Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1934-03-02

mittee that the Budget was out Of
balance and that it was necessary
to impose additional taxes in order
TO preserve and protect the credi,
of the Government. The Secre-
tary of the Treasury, Mr.. Mellon.
and the Under Secretary of the
Treasury, Mr.. Mills, appeared be-
fore the Committee on Ways and
Means and urged the imposition Of
a scent rate on first-class mail
matter, or an increase from 2 to ;
cents, in order to aid in the bal
ancing of the Budget.
1t will be recalled that the Chair
man of the Committee on the Post
Office and Post Roads,, Ms Mead
referred to by the gentleman from
New York mi. Smelly in his able
statement yesterday, said hat for
the present there would be a loss of
revenue if present rate was not ex-
tended, and that is what we are
now dealing with. We are dealing
with the present and with an en-
ergency and not with a matter of
permanent legislation.
So far as reduction in second
class-mail matter is concerned, if
there is any reduction at all, it is so
negligible that it is not worthy of
consideration. There may be a
slight increase or there may be a
slight decrease.
Iwish to call your attention to a
statement made by Secretary Mel
lon on January IS, 1882, when he
appeared before the Ways and
Means Committee and asked for in
creased revenues in order to balance
the budget and preserve and main
tain the credit of the Government.
l may say in this connection that
at this time the House was Demo-
cratic and the Senate was Republi-
can, and the Democratic mem
bers of the Ways and Means Com
mittee and a Democratic House
did not hesitate to respond to the
call Of a Republican administra-
ton and impose this burdensome
and unpopular tax, and l hope wi
friends on the minority will now
exhibit similar patriotism and res
pond to the call of a Democratic
administration, when the exigen-
cies are even greater than they were
at that time.
Secretary Mellon, in appearing
before the Ways and Means Com
mittee on the date mentioned,
made this statement:
In recent years the failure Of
revenues to cover exbendi-
lures has resulted in increasing
postal deficits wbicb haze been
met from The general revenues of
the Federal Government.
Then he goes on to say
1t is recommended that postal
rates be increased to cover sucb
DEFICIENCIES BY a reasonable margin;
that is, to provide additional reve-
nues in the amount of not less than
$150,000,0 900 ON an ANIMAL basis.
Moreover, Secretary Mellon rec
commended this increase on first
class mail matter not as an emer-
gency matter but as a permanent
policy. The recommendation of
the Secretary of the Treasury was
not for a limited period but for
subsequent years; in other words,
he put no limitation on it what
ever.
I have stated that the Secretary
of the Treasury and the administra-
ton are %squarely behind this bill.
They have stated that to lose this
amount Of event now would
mean a loss of about SIS 200
a year and would upset the finan-
cial program of the administration;
and let me call this to the at-n In
of my friends on this side of the
House. If this item should be
stricken from the bill and we
should decline to continue this tax,