The Lamar register., 1916-01-19

| Inc "IlleI nOlub lndl the Ailefl-
can Government, if it would be true
to its highest functions as an instru-
ment of the people, must forever place
justice above expediency.
We yield our loyalty to that gov
eminent, right or wrong, but as to
the wisdom and justice of policies,
the people, in the end, must decide.
With this thought in view, let US
consider u recommendation made by
President Wilson in his recent mes
sage to Congress, wherein he declares
the need of additional sources of rev.
enue, and suggests u tax Of fifty
cents per horse power on automobiles"
Tie says further that such taxes can
justly be resorted TO-" If Congress
obeys, this well be special tax of
from $40 to $50 each, per year, for
each owner Of car to pay.
AS rule taxes are unfair unless
their burdens fall alike on all, pro
portionate to wealth or income. The
burdens Of this sort of tax would not
50 fall.
1t is true that auto owners now
pay special levies to the state and TO
municipalities and make no murmur,
these taxes being for specific pur-
poses in which the persons SO taxed
are presumed to have special inter
est. This Federal tax is for the gem
eral purposes of government, of equal
benefit and interest to all, and its
burdens should be imposed in way
to fall more equitably on all.
1t would not materially weigh upon
the wealthy, but would impose hard
ships on the comparatively poor.
For illustration, a neighbor in the
next block would pay $40 because he
has a car rather than a carriage. A
neighbor in another block, who counts
his wealth at S5O,OOO.OO would pay no
tax at all under such a law, for he
happens to have no automobile.
"A travelling salesman, who depends
upon his daily toll to meet the ex-
penses Of living, would pay the tax
because he must have some means OF
travel in order to do his part OF the
worlds work. A merchant to whom
he sells goods, though worth $4,000.
would not pay because he drives
blooded horse instead Of car.
The plumber, the painter and the
shopkeeper each has car to trans
port tools and materials, or TO deliver
merchandise, and they must pay, yet
the millionaire may pay little more
than one Of them.
The writer knows boy-there the
in nearly every town such instances
who by pinchng, planning made car
of his own; and by hauling people in
1t, he makes a meagre living for him
self and those depending on him. He
would be required TO pay this tax
Is it fair that this rich nation should
Cypress such as him, and tax the rich
man on his brick block not at all
But most of all, the farmers would
be burdened-they would have cars to
haul their products to market, their
children to school, and, on the Sab
bath, the family to church.
There are communities in which
this tax would fall upon one person
out Of three, and in yet other commun-
mites, it would only hit one out Of
twenty or more. 1t would place about
the same burden on the man worth
$500 with most of it tied up in
''jitney," that it would place on him
who owned 100000 Of wealth, though
possessing but one automobile.
"ro sum it up, the plan appears to
accord with no principle of justice
or fair dealing. 1t is unwise, unjust
and repugnant to every sound policy
of equitable taxation. Congress should
reject it.
"The writer does not know what
other men may think about it, but he
if, to bridge the present crisis,
we must have these fundamentally
wrong emergency taxes upon Amer
lean wealth and industry, it would be
better to tax the shot and shell, and
all the death-dealing paraphanalia of
war, now being produced by the wealth