Milford chronicle., 1926-11-19
Eo9
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER

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OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
(From National Editorial Association
Especial to Chronicle)
Washington, November 17-If you
believe everything you hear in Con-
gressiOnal and political circles, they
will tell you that the crying need in
Washington today is strong party
leadership. Some profess to note
the pendulum swinging from faction
al control to centered and respons-
ible leadership. So numerous and
varying are the opinions advanced
by members of Congress and pOliti-
cal observers here that it is difficult
to forecast what the next session of
Congress will bring forth.
1t is said that the forced retire
ment of Senator Butler of Massa-
chusetts by the electorate leaves
President Coolidge without a per-
sonal spokesman in the Senate. The
regular Republican organization ia
vors the bestowal of authority upon
Senator Curtis of Kansas as the
leader of the majority. He is recog-
nized as one of the old warehouses"
of the upper chamber and has given
long and faithful service as a Re-
publican whip. 1t is currently re-
ported that there are other aspirants
for this high honor which must be
settled by the Republican caucus.
The caucus is conference of all
Senators or Congressman as the
case may be, to determine the gen
eral policies of their party for the
coming session. The. course of i'm
portant legislation, however, is
chartered by the Steering Commit
tee consisting of five organization
Senators who handle the business of
the Senate. In recent years the
growth of the bloc system has clip
ped this power of party leaders.
A few years ago it was customary
for "Uncle Joe Cannon" then the
speaker of the House and Senator
Aldrich, Republican leader in the
Senate to take hikes along the Po-
tomac and in an hour or two shape
the course of legislation. The day of
the czars of legislation are past.
No secret is made of the fact pro-
posals to contest the seating of Sen
ator-elect Ware of Pennsylvania and
Smith of Illinois contains political
dynamite for both parties. Senator
Blease, Democrat of South Carolina,
has brought division in the ranks
of Democrats by the contention that
the seating of the Senators is a mat
ter of State rights. On the other
hand a few Republicans have reviv-
ed old animosities by starting to
question the rights of certain South
ern senators to their seats involving
the enforcement of the 14th amend
ment to the Constitution, which
deals with suffrage for negroes. Sen
ator Norris of Nebraska listed as
Republican, but recognized as a
leader of the so ?called insurgents"
is trying to reopen the Ware case be-
fore the Select Committee on Elec-
tions headed by Senator Reed of Mis-
souri,. The Nebraska Senator con-
tends that fraud existed in the cleo
tions in Philadelphia. The whole
unsavOry mess will be aired in the
public prints soon.
There are rumors in official circles
in Washington to the effect that
President Coolidge and Secretary of
the Treasury Mellon are at odds
over the latest proposition to reduce
taxes. The President has suggested
that income taxes, individual and
corporation, payable in 1926, might
be cut 10 or II per cent. Comments
from the leaders of both parties at
the capitol indicate quite strongly
that tax reduction will be the foot
ball of politics during the next Is
months, especially in view of the ap-
preaching presidential election. 1t
is represented that the tax on cor
porations is bothersome to the Pres
ident as the last tax law reduced the |
capitol stock tax but increased the |
corporation income tax, which it is
claimed affects 2O,OOO,OOO security
holders. Fiscal experts have estimat-
ed that the proposed tax credit on
income, affecting approx
imately 80 per cent of the taxpayers,
would amount to only a few cents or
a few dollars. Although the Treas
ury has not boosted the Coolidge
proposition, it is expected that Off
cials will fall into line and advo-
cate the applying Of a 10 per cent
discount on income taxes paid in
1928 to the March, 1927 installment,
OF perhaps distribution over other
in 1927. It is doubtful
that ANY tax reduction or rebate bill
can be passed by Congress between
December 6, the date of cOnvening
and December Is, when the final
1926 tax installment is due. There
fore, if the reduction or credit plan
is approved it will necessarily apply
next year.
The Democrats now are arguing
for a permanent, rather than a tenn
porary reduction in taxes. The bus
mess organizations feel that corpor-
atoms deserve first consideration of
any tax reduction, because they con-
tend the corporation rates are out of
line with the individual tax rates. 1t
IS also stated that certain groups in
Congress will oppose tax reductions
On corporations, and working in al
lance with the Democrats they
could hold up the tax measures in
definitely.
The oil lease scandals which
the country two years ago
are again centered in Washington.
will be made next week
before the Supreme Court of the Dis
.rict of Columbia involving Messrs.
and Fall who were mem
Toned as the beneficiaries Of the po-
itical deals. The alien property