Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-01-17
GOVERNMENT TAXATION
No One Escapes His Share
of Tariff Taxes.
TRUSTS AND BANKS BENEFIT.


Necessities Pay More Per Cent Than
Luxuries--Republicn Promises Of
TnrifY Revision Never Fulhlled-Ex-
travagant Appropriations Further
Burden the People.
Every dollar expended by the gov
ernment is paid by the people in taxes,
except small and gradually decreas-
In. amount from the sale of the public
Hands and Il few small sums from other
sources. The total receipts for the
year ended June 30, 1905, the last Off
cial report published, were $697, 101 go,
of which $26l, 70S,S57 was tariff taxes
and 1894 ,095,741 was internal revenue
taxes, and those amounts have been
largely increased during the past fiscal
year. EXtravagant appropriations by
congress mean more taxes, and there
fore every one is interested in an eco
nomcal and honest government both
in the legislative department that
makes the laws which authorize the
expenditures and in the executive de-
partmcnts which eXpend the money.
When congress authorizes more taxes
to be collected than are needed to pro-
duce enough money to cover expendi-
lures and there is large surplus In
the United States treasury it very nat
urally leads to larger appropriations,
because there Is n constant demand by
the individual congressman for an APP
preparation for his district, besides the
general demand for appropriations for
all kinds of purposes.
There is now surplus In the treas
ury of over $200,OOO,0O0, Of which over
$154 100000 has been loaned to the ma
tional banks and upon which they pay
no interest. That large sum would al
low the tariff taxes to be reduced one
half and still produce surplus for the
coming fiscal year, and If the tariff
rates were so revised that diamonds
and other articles that are luxuries
paid as much per cent tax as some ar
Iicles of necessity are now made to
pay there would be about as much
money collected as there Is at present,
and the price of articles of necessity
would be cheaper, but the price Of dia-
monds. ETC., would be higher. The
trusts and combines that are now
charging exorbitant prices for their
products would be compelled to lower
their prices, or similar products manu-
featured in England, Germany or else
where would be imported at the re-
duced tariff rates and compete with
the trusts products. Under such
plan Of reducing the tariff rates on ne
cessities one-half and increasing the
tariff tax on luxuries the trusts would
either have to reduce their profits or
lose part of their trade.
The knowledge that reasonable tariff
revision would reduce trust profits Is
the reason the trust magnates are all
Republicans and are willing to pay
percentage Of their large profits to Re-
publican campaign funds to help keep
that party In power. That Is the rea-
son Republican congress stands pat
and refuses to consider the bills for
reforming the tariff that were intro
duced by the Democrats at the last and
former sessions Of congress. Undoubt-
eddy this stand pat attitude Of the Re-
publican leaders led to the defeat of a
number Of Republican candidates for
congress and the greatly reduced ma
jority Of others. Still the Republican
leaders declare they stand pat, al
though they promised tariff revision
when necessary. But the promise is
never fulfilled, and now the declara-
tion Is made that after the next ma
tional election, If intrusted with an
other lease Of power, they will again
promise in their national platform to
reform the tariff-after election.