made, if at all, applicable l to everybody. That will be the po- sition of the President. it is indi- cated
 Democrats, on the contrary, con 1 tend that taxes should be reduced, and that first, the burden of the man
 who has little should be relieved; 1 that those who have, rather than those who have not, should be forced to pay the cost of government The radicals" represented by Senators Lafollette and Broollhart, would in- crease the surtaXes of the higher classification, and give the benefit, in the form of reductions, to the man or limited income.
 If the administration repr blicans had control of the situation, 1t IS believed that they would enter the l fight in the hope that their efforts would rebound to their interest in the forthcoming presidential cam paign. Were they able, 1t IS indl- cated, they would reduce the burden of the very rich and the very poor" | Inasmuch, however, as they can not control the situation, they have already concluded to prevent the re- opening of the subject. Once the problem is formally before Congress. democrats and independent republi- cans, representing majority of the total membership in both housess' would take charge of the case and proceed ruthlessly to fashion it ac- cording to their desires and judg- ment
 Thus. the very rich manufacturers would be made to suffer, and the | very pOOF gwen TellGI. otCTSldIy Mellon declares that such procedure would cause business 10 withdraw into itself, and result in an economic into itself and result Tn economic | depression. Republican politicians believe that the beneficiaries of the legislation would thankfully Incline towards the .dempcrats, while the. sufferers would hold the republicans responsible for their plight.
 The above facts may be applied to practically all other topics in the consideration of which democrats and republicans would sharply differ.s There is great clamor that the tariff be modified. The republicans would be willing to undertake the task if they could dictate the mark beyond which modification could not go. As they could not dictate, they would fear to open new tariff war lest business be disturbed,'' and 're- turning propriety obliterated in the bud.'
 Democrats are predicting that the session will be another do nothing session. The republicans. apparent ly. would prefer to enter the cam paign of 1924 with nationwide re- quests for relief from the tariff and taxation ignored rather than big business be made restless or resent ful.