The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1917-06-16

How Taxes Should Be Apportioned.
a. The burden of taxes must be
spread as far as possible over the
whole community SO as to cause each
individual TO share fin the sacrifices ac-
cordluE to his ability to pay ana ace
cording To his share in the Government
. ~ Taxes Oh consumption. which are
. necessarily borne by the community at
large. should .- I'M =cd as far as pos
sibie en- articles Of ggast-,uEu-y rather
than on those of necessity.
. 81 .ENcises should be imposed as far
as possible upon commodities in The
hands OF the final consumer rather
than upon the articles which serve pri-
marily as raw material for further
production.
a. Taxes upon business should be
imposed as far as possible upon net
earnings rather than upon gross re-
ceipts or capital invested
o. Taxes upon income which will
necessarily be severe should be both
differentiated and graduated. That is.
there should be a distinction between
earned and uneaned incomes and there
should be higher rate upon the larger
incomes. 1t is essential. however, not
to make the income rate so excessive
as to lead to evasion, administrative
difficulties, or to the more fundamental
objections which have been urged
above.
Ien Trho ayooSs oroA+s xrb9oh ora dua
to the war constitute the most obvious
and reasonable source of revenue dur
ing war times But the principle upon
which these war-proft taxes are laid
must be equitable In theory and easily
calculable In practice.
The Proposed Income Tax
The additional income tax as passed
by the House runs up to a rate Of 60
per cent. This is a sum unheard Of In
the history Of civilized society. 1t must
be remembered that 1t was only after
the first year of the war that Greet
Britain increased her income tax to t Q
maximum Of "a per cent, and that
even now in the fourth year Of the war
the income tax does not exceed 4216
per cent.
1t could easily be shown that a tax
with rates on moderate incomes sub
stantially less than in Great Britain.
and on the larger incomes about as
high, would yield only slightly less than
the $3.50. 100000 originally estimated il
the House bill.
1t is to be hoped that the Senate will
reduce the total rate on the highest IN.
comes to 81 per cent or ut most to 40
per cent, and that at the same time it
will reduce the rate en- the smaller in
comes derived from personal or profes-
sional earnings.
IF the war continues we shall have to
depend more and more upon the i~-
come tax. BY imposing excessive rat :
now we are not only endangering the
future, but are inviting all manner of
difficulties which even Great Britain
has been able to escape.
Conclusion.
The House bill contains other funda
mental defects which may be summed
up as follows:
ID 1t pursues an erroneous principle
in imposing retroactive taxes.
(2) It selects an unjust and unwOrz
able criterion for the excess-profts tax.
81 1t proceeds to an unheard-of
height in the income tax.
a. 1t imposes unwarranted burdens
upon the consumption Of the commu
nifty.
(5) 1t is calculated to throw business
into confusion by levying taxes on gross
receipts instead Of upon commodities.
(6) 1t fails to make proper use of
stamp taxes.
% 1t follows an unscientiic system
in its fat rate on imports.
(8) 1t includes multiplicity Of pet
ness Of which is out Of all proportion to
the revenue they produce.
The fundamental lines on which the
House bill should be modified are sum-
med up herewith:
q) The amount of new taxation
should be limited to $3.50, 100000
at the outset to 81, ,500,O00O00. To do
more than this would be as unwise as
it is unnecessary. To do even this
would be to do more than has ever
been done by any civilized Govern
ment in time Of stress.
(2) The excess-profits tax based upon
a sound system ought to yield about
S5O0,O0O,OOO.
81 The income-tax schedule ought to
be revised with lowering Of the rates
on earned incomes below $4,000, and
with an analogous lowering of the
rates on the higher incomes, so as not
to exceed "a per cent. A careful cal
culation shows that an income tax of
this kind would yield some S450,O00.
600 additional.
a. The tax on whisky and tobacco
ought to remain approximately as it IS
with a yield of about $23O,OOOOOO.
These three taxes, together with the
stamp tax at even the low rate Of the
House bill, and with an improved au-
tomobile tax, will yield over S1,250,-
100000, which is the amount of money
fhOupht deSira h1n