Ogden Standard-Examiner | 1922-07-02 | Page 12 | Mondell Gives Critics Answer

MONDELL GIVES CRITICS ANSWER Economies and Equalizing 1 of Tax Burden Claimed I By G. 0. P. Leader WASHINGTON. July 1. Reviewing 'the- tchlevemente or songrvn," Rep. r-.-,f ntative Mondell. the Republii I I leader, hit back .In the hone Friday at Its critics. Declaring that congress afforded the most alluring of nil j fields for criticism by those "denied by popular will' s place therein. M. 1 Atondell ald that those who were I ii Isappolnted becaune congress declined de-clined to accept their views or to hc-rede hc-rede to their demand?;, found It much eanler to "damn congress than to de-' fend their own position." with ih'-".- who criticised congressl for purely partisan reasons, regardless of the facts. Mr. Mondell linked newspaper news-paper editors 'who, immured io cdl-' torlal sanctums, out of an entlro lack I of national viewpoint and complete Isolation -om the puls. t.f national sentiment conscientiously or unconsciously uncon-sciously reflect tho se'iflsh and provincial pro-vincial Hentlmont which filters through the editorial keyhole." Without mentioning nampp Mr Mondell declared that as usual con-Kress con-Kress had been asiled by "a con- B stderable number of peopie and from R wide nnd curiously diversified standpoints stand-points of view and opinion" The Country, however, he declared, j would Judfje congress by what It does rather thnn by what Is said about it. Mr. Mondell pointed to "the splendid splen-did record of economy In appropriations" appropria-tions" under the budget systefh. "Up to this time congress. ' he said, "has placed upon tho statute books 395 separate laws of which 311 arc public nnd S7 private. Including claims In addition the house his considered and passed 276 bills of which 128 are public and 14S private. Seventeen penate bills also hav? passed the house but have not reached reach-ed the point af actual agreement, thus I maklnsr the house average of two and one-third bills for each legislative day." The "worthiness or capacity" of a legislative body. Mr. Mondell asserted, assert-ed, could not be judged by the volum of Its work. The house, he added, had been extraordinarily diligent "and! OUnd, Intelligent and enlightened in i Its Judgment." TAX kOtlON DEFENDED. Heading the list of achievements was the tax revision which he said In the nature of thins 'could not have satisfied evervbody." "It was not possible under the condition con-dition of the public treasury." said Mr Mondell. "and In view of'tho obligations ob-ligations and Increased demands growing out of or resulting from the war, to reduce tho tax burden to the extent that the congress would have been plad to have reduced It. Ther was an actual liftlnsr rather than a shifting of the tax burden There w..s not only nn honest but a su CSSSCul attempt to relievo falrlv and equitably so far as was possible under the circumstances, the tax burdens ot all classes of people. It reduced 'he burden for the calendar year 1921 In the -um ,,r approximately jsn Ooo" -OtiO and according to the latest estimates esti-mates of the treasury relieves the tax burden for the present calendar year not ej than JSoO.OOO 000." I The interest bearing national debt, i Mr Mondell said, has been reducJM in billion dollars. In appropriation!: for the fiscal year beginning todtj we have adhered to and ImprotH upon our r. ord o i onomy .ir.d hm made a saving over the current yssfl of approximately 1216, too in apj proprlatlons for th' it ablljJiij mcnls," Mr. Mondell said. on