The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-11-16
LIBERTY BOND
LESSONS
BY HOWARD SPEER
OF Hincks Bros. & Co.
Article No. 3.
NrErVxJ ANNDC TOD ON
Article No. 3
NEW LAMPS FOR OLD.

There isn't any Liberty Bond ques-
than this, Shall T convert by 3A
per cent bond of the First Liberty
Loan into a per cent. bond of the
Second Loan?"
The answer seems easy. It's
good deal like asking a man whether
he would rather have $3.50 or $500.
He thinks you are either crazy or
frying to play a practical joke on
{him.
And most people feel about the
same way on this question of con-
verting S12 per cent. Liberty Bonds
into per cent. bonds. Now the
word convert hasn't any special
meaning in this connection. 1t sim
ply means exchange, make an even
trade. bond for bond. $50 for $50,
4 and $1o0 for 500, except that the
tbond you get will pay you per cent.
| and the one you give up will pay only
az per cent
=. VIII 1t cost anything to make the
trade? Not a cent. Will the bond
you get be as safe as the one you
give upg Absolutely; each one is
promise of the Government Of the
EUnited States, And Uncle Sam keeps
all his promises, not only some OF
them.
And yet a couple Of days ago we
iconvert.'' why2
"A Do you remember that fascinating
\ story of Aladdin and the Wonderful
kLamp that you used to read over and
over again in the Arabian Nights
when you were a youngster? When
fthe wicked magician wanted to get
kthe wonderful lamp again. he appear
cd as a peddler before Aladdin's
palace crying out, New lamps for
olds New lamps for old! Who will
give old lamps for new?" And
iAladdin's beautiful wife, not knowing
the value of that old lamp on the
tshelf, was taken in by the trick and
thought she had bargain until
Aladdin came home and told her
tWhak she had really done
Now there isn't any wicked magt-
clan In this Liberty Bond exchange,
land there isn't any trick But Lib
farty Ms are old lamps and Liberty
4s are new ones and there are some
tplain facts about the two that you
Fought to understand thoroughly be-
ffore you act. These facts have all
{been printed, but If you don't know
tmuch about bonds you probably don't
know just what their importance is.
Is Fact No. I Is that every 3A per
fOent Liberty bond has this sentence
engraved on the face of it: THE
principal and interest of this bond
shall be exempt from all taxation, ex-
gcept estate or inheritance taxes. i'm
posed by authority of the United
states of its possessions or by any
state or local taxing authority"
That means that you have to die
to 1osei No town. city, county, or
state, nor even the United States of
america herself. can tax your own
ership of that bond or of any of the
Interest which it pays you If when
you die, your estate Is large enough
+ to come within the Inheritance tax
laws of your state. your Liberty 3h
per cent. bonds will be counted in
along with your other property for
taxationo before your heirs can take
POSSESSION But in every other re-
aspect they are as free from any posi-
bile taxation as the air you breathe
or the thoughts you think.
No matter how they may change
rthe Income Tax Law; no matter how
thigh city taxes may become; no mat
tier how poor business may be, nor
how much the government may need
money, for war or any other purpose;
SO long as there is a Government of
1.-THE United States a Liberty 81 per
cent Bond cannot be taxed
Now won't you just think about the
sabso1ute freedom of this bond from
ftaxatfon7 Turn it over in your mind
for the next day or two while you
ARE waiting for the next lesson.
Think what times we are living in,
how prices are going up. how it costs
three cents to mail a letter, and one
fcent more to go to the movies, IL
cents more to go to New York, and
50 on Those extra pennies are
taxes. We pay them cheerfully, al
most eagerly. 1t makes US feel that
we are doing just little bit more to
help.
But just the same. isn't It nice to
know that there are some things
that can't be taxed? Before we get
Through we may realize how well this
bond Of ours deserves the name of
liberty bond.
Next Monday we will continue this
discussion OF whether or not to ex-
$change 81 Tor As. 1t is big topic
eand there ts much more to besaid.