New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-10

which pervades the English natior
keep US alive and healthy, should b
put into war purposes.
How can it be done? II it be tn,
that voluntary appeals will tax,
years TO break down the barriers Of
the spending habit, what course Is
left? Two things the governme,
can do. 1t can tax more boldly and
drastically, making everything s1.
cept necessaries so dear that h.
most extravagant will think two
before indulging in self-indulgenc
and taking a bigger toll Of incoma
and especially of war profits; and i
can conduct its borrowing in such
way that it will be more attractive
to those whom offers Of common.
place securities leave cold. There s
Il present an enormous waste Of IA.
Dor in carrying unnecessary letter.
and worse than unnecessary circE.
lars. An all-round doubling Of POI
tai charges would give no one rea
grievance, and would either bring d
revenue or save labor, or both. The
railway tax. abandoned last sprlng
before the first whimper Of protest
would discourage a form Of extrass
gance that is a serious strain on oH
depleted railway stats. Alcohol an:
tobacco want taxing much more
heavily, and the entertainments ta1
having won its spurs, might nov
strike a harder blow at an often un
healthy form of self-indulgence. L
the excess profits tax were raised %
so per cent the grievance of thee
who believe that they are being e.
plotted by profteers would be o.
layed and much vulgar spending b.
those unaccustomed TO wealth's re-
sponsibility would be checked. To
IS income tax, for which public opin'
ion was ready year ago, might
made into a reality. But what =
most wanted is a general tax q
consumption. II is not the man VIE
earns but the man who spends VIE
has to be discouraged. In the dap
of Mexico's financial prosperity u''
der President Diaz useful 'n
was there imposed In the shape y
a stamp on all purchases. sells'
were required to have an lnvc'a
book with counterfoils. A per-
forated stamp was fixed psrN
en- the invoice and partly on W
counterfoil, and the invoice, WIZ
rcrt of the stamp adhering, was to''
out and handed TO the buyer. ln
system is described, by one who i've
under it for many years, as hs'i'
worked easily and well. The bu!o
paid the value Of the stamp, WHO
was at a rate equal TO about ~
the pound, and was only imposed
purchases Of 90 pesos or upws"
Such a system-made more cras~
for war purposes-might clean'
convenient novelty here, tak's
toll Of extravaganza and les'n'
small purchases free. There IS o.
much TO be said in these days i0'
pro rata receipt stamp instead o.
fiat Id. on all transactions over -
AS to borrowing methods, eAs
lated TO charm money out OF
pockets of those 10 whom all ".
nary forms of saving are str'p
and unpleasant, there can be no ="
ton that an issue Of premium o"
would have an effect such as no "
kind Of investment would exs''
II has even been argued thai
working classes would be so esss,
subscribe for premium bonds
they would stint themselves t0'
verely in order to do so. IN"
we'll be doubted. but the expe'n
Of France has shown that prem
bonds have-as would naturaD' .,
expected-a great attraction
those whose savings are neces'1
So small that they seem hardly wa va
while unless they can be place. -
a chance of a prize as well .
security. The social and politics.
fects OF increasing the NUMB
small investors in government I'll
need not be insisted on, ana
| hardly be exaggerated.