Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1917-02-09
EVERYTHING INDUSTRY.

Taxes are not alone the burden OF the
rich. They inevitably descend along
the scale and are generally shared Ia
some proportion BY all Whom exces.
siye burdens OF taxation emphasize the
competitive disadvantages OF any CON-
munity for any branch or class Of busi.
hess that community win Invariably
suffer decrease In the Industrial de-
vclosment and prosperity OF all within
its boundaries.
In fsany sections OF the country re-
ports show that industry Is often sub
jected TO continuous and unreasonable
burdens Of taxes In one form or nn-
other This condition Is due Ia part AT
least To n mistaken public attitude to
ward Industrial operations or a prcJu-
diced ignorant or indifferent opinion
on the part OF public officers aid poiiti-
clans The history OF Industrial com
munities whore such burdens are Inn
posed. however. is the best cviccnee OF
whether such policy pays anybo.iy.
Two manufacturers In similar iinca
OF business. cue operating a plant IN
Massachusetts and the other located ia
Connecticut. were recently comparing
neies. They discovered that for every
800 In taxes which the Connecticut
plant pays per annum the Massaeiis-
sets plant was paying $1,000. or ten
times as much. The answer 10 this sit.
uatiou Is That Mnssaehnsetts has been
FILLING behind IN the percentage OF
growth as an Industrial state compared
with some OF Der neighborIng commu-
nifics where industry Is not $50 often
aimed at by burdcnsofne. unnecessary
and unreasonable laws.
Tho following open letter by J. W.
Powell, president OF tho Fofr River
faiass.) shpbulldlng Corporation. ad-
dressed to the employees OF that com.
pany IN recent issue OF their family
magazine" The Fore R&pcr Leg. pre-
sents Ia a fair way the average bust
ness mans view on excessive taxation
OF Industrial plants:
"what Is good for Pore River La good
for Quincy, and what Ia good for Quin.
cy Is good for Fore River.
The officers and employees OF this
company and their families make up
more than a quarter OF the population
OF the city. Their interests are the
same as the interest OF Quincy and OF
the Fore River shlpbuiiding Corpora
ton.
This conpsny's BUSINESS Ia building
ships. which brings us into eompeti-
ton with companies building ships ia
other States. Anything that Fore River
must do in this community that other
shipbuiiding companies DO not have TO
do in their cities will. In the hong run.
hurt Us.
To-day there are more ships TO be
built than there are yards TO bnihi
them When the war Is over there will
be more shIpyar,ls than there are
ships to build Then the yard that
builds the cheapest win tnke the eou-
tracts. and the yard whose costs are
highest will discharge fits men.
The other big shipyards do not pay
big taxes. Some Of them pay no taxes
at all II you own a bouse and rent n
you add your taxes into the rent If
you rent a house you pay the taxes
when you pay your rent. 80 the COM
pany must add its taxes when 1t sells a
ship.
'Such an asscssmentnnd such taxes as
have boon levied against this company
this year in Quincy. which Is as m1sh
as the combined cost OF IT'S new hos
pitai and club, hurt It and Will hurt
you. II is net fair To increase this COM
pany's assessment 90 per cent and 10
increase its taxes nearly so per cent
this year rs against year ngo
lyon know that n gTeat part of the