The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1918-09-06
WHAT se,oOO,0OO,OcO MEANS

To collect within lew m0ntnS
$4,000, 900 is the task confronting
the bureau Of internal revenue. This
is the amount the new revenue bill
now being framed is expected to
yield. 1t is difficult TO realize the
immensely of this sum, and yet 49,
900, 100000 is less than one-sixth of
the annual income of the United
States, which has pledged its entire
resources TO the successful prosecu,
ton of the war. How well this pledge
is being carried out is a matter OF
present day history.
In order to bring to the mind Of re
American people comprehension of
the sum they WIN be called upon this
year 10 contribute by direct taxation
r. the support of the war, the bureau
9cceinternal revenue has prepared a
yngt of figures showing that if divided
according TO population it would mean
a per capita of $76.76 or more than
1886 per family. The amount of mon
ey in circulation August 1, 1918,
among a population of 106,012000,
was $5244 per capita.
The total value of all crops on Am
erican farms in 1910 the last census
year, was $5,0OO,O00,OOO. The total
value of all live stock on farms Janu,
airy /, 1910. was slightly less than
$4,000, 600, 900. In one year, there,
fore, the taxpayers, according to the
proposed terms of the new bill, are
called upon to pay more than the ,ag-
gregate vale of all farm crops in the
United States in 1910, plus the value
of all farm animals.
The tax amounts to practically one,
third of the total value of manufact-
ured products as reported to the CEN
sus bureau in 14-$24,246,435.0 900
The value added to raw materials by
manufacture, which represents the
wealth produced by manufacturing,
was in 1914, $9,S78,346,0O0 or but
23.4 per cent more than the proposed
tax levy.
These figures are presented by the
bureau of internal revenue. not
with the view of preparing the Ameri-
can people for heavy sacrifices, but
to bring home to them a sense of their
responsibility in the way of necessary !
economies. The new revenue bill is
being drawn in a manner to impose
the least burden possible. Every man
will be assessed according to his in
come each will be called upon to do
mis- share.
The amount Of federal taxes collect
ed from all sources during the last
sscal year was $3,694OOO,OOO. In col
Aectipg more than twice that sum this
year, the bureau of internal revenue
: J. Participating no unusual difficulties,
but is prepared to benefit by past ex'
perience. The force Of office and
field employees has been increased
from approximately $500 to 5000 and
the entire administrative machinery
put in readiness for its task.
I'm normal times Federal taxes are
inconsequential and impose no bur
den on the taxpayer, said Commission
er of Internal Revenue Daniel G. Ro-
per, in commenting on the work ahead
OF him. Their collection is a simple
matter, involving principally routine
work. But this year we are engaged
IN war upon which depends the safe,
ty not only of the United States, but
of the world The collection of so
vast sum, so large a part of the peo-
pies earnings, involves the morale
OF our civil population, the keystone
AOf our success in the war.
National patriotism and solidarity,
engendered by the war, has contrib
uted largely to our success in the
past and augurs well for the future.
L believe the majority of taxpayers
now understand and appreciate more
than ever the objective of the bureau
OF internal revenue-the collection of
fund every dollar of which goes to
the. support of American arms and
the speedy conclusion of the war"