The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-09-05
WHAT ss,ooo,ooo,ooo MEANS

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 S.
OOO,OOO,0O0 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 mat
ter of present day history.
In order to bring to the mind of the
American people comprehension Of
the sum they will be called upon this
year to contribute by direct taxation
to the support Of the war, the bureau
of internal revenue has prepared a
set 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
money in circulation August 1, 1918,
among a population of 106,O1aOOO,
was $52.44 per capita.
The total value Of all crops on Am.
erican farms in 1910 the last census.
year, was $5,OOO,OOO,OOO. The total
value Of all live stock on farms Jan.
uary |, 1910, was slightly less than
s3,OOOOOO,OOO. In one year, there
fore, the taxpayers, according to the
proposed terms of the new bill. are
called upon to pay more than the az.
gregate value 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 manufac-
tured products as reported to the cen
sus bureau in 1914 $24, 246. ABE, 900
The value added to raw materials by
manufacture, which represents the
wealth produced by manufacturing
was in 1914, $9,S7S, SAG, 900 or but 2s4
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 American
people for heavy sacrifices, but to
bring home to them sense of their
responsibility in the way of neces-
sary economies The new revenue
bill is being drawn in a manner 70
impose the least burden possible.
Every man will be assessed accord
ing to his income each will be called
upon to do his share.
The amount of federal taxes col.
lected from all sources during the
last fiscal year was 1884, 900 900. In
collecting more than twice that sum
this year, the bureau of internal reye.
nue. is anticipating no unusual diff.
cultles but is prepared to benefit by
past experience The force of Office
and field employees has been in.
creased from approximately $500 to
5000 and the entire administrative
machinery put in readiness for its
task.
In normal times Federal taxes are
inconsequential and impose no bur-
den on the taxpayer, said Commits.
sioner of Internal Revenue Daniel G.
Roper, in commenting on the work
ahead OF him. Their collection Is a
simple matter, involving principally
routine work But this year we are
in war upon which de.
ponds the safety not only of the Uni
ted States, but of the world. The
collection of so vast sum- so large
a part of the peoples earnings, in
wolves the morale of our civil popula.
tlon, the keystone of our success in
the war,
National patriotism and solidarity
by the war, has contrib. !,
uted largely to our success in the
past and augur we'll for the future
believe the majority of taxpayers
now understand and appreciate more
than ever the objective of the bu.
reau of internal revenue-the collec-
ton of fund every dollar of which
goes to the support of American arms
and the speedy conclusion of the
war, "-0cala Banner.