The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1907-05-23
! INCOME TAX ONLY
Orwell c. Riddle Tells the Tax
Commission to Abolish All
Other Forms OF Taxation.

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At the April meeting Of the Tax
Commission of Ohio. Orwell G. Riddle,
editor of the Columbus PressPost and
a well-known newspaper man, said In
part:
In discussing taxation II should always
he kert in mind that the only legitimate
purpose OF n tax is tribute. tax for
any other purpose Is extortionate or
punitive. and ought to be abolished. An
lnco-le tax IL the only tax that can be
applie1 equitably.
Under our present system Ohio raises
funds from direct levy on lands and chat
tells, excuses. licenses interest on deposit
Of state funds, all of which are wrong
In principle and practice The Nichols
excise law. Willis and Cole laws and
Akin saloon tax are not paid by the per-
sons directly asses ssed. but by patrons.
Direct and indirect taxes on manufac-
lures and commercial properties become
items q cost" and are charged to the
customer.
Indirec; taxation imposes the entire
burdel of furnishing state funds upon
the cor susners Of lifes necessities, an in
sldious wy Of piling up the receipts Of
expenditure. graft and loot.
The proposed single tax" would be a
punitive tau that would lead to rapacious
land monopoly on the principle Of Sur
vival f the itt At"
Local option in taxation is a PROPOSE
ton tat will defeat itself by simple
analysis.
an 'rherliance tax Is a crime against
the 6cnd a"d Tho living comrlitted by the
state IN the ,lisa 1f law. Its true name
is st0t tory stealing.
Ta> : on nor, -~ Eed rronerty and on
the mort rare. srcc. vehicle tax and
si'nil"r ..-p7sts re Couble taxation. Nu-
mero's s"' ial taxes are proposed that
are pr . orgus
In aho'i"hing direct taxes on property
| would favor ahol'shing taxes on all
kinCs of property TANGIBLE and intangi-
BILE. real ano chott !. Industrial and COM
mercial. and tax the incomes Of all per-
sons engaged In operating these prop
ert'ss.
To make an income tax just and eqult-
able II should he imposed on every per-
son, male or female, adult or minor, who
performs services for compensation In
commercial nnd Industrial pursuits, and
on the PRODUCTS of agriculture appraised
at an average market price.
The farmer could not reasonably object
TO tax on the fruits of the soil II the
tax on the soil itself be abolished.
In the Industrial and commercial
branches IL Is reasonable TO believe that
n larger sum would he obtained by tax
on rewards for service. from heads OF
firms and corporations down to the low
est paid employe. than is derived today
from "A tax on physical properties and
INADEQUATE methods Of trying to reach
intangible rssets.
The incowe tax would be specific
tax, the fun amount of which would be
known, II would be the entire tax in
stead OF each individual Indirectly bear
ing the taxes OF the butcher, baker,
clcthier grocer or any other institution
patrnni=ed An increasing business would
find It's way into the pockets of more
employees, from whom the state would de-
rive increased receipts. And this tax
could not be shifted from one to another
until II is finally met by -resistants.
Taxes on street railway, interurban
and steam railways would be more equit-
able under an income tax than under the
present system. Tax on franchise is ad-
vocated. Under our present system fran
chises should be taxed. But our going
concerns" are going in direction for
which they were not originally chartered.
They are going TO go out of private own
ership into public ownership When
popularity owned, tax on franchise on
physical property and on capitalization
will fall together. II such properties
were producing tribute to the public cof-
fers under an income tax. public owner
ship would create no taxation perplex-
tiles. franchise tax would he an OBJ
stacle In the way of public ownership In
addition TO the obstacles In the present
tax system.
Give US an income tax at n horizontal
rate, II were as unjust to lower the rate
as the income goes up II would be to
raise the rate as the income Increases
There can be no justice In any gradu-
ated or siding scale for an income tax
Why should not the man OF larger oppor-
tuni'y pay In proportion to his opportu-
nifty? Make us all Taxpayers through
the medium Of direct income tax and
we viii all become actively concerned in
the common welfare. We will all be-
come public-sprted citizens. jealously
guarding our own rights and interests
and justly regarding the rights and In
terests Of others.