Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1917-06-24

0o0, II, In order 60 hc absolutely on
the safe side. II seemed advisable /,
Increase the sum to $1,000. 600 600, this
should. In our opinion. be tho maxi
mum,
In considering the apportlonment OF
the extraordinary burden Of taxes IN
war times certain scientific principles
are definitely establlshcd
How Taxes Should % Apportloned,
| CD The burden OF taxes must be
spread as far AZ possible over the
whole community so MS TO cause each
individual to share In tho sacrifices nc.
coriing to his ability to pay aud ne
coNlng 70 his share IN the Government,
- Taxes ON consumption. which ar,
necessarily borne 10y the community at
large, should be imposed as far as pos.
sible On articles OF quaslluxury rather
than ON these OF necessity.
tS Exciscs should be imposed as fur
] as possible upon commodities In the
bands Of the final consumer rather
than upon the articles which serve pri.
marily MS raw material FOR further
production,
~ Taxes upon business should b.
imposed us far as possible upon ne,
earnings rather than upon gross ~.
ccipts or capital invested,
tol Taxes upon Income which wit
necessarily be severe should hc both
Differentiated and graduated That Is
, there should be distinction between
earned aud unearncd incomes and there
should be Il higher ntc upoh the larger
Incomes, Il Is essential. however. not
TO make the income rate So excessive
as to lead 10 evasion administrative
difficulties, or 10 the more fundamental
objections which have been urge0
| above.
tU The excess profits which are due
to the war constitute the most ohvioUs
, and reasonable source ~ revenue dur.
Ing war times. But the principle upon
which these warpront taxes are laid
must he equitable In theory aud easily
cnlculable In practice
Tho Proposed Income Tax
The additional income tax as passed
by the House runs up 20 rate of ~
per cent, This Is sum unhcard OF IN
the history OF civilized society. IL must
be remembered that II was only after
the first year NJ the war that Great
Britain increased her income tax 10 the
maximum Of - per ceu,r and that
even now IN the fourth year Of the war
the Income tax does not exceed ~.
per cent.
II could easily be shown TINT n tan
with rates on moderate incomes sub
stantially less than IN Great Britain,
and ou the larger Incomes about Il,
high. would yield only sIchtlv lcss tha"
the So 00oO00 originally cstimntph f.
the ilnuse hill.
II r. 10 hc hoped that TIE Senate VIII
reduce the trtit rate on the hishcat f.
comes to 10 per cont. or ~ most ~ -
per cent. aud that NJ the sau,c time II
will reduce the rate uu tie sulltcr ~
comes derived FROM personal or pr1fe.
slunnl enrnIugS.
" tkc wsr continues We shall have TO
depend more ard moro upon Tho i7
come tax. EY in7,e ing cyeessive rs.c3
now we are not en'y endsnnerin1 tie
future but arc inviting al manner OF
difficulties which even Great Critain
has been able to escape.
conei- s,on.
The House bill contains other funda.
mental defects which may be- summed
up as follows:
% II pnrsncs nn erroneous principle
In imposing retroactive taxes.
t2l II selects nn unjust nnd unwork-
able criterion for the cNcess-proiits tax.
C3l 1t proceeds 70 an unhcnrd'or
height In the lncrmc tax.
90 II imposes unwnrrantcd burdens
upon the consumption of the commit.
nifty.
90 II Is calculated 10 throw business
into confusion by lcvying taxes on gros.
receipts instead Of upon commodities.
90 II fails 10 make n proper use o.
StamD taxes