Bisbee daily review., 1917-06-24
TAXING NEWSPAPERS.

The newspaper business like any other should pay it.
 just proportion of the correctly says
 The New York Times. It always has. Newspapers pay
 taxes upon their real estate they corporation taxes
 they subject to the Federal corporation income The money they pay for print paper ink and other materials to the of the producers thereof Newspapers have been favored with exemption from taxes They have no desire to be so favored
 What has put the heads some Senators and Re presentatives the notion that newspapers should singled out a subject of special taxation put class apart all corporations property and made pay levied upon other similar
 industries? The House Committee proposed increase
 in secondcass postage rates that would have been merely burdensome but practically prohbtory paper circulation in parts of the country remote from the seal of publication There attempt to justify
 proposed increase by the assertion that the secondass rate does not the cost of transportation
 that the newspapers for this actually in debt to the Government under obligations to it. Apart from questions of fact involved which there is dispute the obligation is quite the other way The newspapers of the country perform services for the Gov ernment that cannot be measured in money They disseminate information. they make the Governments I tions the stock of public knowledge they raise the level of public intelligence They directly and powerfully assist in appeals the spirit of pat riotsm of the peope-as in the part they played in the recent campaign Liberty Loan. Neverhe
 ess newspaper wants to be in debt to the Govern ment If the second-class postal of newspapers not remunerative, let the Government determine the newspaper transportation apart from the cost of transporting magazine and other periodicals which is entirely different matter and fix the charge accordingly The newspapers will complain of that
 The proposed per upon advertising receipts another venture in special taxation newspapers without any basis in justice sound theory singled the newspapers if for punishment It was proposed that any like should be laid upon other business. Now the Senate Committee has under consideration profits tax newspapers pro- gressive degree which would make burdensome in the extreme This to have been based upon the theory that newspapers are war industry That theory has foundation whatever. The business re cept of many newspapers have been increased dur ing the war; but have their The increase due to industry and courage and enterprise than in It is probably that the itself has directly increased the property value of newspapers Unlike munon plants, they make nothing that it direct used for purposes industry to be taxed on war profits it must shown that the profits have ac crued from war sales There shadow of justiffca tion for putting newspapers in class with factories turning out rifles powder, shells, and cannon
 The newspapers of the country loyal, they have always willing support the Government. They entirely willing to support they will give free y of their profits and their substance enable the Gov pay the costs of but they justice the attempt to single them out for special burdens heavier by far than those imposed the majority of other industries The corporation income tax has been willingly paid it is easily collected That is an indica
 on of the direction which the Government should pro- ceed in it's efforts to obtain The news papers will make objection to taxes upon corporate individual incomes justly and equaby assessed upon all business interests the country In system of taxation may adopted the precept that it is not wise to destroy from which is derived should be kept steadily in view.