American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-04-12
The rich man can spend only a reia-

lively or selhshly. The money that 1t In
In his power actually to waste Is ex-
ceedlngly limited. The bulk Of what
he has must be spent and used for
productive purposes, just as would be
the case II It were spent by the gov
eminent, with this difference, however,
that, generally speaking, the individual
is more p~ainstaking and discriminating
In the use of his funds and at the same
time holder, more Imaginative, enter
prlslng and constructive than the gov
ernment with it's necessarily bureau
cratic and routine regime possibly
could be. Money in the hands of the
individual is continuously and fever
ishly on the search for opportunities
L e., for creative and productive use.
In the hands Of the government 1t is
apt to lose a good deal Of its fructify-
ing energy and ceaseless striving and
to sink instead into placid and somno-
lent repose.
There need not be and there should
not be any conflict between profits
and patriotism. l am utterly opposed
to those who would utilize their coun-
try's war as a means to enrich them
J selves. The war pro6teer," as the
term is generally understood, is a pub
lie nuisance and an ignominy. Extor-
tionate profits must not be tolerated,
but, on the other hand, there should
be a reasonably liberal disposition to-
ward business and a willingness to see
it make substantial earnings.
For, taxation %presupposes earnings.
Our credit structure Is based upon
values, and values are largely deter
mined by earnings. Shrinkage Of
values necessarily affects our capacity
to provide the government with the
sinews of war.
The CONSUMPTION Of Men.
Reverting now to the subject Of the
CONSUMPTION of men, 1 know 1 speak
the sentiment of all those beyond the
years of young manhood when I say
that there is not one of us worthy Of
the name of a man who would not
willingly go to fight If the country
needed or wanted us to fight. But the
country does not want or call its en-
) tire manhood to fight. It does not
l even call anywhere near its entire
young manhood. 1t has called or In
9 tends to call in the immediate future
+ perhaps rs per cent of its men be-
tween twenty and thirty years of age,
I which means probably about 4 per
cent. Of its total male population Of all
Z ages. But 1t has called from incomes.
i business profits and other imposts fall
ing principally on the well to do, ap-
n %proximately ninety per cent. Of u
war taxation, not to mention the con-
tributions to the Red Cross, the 7. NJ.
@. A. and other war relief activities.
< Let me add in passing that the chill
dren Of the we'll to do have been taken
Is for the wal in proportlonateIy greater
numbers than the children of the poor,
n because those young men who are need
II ed at home to support dependents or to
maintain essential war industries are
-.~,,4oa e-o~. a.. a-ofA
Is Our Laws Favor Sons Of the Poor.
IL The draft exemption regulations dis
eliminate not, as in former wars, In
Il favor Of the rich mans son, but in
favor Of the poor woman's son.
realize but too well that the burden
nj Of the abnormally high cost of living.
of caused largely by the war, weighs heav-
~ lily indeed upon wage earners and still
lie more upon men and women with mod
ed crate salaries. l yield to no one in my
ed desire to see everything done that is
C. practicable to nave that burden light
nd ened. But excessive taxation on capital
al, will not accomplish that on the con-
is. trary, it will tend to intensity the trou-
BILE.
of Taxation must be sound and wise
IS. and scientific and cannot be laid In
ty h%aphazard way or on impulse or &C
ri. cording to considerations Of politics
-ly otherwise the whole country will suffer
In. History has shown over and over again
IN. that the laws of economics cannot b,
Use defed with impunity and that the re
di sulting penalty falls upon all sections
and classes.