The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1891-10-30

sze Proata ana oppOrtunitica.
The tax solution undoubtedly taizsz
the precedence OF all others for the set
uement Of some Of the enormous abuses
against which the common people are
organizing themselves throughout the
length and breadth Of the land This
is proven by the readiness with which
IL has won tho endorsements Of those,
including some of the best inteitecta OF
the country who have taken the time
20 give the method o careful study.
lnasmuch, however as this termed
variousiy as the cumulative, graduated
and progressive taxing method) Is a
com Parativeiy recent development OF
the search for economic corrections IL
has considerable share Of its sdUca-
tional crusade yet 20 perform ere 10
shall have won its way through the
voices and pens Of its disciples into the
minds and convictions Of the masses ia
toto. Possessed in own mind OF the
utmost confidence L the superiority OF
this measure for the prevention of
certain economic ills, I desire 20 ada a
I few more ideas 80 the recent literature
upon the subject in the hope OF still
further eEpediting the progress with
which it is at present finding favor
To begin with, I cali attention to
| some features of taxation considered
| apart from its use as solution or cor
rsetion In the field OF industrial affairs
3 Long as people el4lA nave 9GG4 ADr AAlG
authorities and duties OF government
/ so long will they be under the necessi-
l " to raise revenue for the payment OF
! the expenses attendant upon the same
/ We cannot have public or common
| preservation OF the records, public or
/ der, public highways or public busi-
| ness without paying FOR them, aud we
| cannot pay for them as public or com
mon affairs without doing so from a
! public or private or common fund
| As there Is no likelihood of there be-
/ ing found any measure 80 superior to
/ that of taxation as to cause it 20 be en-
/ tirsly or even largely substituted for
l taxation, IL is not probable that gov
/ ernments will be maintained independ-
ent OF taxation But the payment of a
tax is not in its real and proper sense,
! essen TALLY q burden. It is no more so
than the payment Of a sum for a days
labor, the blowing of a field, the min
| ing of a ton Of coal or the making of
1 suit of clothes. There are some serv-
ices which can be performed far more
| economically and satisfactorily as pub
lie affairs than they can be as private
] affairs; conseq quently it is a great ad-
/ vantage to have them performed in a
public manner and the expense pro
vided for from a public fund. Looked
at in this, its proper, light taxation
must be admitted TO be a benefit iu-
stead of a burden.
But TO Justify taxation upon the
ground of its being superior mode OF
providing for a superior mode ct service
is not to conclude that taxes may be
levied without any particular regard to
] method, for that would be 90 commit a
grave error Why is this? Because tax
alton always exercises IA influence in
| regulating the development or course
/ of industries, and regulates them right
ly or wrongly according as it is rightly
or wrongly applied Levied in one
fashion IL produces "a healthy and safe
| development of industries; levied in an-
other fashion it produces an abnormal
/ and dangerous development of indus
/ tries This being so. two questions in
/ stead of one always properly come up
for consideration when we set about
devising a system of taxation % be
levied for the public ezPenses
| l. How much revenue do we needF
. What effect viii this tax have up
on the industries of the people?
/ The first question is a mathe matical
! one to be settled by reference 20 esti-
mates based upon the annual eEpendi-
lures; the second is an economic ques-
/ ton to be settled by reference to needs
| demanded in our industrial system
1t is with the consideration OF mat
ters involved in the second question
that I wish briefly TO deal in the arti-
cIes to follow, including an attempt 20
explain wherein the tax solution would
| dn some most important wants
The claim made that taxation regu-
lates the course of relative progress oi
/ industries is borne out both by the
reason OF the thing aud by practical
experience. The reason Tor &c We mud
70 be as follows: Industries prosper OF
: decline in proportion TO the profitable
ness or want of IL In them, and the cost
OF taxation Is like that OF the cost for
: labor, insurance, supplies, shelter oI
anything else OF similar character; il
goes into the items Of expense and be
comes @ factor in determining what
shall or shall not be left for profits
/ Coming out of the profits, as it does
I / then, or out of the principal, ia lieu oi
/ there being no profits, it is bound e
| exercise powerful influence in deter
! mining the manner of their develop
/ ment as 20 each other.
What 90 we find for this claim iu thi
. { line of practical eEperieuce2 cite
couple of instances first 20 show no
only that taxation is supposed 20 be
regulator OF industries, but that it ha
| been employed as such and found Z
/ work admirably. The tariff tax Is on
case Ia point In She early eEistenc
-. of our government when we wer'
l without manufactures OF any couse
queuce aud foreign capitalists were de
I termiued TO do all possible TO have u
remain without them, a tariff tax wa
I laid by our congress upon foreigl
, goods In order TO encourage the build
/ ing of auufactoris8 within our do
2 main The tax served 20 restrain th
. ! foreigners 70 sufficient degree q
? ! enable American manufacturers 10 &c
{ q foothold aud demonstrates verl
b forcibly that taxation Is not only reg
. | ulator OF the course and progress Of 10
I dustries. but most potent one
d Another case in point Is that of tn
G ! provision 10 the nstionai banking &C
{ for a ten per cent tax upon state baul
e / issues The object OF the provision
5 l which was 70 drive state bank issue
. ] out Of circulation, was cffectualiy &C
Z compIished and furnishes another 10
e stance of the most practical sort 81
e substan t5ztiou OF the theory that taz
K I alton reRulates-
! refer next 20 a couple Of instance
3 of regulation now in force, and % sue
Z I a character as 20 oe most disastrous Z
Q -1-r F~e1-aaHa Of che r1a~uIn 20 show cha