Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1932-04-08
Democrats In Congress
Work In Harmony.

A week ago the C. o. P. political spOuters
and most Of their newspaper friends were
Wsesing their heads OF loading their COL
umns with ponti6cal disquisitions on the
subject Of Democratic disuniiy as typefed
By the division Of the party 10 the House
Of Representatives over the sales tax.
In this manifestation Of difference Of
opinion they read portent Of President
Hoovef's reelection consequent on what
they asserted TO be demonstration that
the Democratic party having shown itself
incapable Of governing itself thereby had
revealed its incapscity for governing the
United States. Now the Democratic
majority in the House Of Representatives
10 soberly al WORK enactins substitute
measure for the general sales tax and
apparently there is concord and c0mpro-
mise between the original sales tax adyo-
csirs and those who objected to IL. II Is
quite possible chat the substitute may not
be the most effective expedient that could
have been found 10 meet the emergency
brought on by the Hoover deficit CON-
promises are seldom perfect. However.
the country apparently regards what is
being done as an approach to balancing
the budget and all factions In the recent
sales tax controversy appear to be thor
ouehly awake 10 the necessity Of sccom-
plishing this as the indispensable basis
for the restoration Of confidence and credit
generally.
IL might have been possible. had the
Democrats in the House adopted the system
under which the Republicans ran il when
they were in power. to have put steam
roller to work and 50 driven through the
sales tax as the G. o. P. triumvirste. con-
sistine Of the Speaker. the Floor Leader and
the Chairman Of the Committee on Rules
damned through the Grundy tariff bill.
However. the Democrats began their regime
lbefalizina the rules on to JeifersOnian
theory that every phase Of opinion was
entitled TO utterance in Republic. and
their system appears to be working out
quite satisfactorily.
The difficulty had Its inception in the
Drocrastnation Of the Hoover Administra-
ton. 1t was obvious early In 1880 that
Treasury deficit was Imminent A vast
amount Of time would have been saved had
the Republican President and the Repub-
lIcan Congress Of that time taken up the
buden forthwith and enacted tax increases
Sufficient 10 have restored the solvency Of
the United States Treasury. True. this
might have not altogether halted the de-
preston. but II there Is anything in the
hypothesis that true national prosperity
and IN unbalanced budget are incompatible
II not impossible. TO have brought the
Governments income and outeo to parity
Q year and a half ago would have been a
considerable item on the credit side Of the
ledger. Instead Of doing this. the Presi-
dent even as late as December Of 1890. in
his message to COngress assured that body
that with little economy. some juggling Of
Treasury figures. and a little short-term
borrowing. the deficit could be taken care
Of. How Woefully he was mistaken 10
revealed by the estimates that the Treasury
would be two billion dollars behind at the
end Of the present fiscal year.
Il took the Republicans year and a
half. though their pity controlled both
Houses Of Congress and. Of course. had
the White House In addition. TO enact the
SmoOt- Hawley tariff bill. Il 10 not sur.
prisine that another revenue measure
calculated 20 take care Of the stupendous
legacy Of debt bequeathed them by the
Administration. could not be enacted over.
night
The net result OF the incident Is the ex
ploaion Of another political myth. for tn,
Democrats have demonstrated that, how
ever Grave their differences and persona
opinion. they are able to get together
whenever II 10 necessary TO serve III,
country even their captains be leaders a.,
not antocraiI. Certainly their record dur
ing the Jews months they have controllet
the lower house Of Congress- shines il
comparison with their sdvefsaries' record
Of inactIon. hesitancy and evasion over
period embracing az many yeaFs a. III,
Democrats have spent months in Ihei
endeavors.