The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1917-01-19
TAX EVASION

Ynent is the only security OF property
rights we have, and that government
depends for its support upon the taxes
levied upon the property OF its elti-
zens, there are many people VINO re-
sort to almost any sort of subterfuge,
even to the extent of perjury, to es-
cape paying taxes on large part OF
their wealth. This Is commonly
known by the homely but expressive
term "tax-dodging", and it is not
generally thought to be very reput-
able. But the practice has become so
universal among our very rich as to
be regarded not only as excusable but
commendable shrewdness. This eva
sion on the part of the rich to bear
their full share Of the support OF gov
eminent makes the burden of taxation
fall more heavily on the ordinary we'll
TODD and people of small means,
whose wealth is largely represented by
visible property which the assessor
can easily list and which cannot be
hid away in safety deposit boxes. 1t
would be difficult to estimate to what
extent this crime of tax-dodging is
practiced, as it is only occasionally
that the facts are exposed to the light
of publicity, generally through the set
tlement of some prominent wealthy
mans estate after he has "shuffled of
this mortal COLI, and then little more
than cursory comment is made upon
it and it is soon forgotten.
1t not infreguently occurs that men
who have stood high among their fell
lowmen. who have been looked up to
as men of exemplary character and
rectitude, who have been in human
Judgment deemed worthy of emula-
ton by our youth, and have been
marked for positions of public trust
and honor, are unmasked when death
places it's seal upon them and their
estates come to be probated. One
does not like to dwell upon the sub
ject, even to point a moral or to sug-
guest a reform. Speak no i'll of the
dead" is a sentiment we are disposed
to hold sacred. But do we not owe
it to truth and the promotion of hon.
CRADLE manhood to let the living
know that the dishonest practices anC
receptions of their lives are sure tC
be brought into the light some time
and rest as blur on the good name
which they are so careful to guarC
when living?
In the inventory of the estate o.
the late Richard G. Kerens of st
Louis his taxable personal propert!
aggregated $2,089, 1868. In 1915 he re
turned to the assessor only $4,000 a!
the value Of his taxable personal pro
perty, thus evading the payment o.
taxes on over two millions. This wa
only one year. How long he kept VI
the practice and how much in taxes HI
had thus escaped one may not say. Mr.
Kerens was one Of st. Louis mos
honored and respected citizens. HI
was a national leader in his politica
party and stood high in the estima
ton of his fellowmen-was ever
counted worthy to represent hi
Government as Ambassador to Aus
tria- Hungary; and yet the post-mor
tenn light thrown on his characte
shows that he was tax-dodger, tina
he deceptively withheld from tn
government that gave security am
protection to his wealth his rightfu
proportion of the support of tina
government. The effect is apparent
Every tax-dodger who thus evade
his own burden of taxation places
proportionate additional burden o.
the honest taxpayer--on the ma
whose property is visible and canno
be hidden.
We have not mentioned Mr.. Ker
ems name in this connection for tn
purpose Of discrediting his character
But his case is one that has just com
to light through the publicity give
the inventory of his estate, and be
cause of the high estimation in whic
he was, and, for that matter, is helt
we have cited it only to show how uni
versal must be the practice of tax
evasion among those Of our rich pee
pie, much of whose wealth is repre-
scented in bonds, stocks, notes an
other evidences Of wealth that ma
be hidden away from the assesso
and tax-gatherer.
If those who are reputed to consti
tute our best and most substantial
people do such things, what com
mentary the fact is on our honesty a
I. nanuIef