Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-07
,Ouy F. LEWIS OPPOSES
pr PRESIDENTS SHIPPING AND
INCOME TAX PROPOSALS

r,.oderick Lewis, prominent at
< Jonh ,his city. who Is considered an
f torIley w AZ international law, said of
=" presidents address -., ,..,,,,....-,,,,
We -, greatly interested and impressed
4 nbot the President has said about
win We" of our merchant marine
nc NV l"a,, no no question as to the wis
Ine' taxing prompt and effective meas
CON y. ,crcose Americas tonnage on the
VIZ ord there can be little question, II
~ s IN the vital necessity OF such m
any, from the standpoint of national
s.IS,snce, There will, however propably
~ great difference OF opihloh as 10
W ihhor ,be manner of increase recon-
mended by the IreS'u'"' 10 '''' "'''''
E course TO adopt, ....,-,,,..,,, .,,c ,,,t,,s
,ho Goycrrment itself might or might
", No serious competition to individ-
~ Snternrise and discouraEcmcnt to
ss,,,5u.I initiative. individuals might
ui,,n,o IN invest capital In the same field
4 ~. ,btrh the Government had already
w. Ip,a.od and there might be opened the
I. az for the gravest danger of interna-
4 ',.asJ compllcatiun IL the Government
..".od and operated merchant vessels
+ !, chartered them to individuals Tor
4 snorotion As ! understand the present
. srtude of the maritime interests OF the
4 so,n,rv MS represented by maritime as
socIotiJns, the opinion Is against GOV
srn,ncntal ownership and operation ana
r,tber I'm favor Of wise laws generously
4 .dr,nistered by people familiar with the
'uohieme involved. not by obtaining
4 tso,rledre IRON books, but by actual
zsynerlcncc. I have mot generally with
4 S,snc,inotinn to make new and untried
s,periments instead of adopting the RENE
/ s,Is which those really familiar with the
4 si,uotior cnn readily recommend.
"The problems presented the national
Executive by the circumstances which
srow confront him are not easy of solu-
I,on but | believe that they can be
|solyed without resort to means whiCh
asyperlcnc,d men are opposed to and
(which my DC even questioned upon con-
Isttutional grounds.
II am interested also IN what the
prt silent says with reference to the in
1crease of taxes. There are many sources
In revenue open to the Government which
|sre not un-Amcrican, inuuisitorial and
.oppressive but which would yield large
return and be collected with great econ
omy and would not be- directly felt by
Those who pay the taxes. Any method
'of taxation which requires Il large num-
|ber Of collectors and which is expensive
|to administer Is to be avoided. and while
Ii have read with interest all that the
President has said | believe that great
Importance should be given to the adop-
ItlOn Of some system of national economy.
I'VE hear a great deal from time to
/ time about the increase of taxation, and
!, we hear comparatively little about gov
Elemental economy or, for that matter.
economy in state or city, and yet most
!. Of US, as individuals, confronted with
the problem that we are living beyond
our means. woud naturally take steps to
decrease our out-go, while al the same
/ time We were struggling to increase our
income. National expenditure has
reached unprecedented proportions, and
believe that a hrm. rigid and sensible
national economy would enable the Gov
eminent to live within its present means
without adding new burdens to our peo-
pie"
Ex-Judge Dinner Beeber. president OF
the Commonwealth Title Insurance and
Trust Company and member of the
Board OF Education, said:
u am in favor of the lowering OF the
iJit on taxable incomes, but | do not
see any use in taxing bank checks when
the country could ia Sc all the money 1t
needs by passing an equitable tariff law"
Judge Beeber said he could not esti-
nate what Phladclphia's share Ct bank
check tax would be.