Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1917-05-12
American People Will Pay
Direct Taxes Of $33 Per
Capita Under House Bill.
OPPOSITION STRONG.
Publishers say Proposed In
creased Postal Rates VIII
Force Many Papers Out.

WdSnlIlStOil, Way II. IHc wal 'aA
bill, extending its exercises to the ia
brio of every American home, was
formally presented to the house by
the ways and means committee with
plans for quick passage. AS fore
taste of what may come later, it pro-
poses special taxes to raise $780,
600, 900 in addition to the present nor
NAL annual revenue Of $500, 000,-
600. When its terms are effective
the American people will be paying
direct taxes of $33 per capita. The
people Of the British lsles-half as
many-now pay per capita taxes of
$50.
While the principal features of the
new war levy are the increases in in
come and profit taxes, increases in in
ternal revenue rates, and increases OF
customs duties, many Of its provis-
ions reach the innermost structure
of every home and make up a list Of
taxes probably the most formidable
ever faced by the American people.
The household light, heat and tele-
phone bills, admission tickets to
amusements, fire and life insurance
railway tickets, automobiles, automo-
bile tires and tubes, soft drinks, post
age rates, golf clubs and base ball
bats, club dues, and of other every
day necessities or luxuries come I'M
der the taxation,
Increased postage rates on newspa-
pers, arranged in zone system, are
such that publishers say they will
force many newspapers out OF BUSH
ness. Already protests against many
features of the law are pouring in and
attacks upon it will center in the sem
ate finance committee which will con-
duct public hearings on it and proba-
bly, make some amendments.
When Democratic Leader Kitchen
presented the bill to the house he an
nounced that general debate would
begin then and that he had hoped to
pass it by Saturday. There is some
objection, however, to hurrying the
bill and probably it will be passed the
early part of next week.
On presenting the bill the ways and
means committee made report, say
ing in part:
"After carefully considering the ex-
perience of the European coutries at
war, the committee believes it is
sound economic policy for the pres
emf generation to bear fair and
equitable portion of the burden of fl
nancing the war, and recommend that
the remaining contemplated expenses
of the government for the remainder
of this and the whole of the next fis-
cal year be raised by taxation. The
effect of this recommendation is that
about one-half of this contemplated
expenditure will be met by taxation
and the other half from the proceeds
from bonds.
TAX Or $33 PER CAPITA.
II is estimated that the receipts OF
the federal government, including
postal receipts for the next fiscal year
under existing law, will amount to
81, 5OO,0OO0O0. The proposed bill is
estimated to yield during IL month
period 81, 800, 900, 900 additional. This
will make the total receipts of the gov
eminent for the next fiscal year So,
800, 900, 600 or about 1913 per capita as
compared TO Great Britain with pop
lation less than half that of the United
States, whose receipts, including pos
tai receipts for the year ending March
81, 1917, amounted to 81, 100, 900, 00C
or about $50 per capita.
The committee believes that the
American people were never ina more
favorable condition to pay reasona.
BILE amount of taxes for war purposes
in addition to those for normal pur.
poses, than at the present time. The
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