Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-06-07
WASHINGTON IS
AMAZED over
GARNER FIGHT
Opposition Is Backed
BY Lobby For APP
peal of Estate Tax,
Iimmons Asserts

Basccm N. Timmons. writing from
Washington, in an article appearing
IN the San Antonio Express, has the
Following to say concerning the
fight being wared On CONGRESSMAN
John ~. Garner:
Reports here today that a mighty
organized campaign is being conduct
ed against Representative John ".
Garner of Texas. with the hope of
defeating him for reelection. created
Amusement on both the republican
and democratic sides Of the house
OF representatives.
Garner himself declined 70 discuss
the reports. which nave been receiv-
ed from time 10 time. but which
are now said TO be s~rbstantiated.
Other members said that there is
no doubt that the campaign against
Garner Is on In real earnest. The
amazement at the report arises out
of the fact that Garner has risen to
a higher position in the house of
representatives than any Texan has
held since Texas first came into the
Union in 1S4S.
- NU0U - fIHhlUE demo-
cratic member on the Ways and
Means committee. the rlost import
ant of committees in the house OF
representatives. IS his partv's lead
or IN all taxation and tariff mea-
sures; is universally regarded as one
OF the ablest financial experts in the
house of representatives today. and
Is me of the two outstanding fig
ures in the house Of representatives.
In the event or democratic sue
cess in the election this fall. Garner
will have his choice Of being speaker
OF the house Of representatives or
taking the craftsmanship Of the
Wavs and Means committee an. floor
leader. Whether or not the demo-
Gratis are successful. Garner will be-
come the democratic house leader.
succeeding to the leadership now
held by Representative Finis Garrett
of Tennessee. who is retiring 10 be
come a candidate for the United
States senate.
An organization which lohbied for
the repeal Of the inheritance tax
is said to be back Of the opposition
to the dean Of the Texas delegation.
who is completing mis- Goth year in
the house. Garner in his opposition
10 this repeal was backed up by the
is democratic and one republican
representatives from Texas. as we'll
rs by Senators Sheppard and May
field.
Members today commented on the
fact that Garner. who led the fight
for the recognition or the Texas
community property tax laws and
saved Texas taxpayers tens Of mil
lions Of dollars in federal tax from
this source. should have opposition
because Of his opposition TO the re-
peal Of the estate tax. for whereas
the estate tax affects only n few Of
the larger estates in Texas. the COM
munity tax affects every moderate
income taxpayer from Texas.
In this connection the audited
statement Of the last year for which
treasury figures are complete dis
closed that the total number az per
sons affected by the estate tax in
Texas that year was 207 and that
these 207 were wealthy is shown ~
the fact they had gross estates Of
S5O.96s. 112. The net taxes they
paid amounted to only 1854. s91.
On the other hand. Gamers sue
cessful community tax fight affect
ed a saving for 9.7s2 Texans with
a net annual income Of SI36.2i9.-
o.. For years Congressman
Garner and Secretary Of tire Treas
ury Mellon hive fought n spectacular
battle over community property.
Mellon holding that recognition az
this tax gave Texans an unfair adj
vantage e the taxpayers OF non
community property FAX states and
Garner insisting that the Texas con-
stitutional provisions as to commun-
ity property made 1t necessary for
the treasury department 70 accent
the Texas community Tux returns.
Members said todav that II n lead
er Of Gamers calibre could be
singled out for defeat because of
his resistance TO 4 powerful lobby
Il would 60 a long way toward de-
stroyinE independence Of members
from suca Hobbies.
Despite reports here that a ire
mendous sum is TO be spent against
Garner. his colleagues. both demo-
cratic and republican, today expect
ed TO see the picturesque Texan
come through with flying colors. He
will leave for Texas within a sew
DAYS TO begin his campaign.
Garner is a whirlwind campaigner