The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1915-02-24
PEOPLE Of JAPAN
GREATLY TAXED
Why They Don't Want
War With Us.
HAVE TAXES ON EVER HAND
Exacting Plan Which Makes
Every Jap Pay Tribute
To Government.
HOW THE SYSTEM IS wonKED

the Century for February. "kiao-
chau and its meaning from Japa-
nese point of view
IN this article the writer takes up
the belief expressed in many Amer
lean newspapers. that Japan, In seiz-
ing Kiao-chau, had ultimate designs
on Hawaii, Samoa and the Phillip
pines. He says that to the japanese
this view was q puzzle.
at was as though a friend. meet
ing him on the street, had greeted
him. Isn't IL perfectly golden day?
Therefore ! am going to have a
toethache.
After referring To the huge ex-
pense and the scanty benefits the
United States has had from til,
Philippines, Kinnosuke continues:
ain the sacred name OF the eight
million gods of our august ances-
tors. does the American who talks
of the black Japanese designs on the
Philippines realize the following
facts? The national debt Of Japan
stands to-day at a little over ST.
2de. 900; that of the United
States at about S1,027, 00o. Goa.
Japan owes about two hundred ar6
eighteen million dollars more than
the richest nation ON the face Oh
the globe Pray consider this fact
in the light of another fact: 4 few
years ago a gentleman fond Of fig
ures estimated the wealth of japan
lars: that OF America at one hum
dred and tifty-iive billions. Because
we are worth less than ono-fCur-
teenth as much as the United States
tand the estimate If a highly favor
able one FOR Japan We owe - s.
10a,VV0 more than America. HorC
indeed is q sound financial logic:
and because of this sound logic we
are accused OF itching for additions
WAT FphiNA litH hI'As ''i
backs q much bigger burden. n
this may be a sound political policy
but il seems to as that it. takes The
Californian climate to keep Tho
above fancy in good health.
Has the American whose tame!
roams free over the possibility O.
the Japanese starting something
in the Pacific enjoyed peep III tina,
marvellous EifIel Tower of OfHciag
computation called the taxation sys-
TEN of Japan2 Does he know or
even suspect that the Japanese mil
lionaires and near millionaires all,
in fact. whose yearly income il moro
than $5O,00O--are taxed 80 pei
cent, and a poor wretch who earns
$500. or less year is taxed % pei
cent. OF It? That is on income. lie
is taxed on land as high rs 80 per
cent. Is he a retail merchant: lie
is taxed $500 for every thousand
dollars OF gross business he does
That. Is not all Ne is taxed PEI
cent. OF the rental value OF ths
building in which he does his bust
ness. and II for every man or wom-
an he employs in his business. Is
he banker? lie is taxed - per
cent. Of his capital. . per cent, OF
the rental value OF the building,
and q, dollar for every omploye. A
commission merchant or u broker?
Then he has To give NJ 10 I'll, sup
port of his august government
$3.50 out o. every one thousan6
dollars of commission he collects.
But is this tho end? Why. IL Is
barely the beginning. He must pay
succession tax both 10 the head5hip
OF house and TO property; he is
taxed on liquor (Which he deserves,
of course). and II he happens To be
model young man eschewing in
ioxicanis. the Eiifel Tower provides
amply and handsomely for him IN a
soy Ca sauce commonly used In
cooking) tax, tax ON sugar. on oil.
and ON patent medicine. which he Is
bound 20 use at one time or another
in his pIlgrimaee through his partic-
ular financial vale OF tears.
Then there f. teXtile-consump-
ton tax and the travelling tax I'M
posed on passengers on steam-trains
electric ears. and steamboats, and
II he Is absent-mlnded enough TO
travel iirsr-class. he is taxed 80
cents for every two hundred statu-
tory or nautical miles. And all this.
mind YOU. is independent OF the to-
bacco. salt. and camphor monopolies
through which the government
makes money in way that would
make the American trust magnates
look like a lot OF sisters Of charity.
II has been said that a JSpsnesc