The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-06-06
CONGRESS- GRAVE RESPONSE
BILITY.

President wilson's address to
congress urging that new revenue
based almost wholly upon the econ
omic necessity. of letting the coun-
try know in advance what additional
taxes it will have to pay.
The taxes that are to be levied un-
der this new measure will not be
collected until June, 1919, but they
will have to be paid in the main out
endar year of 1918. 1t would, as
the president said, 'be manifestly
unfair to wait until the early months
of 1919 to say what they are to be-"
The further disadvantage which he
mentions also deserves considera-
ton: "It might be difficult, |
should ina CINE, to run the mill with
water that has already gone over the
Wheel"
One of the reasons why the present
revenue act has worked great hard
ship is that it represents an attempt
to run the mill with water that had
gone over the wheel: The income
act applied to earnings for the cal
endar year 1917; yet the bill did not
become law until the latter part Of
1917, after large part of the earn
ings had been distributed and the
income expended. That is why so
have been compelled to borrow mon
ey to pay their taxes. Not know
ing what was expected Of them, they
had made no provision for the great
ly increased burdens.
1t seems plain enough that if there
are to be heavier taxes. next year,
the country cannot too soon know
This is not matter that can safely
be left to conjecture and speculation
until the eleventh hour. 1t is
most encouraging thing too that the
president should have so frankly de-
clared that the present tax laws are
to be remedied.''
President Wilson is asking con-
gress for fair, equitably distributed
taxation Of the widest incidence and
drawing chiefly from the sources
which would be likely to demoralize
credit by. their very abundance. He
turns naturally to war profits, in
ors and Representatives who are ap-
prehensive Of the political effect of
new revenue legislation at this time,
he gives the assurance that politics
is adjourned and "the people of
this country will give a just verdict
upon the service Of the men who act
for them when the facts are such
them"
There is no political argument
against new revenue bill, and if
there were it would be poor argu-
ment. The American people are de-
termined to win this war, and they
expect to nay for victory They are
not haggling with their government.
Most Of them are asking no privil-
eyes of congress. They want just
and equitable tax laws under which
no section or element is penalized or
favored. They are not quarrelling
or Quibbling about rates. What they
object to is discrimination, and
there is no sorrier service that any
member of congress can render to
his country than to seek special ex-
emptiOns for the people of his dis
trict or his state.
This is the most important reve-
nue. legislation that any congress in
the history of the country has under
taken to enact. 1t will directly af-
feet the lives and fortunes of more
people, and may even have a decis-
i've influence upon the war making
power of the nation. Congress is
charged with a staggering RESPONSE
bility. To be deficient in wisdom or
in Judgment might be as surely ia
tai as to be deficient in patriotism.
1t is the supreme duty OF congress
to approach this legislation in the
spirit of conservation shown by the
men in the trenches, and to remem-
Der that failure means Disaster
New York World.