The Sauk Centre herald., 1924-04-17
WASHINGTON LETTER

BY WILLIAM L. DALEY
Special Correspondent Sauk Centre Herald
Copyright 1928 BY National EDITORIAL A..oc,.t,o,

ator Wheeler, Democrat of Montana.
by federal grand jury in his home
state has brought about another in
vestigation by the Senate. The COM
mittee will endeavor to determine the
relation of the indicted Senator to the
oil leases. Senator Wheeler charges
that his Indictment was plot engi-
neered by political enemies in his
own state. .
The House has passed substitute
for Senate bill designed to defer for
a period of three years, reclamation
charges due from settlers in the West.
At the same time, the Special Advis-
ory committee on Reclamation, in a
special report to the Secretary of the
| Interior, has advocated a complete
change in the repayment of construc-
ton costs and proposes an amendment
of the 20-year instalment plan and
the substitution for it of a system
under which the amount of annual
payments to be made by each project
shall be based upon the productive
power of it's lands without any fixed
time limit when the total investment
shall be returned.
The reclamation problem has as
sumed impressive proportions, in
the West and the proposals of this
committee will have considerable
weight with Congress. Further re-
lief of a permanent character is
proposed in a comprehensive and de-
tailed survey of the physical and
economic features of all the projects
in which all the lands are to be CLASH
fed with respect to their power, under
the proper agricultural development,
to produce crops sufficient to support
the farmer and his family and at the
same time repay the construction
costs to the government.
Two widely different tax plans are
now pending in the Senate, repre-
senting the recommendations of the
majority and minority members of
the Finance committee. The major
ity report calls for the adoption of
the Mellon plan slightly revised in
committee, while the proposal of the
Democrat Senators differ somewhat
from the Democratic substitute for
the Mellon plan IN the House, known
as the Garner bill. 1t is similar in
many respects to the Revenue bill
which passed the House, known as
the Longworth compromise measure.
The Democratic Senator'S proposal
calls for maximum surtax of 40 per
cent on incomes exceeding $500,000,
as compared to maximum rate of
37k per cent on incomes in excess
of 100000 as provided in the House
bill. With a split in the Republican
ranks in the Senate, the Democrats
are hopeful that their plan, at least
certain features of it, will be adopt
ed. The leaders of both sides anticl-
pate a protracted debate ON these
measures.
The real work of effecting a COM
promise between the Senate and
House bill will go to conference con-
mittee, which will be faced with the
possibility of rejection of their rec
concentrations by both branches of
Congresses.
The majority report, according to
Senator Smoot, chairman of the Sem
ate Finance committee, would reduce
the rates on normal incomes below
$4,000 from to 8 per cent. Those
interested in the observation and en-
f1rcement of law and order move
mcnt have undertaken national
campaign to bring about improved
conditions throughout the country. 1t
is the intention of the National COM
mittee for Law Enforcement, which
met here last week, to conduct their
efforts through the influence of the
social leaders, rather than political
workers. The conference which
brought to Washington hundreds Of
representative women from all Sec