The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-09
WAYNE MAC vEAGH TO TAFT.

A YER powerful appeal TO President
Taft is contained in the February num-
Der of the North American Review The
text of that appeal is '!Consider the
Poor" and Mr.. Wayne MacVeagh is
the anthor. The argument throughout
is that the oppressive taxes should be
removed from the poor, and that wealth
should pay the taxes necessary for the
running of the Government.
Mr., MacVeagh urges that a largo por-
tion of the subjects dealt with by Con-
gress could he dealt with better by the
States. And he is especially anxious
to have Congress con6ne itself more
strictly within the limitations of the
constitution, and to take on a concern
for economical administration that ap-
pears to be ?'.ogethcr lacking at this
time, He quotes Mr.. GlIlett, of Massa-
chusetts, as recently declaring that
economy i'll appropriations has been
so unpopular as to destroy tho useful
ness of any Congressman who attempts
TO insist upon it And he emphasizes
the statement made by Senator Aldrich,
that the country could save $300,000,-
600 A year by an economical, business
like method of spending the public
money. AS a starter on this, he thinks
that hundred million dollars a year
could be saved III pensions alone, elf
only those deserving pensions received
them. y He is caustic upon the sloppy
bills that are being constantly passed,
removing the charges of desertion from
large numbers of the sneaks of the
Civil War; and he is also severe upon
the worthless young women who
beguilo old soldiers with one foot in
the grave into marrying them, so that
they can get upon the pension roll for
the remainder Of their lives
Mr.. MacVeagh urges especially the
removal of duties from sugar, Quinine,
and in general from the necessities of
lifc. While it is probable that the mid
dlemen would absorb for themselves
the reduction in prices which the tariff
would bring, the Government would be
relieved of the charge of aiding an ex-
tortion through its tariff laws.
The imposition by Congress of sue
cession or Inheritance tax is strongly
urged. And to the plea that the States,
also, might impose such tax, Mr..
MacVeagh offers the suggestion that
the Federal tax on inheritance should
be fixed at given percentages, and that
", ,harp,or NJ .1cn i,h -,
tances, the amount so collected by the
State should be deducted from the
amount imposed by the Federal Gov
ornment And where a State does moi
tax inherltanccs, the whole tax would
go to the Nataional treasury. In this
way the inheritance tax would be
made exactly equal all over the Union,
and rich men would not dodge the pay
ment of the tax by moving from one
State to another.
After going into detail in a large
number of matters, Mr.. Mac Veagl
states the purpose of his appeal IN the
following language;
The chief purpose OF this appeal is 10
ask you. President OF the Unitec
states. 10 enroll yourself with the hosts
OF good and wise men all over the world
who are helping this onward ana up
ward movement of mankind. Ii is at
least possible that by calling an extra
session OF Congress ana appealing TO It's
members in your own earnest and elo-
quent manner YOU could induce them TO
confer three great and badly needed
blessings upon twelve million American
households-the removal OF the taril
taxes from the articles essential TO their
continuance TO live by putting all such
articles upon the free list; the diminish
ing In large measure of the sheer waste
or public moneys TO which the poor
would still be Obliged In considerable
measure 10 contribute. and the lmpos-
ing OF al leas, "A portion OF the burdens
OF taxation upon surplus wealth-that Is.
wealth not needed even to encompass its
possessors with every possible luxury.
including absolute idleness IL they prefer
that folly TO the folly OF acquiring more
surplus wealth.
1t is noble appeal, strongly made;
1T breathes throughout the spirit OF
Christian love and humanity. There
has been nothing equal to it presented
TO the American public for many n
year,