The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-09-06
BURDEN OF THE WAR MUST BE
EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED.

The opponents of the measure now
before congress to place a heavy tax
on excess war profits and the incomes
from vast estates dwell upon the effect
such law would have in dscouraging
investments in enterprises upon which
the government must depend for war
supplies, Those who adhere to this
argument place large profits as the
first essential in providing the govern
ment with its material needs, unmind-
full of the human sacrifices that must
be made by millions of young men and
the burden of taxation that has already
reached the limit so far as the aver
age citizen is concerned Why should
not those who are blessed with fabu-
lous incomes and those who are max
ing undreamed of profits through the
demands of war make real sacrifice
in support of our common country?
The most radical advocate of taxing
excess profits does not propose to de-
stroy business by taking all profits,
while the more conservative ones, rep
resented by Senator Borah, would al
low first normal profit based on con-
ditions before the war, to which would
be added war profit. The industry
that would relapse into inactivity un-
der such condition would clearly show
that it was in unpatriotic hands, in
the control of men who placed the dol
lar above the welfare of the nation.
We do not believe that the great in
dustries of the country are in the
hands of men OF that type. On the
contrary. IL congress win pass a law
that calls for sacrifice of profits
they will respond to 1t with the same
spirit that has been manifested by the
people as whole in defense of the
country. The fairness of the proposed
tax was shown in a speech by Senator
Borah the other day, from which the
following is an extract
in this struggle Some will lay down
their lives. Some will give their
chosen companions Some will yield
the prop and stay of old age, and
some as result of the war viii carry
en- through life broken health and
MANNED and diseased bodies. Now the
question Is, will ease, will luxury, will |
wealth lay upon the same common
altar not merely of their excess, not |
merely of their surplus but that which
also represents sacrifice? VIII the
people who are abundantly blessed
give up their surplus estates, their
gathered wealth; will they, too. deny
themselves in the hour of national
danger? We are entering a period of
sacrifice and these sacrifices must be
borne and shared in accordance with
the ability of the respective citizens
to bear them and to share them. If
this Is fight to make democracy uni
Nersal let us also make it fight TO
make democracy decent and just--to
make democracy real and worth while.
If when this fearful struggle is past
and men look back upon the awful
tragedy and reflect upon its sorrows !
and It's sufferings it shall be found I
that the great burdens of war have
been borne and are to be borne by
those of limited means, by those of
mere competency, by labor, and by the e
man of small salary, as will be true t
under loan system, while few have =
still gathered wealth and made vast
fortunes, God pity the future of this :
country. Men will mock at your gov S
arnment; they will derde your de- p
nocracy; they will denounce your re- n
,ublic and its constitution, and dis !,
content, disobedience, lawlessness, and
will permeate and demon.
llize the whole vast fabric of our free o.
II when the war shall
ave closed and peace has come you
would have respect for your govern C
nent, obedience to her laws and devo- Of
ion to the flag make no mistake as to
he equitable distributions of the bur- ="
ems Of this great war" Dt