Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-08-12
MaAAM4~~~
WAR TAX AND AMERICAN PROSPERITY

Although there is little, if any danger that the
United States will become involved in the European war;
still there is great probability that shall be required
to pay war tax.
The governments revenues largely derived from
duties imports With a general European war imports
to this country bound fall to the minimum even
though shipping should be seriously interfered with
because those engaged in the production of the imports
that have been receiving will be engaged in the
pursuits OF war; and the consequent revenues for main
tenance OF our government Will cease We must have
for the government is than likely that
very shortly sort of tax will be provided for.
This in itself may be beneficial to this country by
showing people how eXravagant government has be-
Heretofore, the governments revenue has been
paid by indirect taxation that the people have not been
able to know what the cost to them has BEEN The
quence has been that Of tremendous extravaganza
has ensued which the politicians have been able to keep
Ne people from blaming them for because the people have
MT been able to trace the expense direct to them.
Ii that expense has been borne by sort of direct
TAX however, which shall be felt by all classes the
income tax is already being felt by the fortunate
then the people viii be likely to devote study to the
problems Of government and be likely to approach
those problems better frame of mind to consider them
rather upon their merits than through partisan preu
dice.
Again, if we become a shipping nation and less buying
nation than have been, shall benefit greatly
though such process should increase greatly the
cost OF those things which ourselves, consumers
have to buy If wheat for instance goes to high price
because of the war; farmers will make immense prof
its though that advance in price should make
those OF us who eat wheat pay much for bread
Inc money, however, Will all this country,
go toward paying off debts already contracted abroad The
will be true of meat and other food products
well to manufactured goods. It should not be
than very few weeks until every factory hand in
America should be employed overtime in the manufacture
of articles which all the European countries at war
have been manufacturing for themselves but which they
will now need to buy from American labor should
also be employed very shortly in the manufacture Of art
ces for South American countries which they have here
tofore been buying in Europe Our farmers should
wheat this fall, requiring labor, and fac
tories should be buster than turning out products for
the world needs that in spite of the war; in spite of
the higher cost Of living that is to follow and in spite
Of the war tax shall be forced to pay to maintain
government there should be such demand for la
Dor of all classes within the next few weeks this
try has never seen before.
Indications Of the coming activity already abund-
ant Already the railroads working their men over
time transporting the crops to the markets and carrying
to the coasts all surplus stocks Of every kind already
along the coasts in demand to vessels which
being diverted from the coast trade to the
trade and to other vessels preparing to exchange the
flags of foreign nations for the flags of this country and
already factories beginning to realize the changed
dtons and the coming demands upon them and they
putting and the hum of industry already
being felt throughout the east