Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-02-06
LETTER ON FINES FOR IMPROVEMENTS
CONTINUED from page -

and he cannot shift this fine to
others by raising the price of his pro-
duct.
"A single piece of machinery in a
workshop or factory may escape tax
alton nearly as easy as all the bonds
and securities of the money market es-
cape taxation, but it is not possible to
hide any improvements in the pre-
cincts of farming district. Even if
every piece of taxable property in a
factory or store, every bond in the
portfolio of a capitalist, did come
under taxation like farms and their
implements and improvements, an
equal tax on all would be unjust to the
farmer because it would offend the
principle Of taxation according to abil-
ity. The farmer cannot get as quick
returns out of his implements and i'm
provements as you can from your ma
chinery. We can use $3.50 binder, a
mower, thresher, even the pillow. only
short while during the year-they
must last and pay taxes for many a
year before we get back the invested
money, If we ever get it, and piece
of newly cleared ground needs petting
for quite while before we get enough
out of it to pay for the one years
labor The circulation of capital in
farming is slow and the income &C.
cordingly small. Your printing press
may have paid for itself in one taxa
ton period and parts of the capital
invested in grocery or in a hardware
store, may have been productive IL
times and more in the course Of one
year.
Human nature is the same every
where. Nowhere are taxes liked and
nobody likes to pay them, but to lay
the great bulk Of the public burden on
just that one hard working class, the
farmers, on whom depends the growth
of the state, seems to be prerogative
of this great, wise and free American
nation.
"Since it seems too hard for US to
work out the fundaments of just tax
alton system that observes the princi-
pies of equality and ability. there will
be no help, we must take lessons from
the old countries. Switzerland and in
Germany, Prussia and Saxony, offer
excellent examples of just taxation.
They have had property taxes, too, and
they have them yet in moderate way
as part of the public revenue, but as
their economical structure has evolv-
ed they evolved systems Of taxation
that fitted the new arrangement Of
things, got the main public revenue
out Of the income tax. Horrible as 1t
may sound to many an ear the general
progressive income tax Is the only
thing that will help; the taxation Of
income out Of farming, rent, business,
speculation, interest, salaries, and
wages. The sooner we get this the
better it will be for the advancement
eous citizens of other vocations ought
to put the same strength behind this
question that the labor unions put be-
hind the industrial accident insurance.
It will be another piece of constructive
craftsmanship.
IT do not want to 60 into details to-
day. I only thing 1t worth while to
mention that with the general income
tax a moderate real estate tax may
we'll go hand in hand If 1t is found ad-
visable.
"The changes in taxation proposed
by the state tax commission according
to your paper Of January % will not
be sufficient to relieve farmers from
being fined hard for improvements.
"AGRICOLA"
The discussion is not closed-if you
want to discuss the question any lon
ger. There are doubtless many other
things that are related to this general
subject that have not been mentioned
so far THE STANDARD will be glad to
publish your views If you will take
the time to write them. Suppose you
do-can't you spare the time?