The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-12-27
TAX CUT AIDED
BY DEMOCRATS
Senator Simmons Promises His
Party's Support Also for
Bonus Bill.
HITS "PRoFITEER" CLASS
Declares He Is Opposed to Relieving
ExorbitantIy Wealthy Of surtax
Burdens-offers Broad Resolution
for investigation of "Profiteers."

Washington .-The Democratic
party in Congress was pledged to sup
port tax reduction and the soldier
bonus bill by Senator Simmons of
North Carolina, ranking Democratic
member of the Finance Committee,
speaking in the Senate.
The Senator made it plain, how
ever, that Democratic cooperation
with the Republicans in any plan of
tax reduction would be confined to
attempts to lessen the tax burden
upon the people of small incomes,
and that those in the millionaire" or
"proflteer" class need not look for
any Democratic help. Senator Sim
mons said:
"The Democrats will cooperate
with the Republicans in reducing
taxes on small incomes, but we will
not cooperate in reducing incomes of
the millionaire class, nor in relieving
tax burdens on those who proiteered
during the war. l want the country
to know, also, that the Democratic
party stands for the bonus to veter-
ans of the war"
Senator Simmons made this an
nouncement in closing debate in
which several Democratic members
chided the Republican majority for
taking holiday adjournment without
having accomplished anything in the
session which opened December 8.
He demanded to know why the
Finance Committee had not been con-
vened to take up discussion of the
tax reduction and bonus measures.
A reply from Senator Smoot, chair
man of the committee, followed in
which he pointed out that, as both
measures involved the raising of
revenue, the House alone had juris-
diction over their origin.
The debate was started by Sena-
tor Pat Harrison, of Mississippi, who
cautioned the Republicans against re-
turning to their homes during the
Christmas season, as they were I'M
able to report any accomplishment.
Senator Harrison called attention
to the fact that the President favor
ed enactment of the Mellon plan, re-
duction of rail rates and ratification
Of the proposal to enter the World
Court, but that the Republican ma
jority had taken no steps to carry
out the recommendations Of the
President on any of these subjects.
While these events were taking
place in the Senate the Ways and
Means Committee was pushing ahead
with the Administrative sections of
the Mellon bill, having completed
without controversy thirty-eight pages
or one-seventh of the matter on hat
subject
In the House today bill was intro
duced by Representative Strong of
Kansas which proposed to raise a sol
der bonus through rs per cent tax
on tax-exempt securities.
The plan suggested by Mr.. Strong,
he says, would raise the bonus
money without interfering with the
Mellon program of tax reduction, and
would take care of the great prob
lens of extensive investment in tax
exempt securities, because rich men
would see that their estates would
be heavily taxed.
The inheritance taxes in the Strong
bill begin with one per cent of the
amount of net estate, not in excess
of $4,000, and run to % per cent Of
the amount of the estate between
So 100000 and $10,0O0,000; adding a
tax of "25 per cent of the amount of
tax-exempt securities in the estate"
A sign of how much the farmers of
the country desire lower taxation
came when it became known that
after the holidays the biggest petit
ton ever sent to Congress would
be presented by Representative OAR
row of Pennsylvania. Signed by $780,
600 farmers throughout the United
States, it would demand lower levies
and no bonus for soldiers, it is said.