The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1917-07-04
CONSUMPTION OF MEN
AND MONEY.

THE government is conscript-
ing your sons for this war. Now
let it conscript the wealth of
the country so that the rich
can do their share"
This is familiar argument
used on practically every plat
form from which are delivered
addresses intended to create sem
/ timent against the government
of the country and to impede it
lin its prosecution of the war.
/ This argument is misleading,
and is intended to be so. 1t is
based on falsehood whether di-
rectly stated or implied does
not matter. The assumption, and
the impression which is intend
ed to be conveyed, and which
lis conveyed, is that the rich are
exempted from CONSUMPTION, and
that their wealth is not already
being "conscripted."
| The assumption is utterly
baseless, and every argument
founded on it is worthless. The
man of millions, if of military
age, is required to register, and
has registered. If he is past
military age himself, his sons,
if he has them, are registered,
just as the sons of the farmer
and the small merchant and the
day laborer are registered. And
when men from this group of
eligibles come to be drawn for
military service, the rich and
the poor will be given exactly
the same treatment. Men of
both classes will be drawn on
the same basis. They will be
mustered into the same service.
They will cross the seas on the
same ships, will engage side by
side in the same drill, and side
by side they will take their
places in the trenches, there to
serve as they can, and to accept
what fortune is sent them.
Neither is it true that the
rich are absolved from provid-
ing funds for the war. No one
is exempt from this duty. Thru
the levying of taxes every hui
man being in the country is
made to contribute either di-
rectly or indirectly. But, while
most Of our commodities and &C
Invites are taxed, these taxes
are not apportioned according to
wealth, for they are so adjusted
that the wealthy are required
to pay constantly increasing
proportions as their wealth in
creases. Most of our taxes are
based on levy on property val
ues which remains the same
whether the possessions Of the
individual are worth much or
little. So many mills on the
dollar are levied, and rich and |
poor pay the same rate, the poor
paying smaller sums, of course,
because their wealth is less. But !
in the levying of war taxes a
different basis has been adopted,
and the more wealth one has
the higher will be his rate of
taxation. Take the income tax |
as an illustration. Most people
are not called on to pay any.
The man of small means and
small income is exempt from
this tax. The man of larger
means pays something. The man
of millions pays a still higher
rate, and the man Of many mil
lions pays very much more. This
is true of inheritance taxes.
Small estates are exempt, those
Of moderate size pay some tax,
very large ones pay still high
er rate.
In other words, the govern
ment is treating the rich and
the poor in the same manner in
the matter of personal service.
It is discriminating against the
rich in the matter of taxation.
This is entirely proper. But
when anarc histic orators stand
on the platform and demand the
CONSUMPTION of wealth they seek
to create the impression that III
some way the wealthy are es--
Gaping entirely personal service.