New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-30
Grounds for Protest

The New York publishers protest
AGAINST the proposed advertising Tax
on the following grounds;
F;rst-The great increase IN the cos'
% all materials which enter INTO inc
manufacture Of newspapers mas SER.
o,slv affected the taxpaying ability OF
the newspaper industry
Second-A tax on gross income from
advertising would be an unjust discr,"-
;,otion. az II docs not apply to otner
;ndrstria, enterprises. Newspapers now
nav the sane tax as other Industrial
aornorations and will have TO pay any
increase applying TO them.
Third-In time OF crisis, adverus'hg'
the strongest promotive force IN DUST
ness. should not be crippled.
Fourth The newspaper press II unI
of the most important and po"erIuI
weapons of the government IN Wy
nrosent war. and its strength shou.u
-. ho reduced or its influence weak
cned by oppressive and discriminatory
taxes. .,;-ol
Fifth Of being penalized,
/ tho co0paration Of newspapers should
he sought by the government, which
| should make the utmost possible use OF
newspaper publicity. go, ~
Sixth - Newspaper publishers will
carry their full share Of the financial
burden OF the war, but they protest
against discriminating and conhscatory
| taxation.
"Few industries have been affected
| by the war more disadvantage usly
/ than that Of publishing newspapers
/ The resolutions continue. There has
| been a great increase in the cost Of all
materials which enter into their manu-
/ facture. Especially has this been 50 IN
| the case Of print paper The high price
PAL ~ newspapers for paper makes
/ immense excess profits for the mills
so that newspapers already arc pay 90
increased taxes in the form OF eNto
tionate contributions to the profits CT
p Ger manufacturers.
Investigation by he Federal govern
ri6nt resulted IN tre condemnation Of
the acts Of print paper manufac-
turers and tho determination by the
[ Federal TRADE Commission chat the
price Cnarg 8 WIS unreasonable.
"Newsr*pcrs 20 preTer, pay "A tax Of
per cent on their corporation income
They will nay their proportionate share
Of whatever additional tax may be
levied on business or the profits o'
business They contend FOR q taA On
profits. not on their efforts. q is now
pIoposcI, however. 70 place tax o. =
per CEN CO.. the gross income from adj
vertls.nC. Which is tie prime Tcl source
Of revenue - sent. mounting
70 H. 20 90 rt- cent On nc e.rniLgs,
and in great MANY Cos inc tax
/ W -uld much exceed 80 nett earnings
Of the newspaper business. II is
pronable that n taxation burden so
great is not contemplated by Congress
in he case Of anv other line Of bust
ness.
Never Have Been Favored
"Newspapers nave never been ia
,orcd with exemptions from taXcs. They
have no desire 20 be SO iavoreC II ~
now proposed that newspapers be
singled out for special taxation, nut IL
a class apart from all other corpora
tons and property owners, and made
10 nav taxes not levied upon other sim
liar industries. Anything which would
reduce the efficiency Of the newspaper
prcss rs harmful 60 Tho public and m
furious 20 the consti ,utioral liberty Of
the press"
Newspapers represented by the Pub
fishers Association Of New York City
are the american" "Deutsches Jour
nal" German Herold" journal o.
Commerce" "Sun." "Staats-Zeitung,
Times" Tribune, world" Evening
Journal" "Evcring Mail" Evening
/ Post" Evening Sun." Evening
World" Globe" "Wall street jour
nal" "Brooklyn Citizen "HrooKyn
Eagle" brooklyn S,andard-Union,'
"Krooklyn Times and the Jersey
Journal"