Arizona republican., 1918-05-28

1Ain the greatly enlarged budget to which we must immediately look for ward. We cannot in fairness wait un- tl the end of the fiscal year is at hand 10 apprise our people of the taxes they must pay on their earnings of | the present calendar year. whose ac- countings and expenditures will then be closed We cannot get increased 1 taxes unless the country knows what 1 they are to be and practices the neces- 1 sary economy to make them available. f Deflniteness, early definiteness as to ] what its tasks are Co he is absolutely . necessary for the successful admins tration of the treasury, it cannot . frame fair and workable regulations in . Aaste; and it must frame its regula- l tions in haste if it is not to know it's ! exact task until the very eye of it's | performance. Tho present tax laws are | marred, moreover by inequities which | ought to be remedied. Indisputable | facts every one; and we cannot alter | ur blink them. To state them is afgu- l ment enough.
 Produce Initiation and Waste
 \nd yet perhaps you will permit | Ile to dwell for a moment upon the ! situation they disclose. Enormous ! loans freely spent in the stimulation 1 of industry of almost every sort pro | flltt tNItdllOiS anu eAtl4NdEdlltt Nllltil ! presently make the whole economic 1 structure questionable and insecure l and the very basis of credit is cut away Only fair, equtably distributed taxation of the widest incidence and drawing chiefly from the sources which would be likely tO dcmoralize credit by their very abundance, can prevent imitation and keep our in- dustrial system free of speculation and waste. We shall naturally turn. there fore. I suppose, to war profits and in- comes and luxuries for the additional taxes. But the war profits and in comes upon which the increased taxes will be levied will be the profits and incomes of the calendar year 1918. IL would be manifestly unftir to wait until the early months of 1919 to say what they arc to be. It might be diff flcult. should imagine. to run the mill with water that had already gone over the wheel.
 Moreover. taxes of that sort will not he paid until June of next year, ana the treasury must anticipate them. It must use the money they are 10 pro duce before 1t is due. It must sell short time certificates Of indebtedness. In the autumn a much larger sale Of long time bonds must be effected than las vet been attempted.
 Must Know to Make Plans
 And how are investors 10 approach the purchase of bonds with any sort of confidence or Knowledge of their own affairs if they do not know what taxes they are to pay and what econ omies and adjustments of their busi- ness they must effect? cannot assure the country of a successful administra- ton of the treasury in 1918 if the ques- ton of further taxation is to be left undecided until 1919.
 The consideration that dominates every other now. and makes every other seem trivial and negligible, is the winning of the war. We are not only in the midst of the war; we are at the very, peak and crisis of it. Hundreds Ot thousands of our men, carrying our hearts with them and our fortunes are in. the field and ships are croWding faster and faster to the ports of France and England with regiment after regiment thousand after thou sand. to join them until the enemy shall be beaten and brought to a rcck- oning with mankind. There can be no pause or intermission. The great enterprise must. on. the contrary. be pushed with greater and greater ener- cy. The volume of our might must steadily and rapidly he augmented un- tl there can be no question of resisting it. If ttat is to be accomplished. gen. temcn money must sustain it 10 the utmost. Our financial program must no more be left in doubt or suffered tu lag than our ordnance program or our ship program or our munitions program or our program for making millions Of mon ready. These others are not programs. indeed, but mere plans upon paper. unless there is to be an uuquestionable supply Of money.
 Sums Up the Situation
 That is the situation and # is the situation which creates the duty. no choice or preference of ours. There is only one way 10 meet that duty We must meet it without selfishness or fear of consequences. Politics is ad- journed. The elections will go to those who think least of it. to those who go 10 their constituency without eXplaua- tion or excuses with a plain record of duty faithfully and disinterestedly per formed. I, for one. am always conf dent that the people of this country will give a jus. verdict upon the ser vices Of the men who act for them when the facts are such that no man can disguise or conceal them. There ls no danger cf deceit now. An intense and pitiless light beats upon every man and every action in this tragic plo. of war that is now upon the stage. lf lobbyists hurry to Washington to attempt to turn wha; you do in the matter of taxation 10 their protection or advantage the light will beat also upon them. There is abundant fuel for the light in the records of the treasury with regard 10 profits of every sort The profitcering that cannot be got al ny the restraints of conscience and love of country can be got at by taxa ton. There is such profiteerng now and the information with regard to it is available and indisputable.
 Act and Act Now
 'l am advising You to act upon this matter Of taxation now. gentlemen, not because do not know that you can see and interpre. the facts and the duty they impose just as well and with as clear perception of the obligations involved as I can. but because there is certain solemn satisfaction in shar- ing with you the responsibility of such time The world never stood in such case before. Men never before had so clear or so moving a vision of duty. know that you will begrudge the work 10 be done here by us no more than the men begrudge us theirs who lie in inc trenches and sally forth to their death. There is stimulating com radeship knitting us all together. And this task to which l invite your inn mediate consideration will be per pfformed under favorable influences 1c we will look to what the country is making and expecting and care noth- aN