Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-10-16
All VIII Contribute TO the War.
SOME OF THE TAXES THE RICH AND THE
POOR ARE TO PAY.
Boston Globe.)


When President Wilson affixed his
signature to the War Revenue bill, and
made 1t law, he set in motion machinery
so vast that soon its vibrations will be
felt In every household in the land.
The greatest revenue bill in our his
tory, designed to secure more than
$4,000, 0O0, 900 toward the costs of the
war, is also the most complex. Tariff
duties excepted, it combines almost
every known form of taxation. Taxes
great and small, direct and indirect,
excise and income and Inheritance and
stamp taxes-they march in serried
ranks.
The tax from which the largest return
is expected is that which least concerns
the average man. This is the tax on
excess profits, from which Congress
hopes to derive revenue OF at least
81 200, 000,0 900.
Here will be q field for statisticians
and fiscal experts to battle upon, and
for accountants to puzzle over, that
they may learn just what In each bust
ness may be regarded as war profits and
taxed. But the man on the street will
turn bis mind to other phases.
Second in importance are the income
tax provisions, and these concern the
man on the street very closely. Formerly
the minimum income reached by the
Federal tax was $4,000 year for bach
elors and $4,000 for heads of families,
but now the married man must make
returns on all income above $4,000 year
and the bachelors limit is $1,000. The
new measure adds tax OF per cent to
the former income tax, which likewise
levied per cent.
Only the single man who earns less
than 500 q week, or the married man
who earns less than $40, will now be
uuconcernsd when the Federal Tax bill
comes around. At 5000 year the
supertaxes begin, whereas formerly
they spared income up to $4,000. What
the new supertsx means to the man Of
large income is shown by the calculation
that an income of $4,000, variously
derived, which last year was taxed s1112,
will now pay s4754. And, as the income
mounts, so does the rate of taxation.
The average man these supertaxes
pass by. For him are the multifsrious
taxes. Few will be his waking hours In
which he does not meet them.
II he takes "bracer" during the day
or treats friend, IL will cost him more
than it used to, for s2.10 gallon is the
tax imposed on all liquors accumulated
and stored since the distilleries closed
Sept. /. Incidentally there Is new tax
of $3.50 barrel on beer, and the wine
tax is doubled.
II he chooses to smoke after break
fast, he will discover that the tax upon
all forms Of tobacco Is increased al
though for the most expensive cigars
the increase is only 81 per 1000. II may
hit him harder if, given letters to mail,
he finds that the postage is cents now,
and cents for post card. Only by
becoming a soldier or sailor in foreign
service will be save those pennies.
A telegraph or telephone call from
his office II costing Is cents or more, will
mean a nickel paid for the tax. II be
travels by rail he will pay tax of per
cent on his ticket, with another 10 per
cent on psrlor car tickets, or II be sends
articles by freight or express, another
tax will await him there.
II the life insurance solicitor per-
suades him to protect the welfare of
his family, he will learn that q tax Of
eight cents per 800 of policy Is i'm
posed on new insurance. II he deals,
as most business men do, with such
documents as bonds and stocks, agree
ments Of sale, time drafts, promissory
notes, entries of goods, proxies or
attorney, be will fiud demand on every
hand for revenue tax stamps. There 10
no tax on checks.
IL he is of sporting turn Of mind, be
must pay 8 per cent tax on everything
from golf clubs to dice and from pool
tables to checkers. There is a tax on
the sirups that 60 into his noon milk
shake and on the mineral water.
Whether be wishes to give his wife jew
elry or an automobile, there Is tax on
both, to be included in the price.
The home has escaped the threatened
tax on gas, electricity and telephone
service, but the bathroom is just an
annex of the Tax Bureau. Tooth paste
and toilet water, powder for the baby,
cosmetics for its mother or hair restora-
tives for its father, they all bear their
tax, as do all the pills, powders, tinctures
and troches Of the family medicine chest.
IL one 60 in the evening to theater or
picture show, one faces a 10-per-cent
tax. Even the "deadhead" 10 taxed on
the value of the ticket he ought to have
bought. II be decides to stay at home
and buy talking machine to smuse the
evening hours, he pays for tax on that
also. II in desperation he plays cards
and chews gum, there Is cents more on
the cards and 2 per cent on the gum.
There is no tax on sleep, and bed Is the
would-be tax dodgers only refuge. In
this year of war 1917, man might bet
ter seek to escape from his shadow than
to escape from the tax.
Break at East BrOwnf7eld