The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1910-08-13
EXPOSITION TAX.
Reasons Why Proposed Amendment to the
State Constitution Should be Adopted
Every Taxpayer win be Bene-
fitted, and the Burden
Imposed win be a
Small One.
By Exposition Publicity Bureau.

/ imposed VIII De
Small One.
BY Exposition Publicity Bureau.
It would be impossible and perhaps un-
desirable to have everybody of the same
mind with regard to any public question
that may arise, hence more or less op-
position to the proposed Panama Exposi-
ton tax may be expected. It is not out
of place to remark in this connection, that
if there were any question in support of
which without violation of any principle
every taxpayer in the state might cordi-
ally unite that question would seem to
be the Panama Exposition amendment.
AS the amendment was originally
passed. there was some complaint that
the proportion of the tax to be paid by
the country was toe great. but in response
to that objection a special session of the
legislature will meet on the 18th instant
to reduce the amount asked for from
the country taxpayers and to increase the
amount exacted of New Orleans. The
ratio under the new arrangement will be
one million dollars from the country tax
payers and six and a half millions from
the New Orleans taxpayers, the amount
asked of the country taxpayers being only
thirty and a half cents on a thou
sand dollars assessment.
Small as that ta1 may be, it must be adj
mitted that it is too large were it to be
devoted to an improper purpose: hence
the support of the tax should be based
upon the value it viii be to the taxpayers.
rather than the comparative insignifcance
of the burden. Admitting that the tax
will be small. still the payment of the
small tax cannot be defended unless such
tax be necessary to the support Of public
government, or to bring profit to the tax
payers.
The great fortunes amassed in modern
times have been acquired in two ways
chiefly, .to-wit: by consolidation and BY
advertising. The great predaeious trusts
have been built up BY following the
principle of addition, division and
silence, silence being Of the essence of
their success. Publicity IS the deadly foe
of such interests that may have covert
designs upon TIE pfssle. but II Is the
breath of life
men lllo havlnss 5ofnegfit.a sslat IS
merlsorious, have had the good sense and
the courage to let the public noNNof. its
merit.
This leads directly TO the crux Of the
question concerning this tax of 374 cents
per thousand dollars of assessment, asked
of the country taxpayers in support of the
exposition Louisiana, her interests and
her industries. are in the public eye today
and general attention is focused upon
them as direct result of the publicity
being given them in the fight to obtain
the location of a great International ex
position in New Orleans. With no such
magnet to draw the attention of the peo
pie of this and other countries this way,
the most effective advertising that Louis
lana is now obtaining could not be se-
cured even were the state willing to pay
several times as much in case as the
whole amount of the tax on city and
country would be.
Does anyone ask what good all this
publicity will bring to the small taxpayer?
The answer is, it will bring to him ex-
actly the same sort of good that effective
has brought to all men who
have had something worth while, and
who had the nerve to let the people know
about it through the medium of advertis- I
ing. But, it is objected, 'he has nothing
but his small farm, and the publicity that I
will increase the value of that viii only |
add to his burden by increasing the tax
he must pay on the increased value, with I
out increasing the revenue he derives
from it" The answer to that objection |
will be found in the answer to the ques-
ton: Does he produce anything that
somebody else may want? If So the
publicity that this exposition will give to
it, and the increased demand it will
create, will enhance the profits derived
from whatever it may be that one may
have to sell.
If the thing produced be farm, orchard,
pasture, poultry or dairy products, the dc
mand for them will be increased in pro-
portion to the number of consumers the
exposition win attract, temporarily and
permanently; and with increased demand
will come increased prices. If it be but
labor, whether skilled or unskilled, the ex-
position will offer opportunities and better
prices, sufficient TO Offset many times
over the amount of the small tax neces-
sary to secure the exposition. If, by the
,yo+in5 of this INSIGNIFICANT tax we shall