The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1949-03-24
Along the Potomac
to Washington
BY J. Glenn Beall

convinced millions of Americans that
the 80th Congress-dubbed "the
worst in history by President Harry
S. Truman-wasn't nearly as bad as
many persons had been led to believe.
These millions of Americans, after
adding up the amounts due to Uncle
Sam, were delighted to learn that
they actually saved a great deal as
compared with their total tax pay
ment last year. Many Americans were
in line for refunds Still others
learned to their surprise, that under
the tax-cut bill passed by the 80th
Congress, they did not have to pay
any taxes whatsoever.
As will be recalled, the taX-cut bill
was labeled "a rich mans tax bill"
But the truth was-and is-that it
removed some 100000 wage earners
from the tax rolls, and lightened the
tax-load for millions of others.
The Republicans do not take all the
credit for the taX-cuts. Many pa
triotic Democrats cooperated to pass
the tax-cut legislation over the We
hement opposition of the President,
who vetoed the measure and saw it
enacted by two-thirds vote.
This question of taxes goes to the
very heart of our constitutional,
private enterprise government. 1t is
question that must be pondered
carefully by every system, for if the
longterm New Deal panacea of 'taX
and tax and spend and spend and
elect and elect" is practiced, there will
never be another taX-cut, and there
will be a lot of tax-increases.
The Republicans and the patriotic
Democrats in Congress believe that
Individuality and should handle
our own money, spending it as we like
for what we like. The New Dealers
and the flair dealers" believe that the
amount of taxation should go up and
up and up, giving to some bureaucrat
the power to spend money. AS the
government, through the New Deal
process, gets more and more of the
national income, private business
gets less and less.
AS a result, the government finally
vestment funds. Privately-owned re-
sources become fewer and fewer
Eventually, through this process,
there is no money left in the hands of
individuals except that which is doled
out by the bureaucrats.
When this stage is reached, we will
be in the middle of totaltalianism
whether many of us know it or not
Already, laboring men of this country
work one day out of three for govern
ment. The other two days he works
for himself and his family.
President Truman says that taxes
are too low and should be increased.
If he had had his way, your taxes
would not have been lower this year
than last year and very few persons,
indeed, would have obtained the
needed refunds.
The Republicans, and many patri-
otto Democrats, gave the people this
tax-cut while carrying out their
promise to cut the cost of govern
ment and to reduce the national
debt. The debt was decreased by Sc
billion and the federal budget held
down, in spite of the greatest demand
from nations overseas. Yet, for do
ing these worthwhile things, the 8Oth
Congress was pummelled by the
President as a edo nothing" Congress.
The millions of people who know
how it feels to pay less taxes, in
stead of more, do not consider the
Republican Congress of 1946-194S a
"do-nothing" Congress. They are be-
ing awakened to the fact that it was
a "do-something- good" Congress and
there are many reasons to believe
that they want more of the same.
1t isn't likely that the present "fair
deal" controlled Congress will cut
taxes, although taxes should be cut
But if enough Americans continue to
ponder the trend of government and
business, it is possible that in an
other year the Republicans and the
patriotic Democrats once more can
start the nation on the route toward
solvency-in the home and in Wash
ington.
Under The Dome
On Tuesday of last week twenty
one representatives of the Farm
Bureau, the Maryland Virginia Milk
Producers Association and the vari-
Gus oranges in Frederick County met
with me in my office to discuss pend
ing legislation. Bills affecting agri-
culture were widely discussed by us.
The Public Works Committee of
which l am a member held daily exc
cutive sessions on the bill providing
sites and planning for public build
ings.
The mail continues to be extremely