Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-05-08
GROUPS REPLACING
PARTY ALIGNMENT
TAX VOTE SHOWS
6. 0. P, PowerIess, Lawrence
Coolidge Must Sign
Bill, Then Ask Further Re-
vision of Next Congress
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Especial Leased Wire to The lournal.

L.
of the insurgent Republicans to dc
about as they please in the present
session of congress have been re
moved. And President Coolidge; pos
sessed of the veto power, stands as
the single-handed champion of con
sentative, regular Republican doc
trine.
The taxation plan of the secre,
tary of the treasury. Andrew w
Mellon. now has been beaten in
both house and senate by coali-
ton of Democrats and insurgent
Republicans. The first important
test OF the new rules of the house
which delayed the organization OF
5he present session of congress has
turned out exactly as expected. No
longer can the regular Republicans
pigeon-h hole a measure in commit.
tee. A majority vote can bring II
out, according to the new rules. and
that now has happened. 1t marks
an epoch in the history of the
house of representatives. 1t means
more power to groups than parties.
The voting of the Simmons tax
rates into the senate bill as pro-
posed by the Democrats and the
virtual acceptance in the house of
the Democratic rates proposed by
Representative Garner, in what is
known as the Longworth compro.
mise. does not mean the Democrats
are controlling congress. 1t has a
deeper meaning than that. 1t re.
veals that there is a new alignment
In the national legislature--a rad
,ical, liberal or progressive group
composed of insurgent Republicans
and most Of the Democrats an5 a
conservative and regular group com.
posed almost wholly of Repub-
lfeans and one or two Democrats.
Friends OF Masses
On the surface it seems as if the
Democrats are merely following the
Republican strategy Of yester-years
in aiding and abetting all political
vantage of the part in power, but
what has been happening in the last
few weeks can not be attributed en-
tirely to that cause. The Democrats
would not have opposed the Mellon
rates, nor would the insurgent Re
publicans have deliberately aoan
doned them if they had not believed
that the Mellon cut helped the
wealthy too much and that the sub
stitute bills gave the man OF smaller
income more of a reduction in his
taxes. Similarly, in the house, the
support given the Howell Barley
bill to safeguard the rights Of union
labor in the railway crafts is sig
nificant of belief that the working
classes are more numerous than the
employers.
Congress, as resalt, legislates te
get direct response from the larg
est number of people, and while the
railway employers and the persons
s CT large income probably could
3 drove that their proposals are in
! slfe end of economic benefit to more
persons than themselves, the house
and senate, being politically minded
does not accept such a view. The
administration OF leadership which
champions the cause of the so calle1
conservative business interests oil
the country is doomed in TIE pres
emit temper os congress, TO defeat
The tax bill which has been drafted
by the coalition of insur9eUt Repub
licanS and Democrats is Ny no means
safiSfa Glory to the con SarVatlVaS IL
either the Republican or Democratic
parties, but it is a reduction. never
theless, as compared with the pres
ent revenue act. And the mood Of
congress is to cut taxes q little BIZ
at q time. Undoubtedly there will
be efforts to cut taxes further every
year from now on. 1t always will be
a paramount issue. But the radicals
feel that the cuts should rot be toe
extensive and that the man OF small
er income should be given preference
right along.
Tax Harm Not Recognized
The case for the lower surta,
advocates has been weakened by
several things. First, the argument
has been made that business con
ditions would be improved by lower
rates, and second that tax-exemp
securities would not be so populai
if taxable securities were mad,
more attractive through lower
rates. Congress has not been con
WINGED that even under the present
surtaXes business has been ruined
On the contrary, the Republicans
plan to so into the campaign witt
a cry of prosperity. Also, none OF
the proposals thus far advanced
would seriously compete with tht
tax-exempt securities. in the opin
ion of members of congress whC
have been instrumental in defeat
ing the Mellon rates.
AS for the action of the house
in forcing to the front the very bill
which the railway interests hav,
been fighting. this is an indication
that big business, so to speak, ha:
hurt it's own cause by fighting tht
inevitable. The demand for the How
ell-Barkley bill now has been inten
slfied. Coming on the eve of tn,
congressional as well as presidenua
campaign, union labor is gathering
SIS strength once more TO strike a
chose in the Republican or Demo
cratic parties who side with the EN-
ployers. It's the old story of blocs
This time the labor bloc in the hous
Is in the ascendency.
Presidents Course Charted
President Coolidge might havt
saved the tax situation by persona
intervention and an appeal TO tn
country for the Mellon rates jus
as the bin was being advanced from
one stage to another, but he wa
advised that he could. not hope, L
the president when they know def