Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-06-02
EedcraI Tnx Revision.

!
dollar private corporation. The last
tax bill provided, billions moro than
could be spent, and yet billions less
than will soon be needed. 1t is pro-
posed To make present provision for
future needs, and IL Is said that the
effect upon tho congressional cleo
tons would be Objectionable, be-
cause the tax bills were so badly con-
structed. Nowhere Is there sug-
gestion that the political effect Is OF
no consequence, or at least that this
year there Is remarkable indiffer-
ence whether anybody is elected eS-
ccpt those standing on n platform Of
get on with the war" Also, 1t
might be a good thing that those re-
sponsible for legislation whose Of
fects they fear to submit TO their
constituents should not escape re
sponsibilitY for their doings
The fact that the congressional
elections are near the enactment of
| bad tax laws is reason for revision
rather than for postponement. Tn"
congressman to be elected this fan
Will not meet until more than a year
later, and In the interval It Is nearly
certain that there will occur events
which will obscure the tax Issue,
"''ANiA 10 a. J4ll bdClS lbT NiNAklRflf'
Iall. Also. the taxpayers are as
much 10 be considered as the tax
bunglers, and their relief should
come as quickly as 1t can be pro-
Vided. without reference to the near
ness of the governments need for
funds. What the taxpayers need is
not relief from taxes. but relief
from methods Of levying taxes which
arc bad partly by design and partly
for reasons which are eXcusable. al
though there is no excuse for delay
in remedyinR them.
The tax bill was vicious insofar as
| IL was designedly apportioncd in
equitably II was the intention and
the boast of the lawmakers that the
burden Of the income tax should
fail rather on the grain and indus
trial states than on the cotton states.
| The result Is that In 1916 southern
states paid S3,l09,000 individual in
come taxes and northern states $53,-
100000 In a total tax payment "
| $67,0O0,000. In 1917 the figures for
the same southern states were S10,-
$4,000, for the same northern states
Sl27,931 600, in n total of $161,-
| 528,O00a The. deslghed effect having
followed, the country should have an
I
| il while the occurrence Is still fresh,
1t is n basic fault thar the tax bin
was constructed with open eyes up
on the same principle that has baf-
| fled the regulators OF the railways.
| They sought TO reduce railway
profits and rates by finding oyercap-
italization. For that purpose It was
necessary TO have a yalua ton Of
capital. Years and millions have
been wasted in the attempt only TO
I discover that valuation for that pur-
pose is useless, and is impracticable
| for any purpose. Rates should be
stable, while values must shift with
trade and efficiency of management
Taxes need not be stable but they
| should be levied with relation 10
trade, and not with intent to pun
ish. Taxes upon great profits may
be defensible, but not on the ground
that they are war taxes, If In fact
they are not such. In other words
| 9le taxes should be levied on the
earnings, for whatever reason. and
not on "capital invested"
1t is another basic fault that one
tax bill was imposed upon another
| for the sake Of conveplruce and
haste Thus there are illogical ex-
/
| disappear If for the two bills there
were substituted a single bill drawn
with reference to the experience un-
! der the existing bill which thus has
served n useful end not purposcd;
that is, the demonstration Of the bad
ness of the methods taken. The eN-
isting law Is so obscure in its defl-
nitions and phrasing that II could
| not be worked at all without expert
help. and under official rulings
which seem to be inconsistent with
the law itself.
These are only a sample Of broad
objections which should be remcdl"a
before they become rooted. TO post
pone correction TO another session
would be to offer an apparent con-
donation OF the faults of those VINO
were warned of what they were Do
ing while they Were doing H. 70
postpone them until another con
gress would be worse. both by ,H'
delay and by the obscuring or taIS
issue with the issues arising !n ,IIH
next year. Elections cannot be WI ,o
reference to unknown future eVehiS' |
Elections should be after and pc
cause of recent past events if u'e
legislation We're better congressman |
would be eager to meet the!r con- |
| stituents upon it The worse inc reg
islation the stronger the reasons toF
speedy elections, and, ,a.-o for speedy |
amendment o., the faults. II would |
be better for c1nrreFsi0cn 10 be able |
to plead tuat they had remedied |
their faults than 10 he compelled to |
confess that they had erred and per- |
| ui SfpI fr a arfrAT.