Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-07
Tax Reduction Postponement
4 Is Moot Question in Press

I. Strong support and equally strong op-
position appears In newspaper comment
on the plan OF Senator Smoot, Endorsed
by Secretary Mellon. TO postpone action
on the tax bill now pending before
Congress until after March /, when
the first tax returns Of 1928 will become
available.
Democratic viewpoint. az expressed
by the Baltimore Evening Sun unde-
pendent Democraticl Is that delay OF
tax reduction. whether intended or
not" is favorable 10 Republican poll
ticians because every politician knows
that votes are usually collected by
spending not by saving"
On the other hand, 1t looks like bad
politics to the Philadelphia Evening
Bulletin independent Republican,.
which argues: 1.-The business of the Re-
publican leadership in the Senate Is to
get the measure through with the great
est possible expedition. using every
effort TO keep the reductions within
reason. without trying to outsmart a
Democratic Insurgent coalition. The
Nation has been promised early tax re-
vision. Preliminary hearings were held
for the purpose Of advancing the bill.
The taxpayers are expecting early ac-
ton and the Republican party, nomi-
naily In control Of Congress. will be
held responsible II there should be dis
appointment"
''psychoiogically. the suggested course
involves some uncertainty and disad-
vantage to business" comedies the Chi
cago Daily News independently: how
ever. since tax reduction Is definitely
promised and the only question Ia
whether the total shall exceed the adj
ministration's limit of S225, 000. 900. the
compromise merits sympathetic consid-
Grafton" The New York sun Unde-
pendcnD also holds that such course
would not be the most convenient for
business men and taxpayers In gen.
eral': that they would pay their first
installment on the basis Of the existing
taxes" but that paper concludes: 1T
would be better TO accept this incon-
venience than TO let the Government
ind itself with deficit, MIR. Mellon,
as usual, Is playing safe"
A compromise program Is presented
by the Albany Evening News unde~
pendent Republican,. which proposes:
1.-THE measure should be passed now
with the $225, 900 900 reduction recon-
mended. II IL cannot be passed with
that limit OF reduction. then II should
be DELAYED until March Is. when Con-
gress will know Just what appropri-
atoms are necessary: but the better way
is 10 pass Il now with the $22b. 600. 900
reduction. That In tho businesaliko pro-
eedure."
Supporting n brief delay" with q
"slre basis for judgment" the Newark
Evening News independently suggests
that more political capital can be
made. surely out of I told you So than
out of Yes, we did it-rbut we thought
we were right" The 81, Paul Pioneer
Press independently points out that
TAX bills, before this. have been passed
frst quarterly installment falls due.
without creating any insuperable dlfii-
euties Of administration"
The practice by which zone set of
men decides what tho appropriations
shall he" and another set fixes the
taxes from which the revenue IN To he
collected" IL called unsa satisfactory by the
New York Times independently, which
states. THE two do not always agree,
often they do not even Cnnsult together
Each goes ita own way. and the result
Ii more or iehs matter NJ luck For
many years the luck has been good
But Secretary Mellon believes that we
can no longer trust 10 that In effect.
his letter Ia Senator hmoot Ii an In
direct but powerful plea for executive
control Of taxation as well ~ OF on
pendit,me"
That the Utah Senator "thinks II n
good idea To wait aud zee how far Cons
gress will go IN making appropriations
before taking final action on tax re~
dnetinD" In recognised by the i.oa
Angeles Express Republican, with tho
comment: "'fhat would be wise. There
may be nothing tn spare, The House
seems TO be- against all taxes and for
all appropriations
u
The Gan AntaDIo Express tlndepend.
ant nemnefatie, nhsetveal "Evidently
The Secretary expects the March ID col
ieeti0ns ~ fall att. and therefore bear
out his position ~seeins which the