The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1918-09-13

There need not be ana there should
not be any conflict between profits
and patriotism. AIN utterly opposed
10 those who Gonld utilize their coun'
try's war as a means 10 enrich fheln'I
selves. The "wur pro6teer,r as the
term Is generally understood, is n pub
lie nuisance and an lgnoWiny EStor-
Tomato profits must not be tolerated,
but. on the other hand, there should
be reasonably liberal disposition to-
ward business and a willingness 10 see
Il make substantial earnings
For, taxation presupposes earnings
Our credit structure is based upon
values and values nre largely deter
mined by earnings shrlnkage Of
values necessarily affects our capacity
to provide the government with the
Sinews OF war.
Tho conserlptlon Of Men. !
Rcverting now TO the subject OF the
conscrIption OF men. know ! speak
the sentiment OF oil those beyond the
FEARS OF young manhood when say
that there IL not one OF rs worthy OF
tho name Of n man who would not,
willingly go to fight II the country
needed or wanted US to fight. But the
country does not want or call Its en-
tire manhood to light II does not
even call anywhere near It's entire
young manhood II has called or in
tends to cali In the immediate future
perhaps % per cent OF its men be-
tween twenty and thirty years OF age.
which means probably about = perl
cent. Of its total male population Of all
ages But II has called from incomes,
business profits and other lmposts fall.
Ing principally on the well to do, APP
proximately ninety per cent Of our
war taxation, not TO mention the con-
tributions to the Red Cross the Y. AZ.
@, A. and other war relief activities
Let me add In passing that the chill
dren Of the we'll to do have been taken
for the war In proportlonstely greater
numbers than the children Of the poor,
because those young men who are need.
ed al home to support dependents or to
maintain essential war industries are
exempted from the draft
Our Laws Favor Sons Of the Poor.
The draft exemption regulations die
eliminate not. as In former wars, IN
favor Of the rich mans son, but In
favor Of the poor woman's con.
realize but too well that The burden
Of the abnormally high cost of living,
caused largely by the war. weighs heav.
lily indeed upon wage earners and still
more upon men and women with mod
crate salaries. yield to no one In my
desire to see everything done that ID
practicable to have that burden light.
ened. But excessive taxation on capital
will not accomplish that: on the con.
trary, It will tend to intensity the trou.
BILE.
Taxation must be sound and Wise
and scientific and cannot be laid In q
haphazard way or on impulse or &C
cording to considerations OF politics,
otherwise the whole country viii suffer
History has shown over and over again
that the laws OF economics cannot be
,defied with impunity and that the 70
suiting penalty falls upon all sections
and classes.
The question Of the individual Ii not
the one that counts The question il
not what sacrifices capital should and
would be willing to bear II called upon,
but what taxes It is 10 the public ad.
vantage to impose.
! do not say all this to plead for q
reduction, Of the taxation on wealth or
In order to urge that 20 additional
taxes be imposed on wealth II need be.
There Is no limit to the burden which
In time of stress and strain those must
be willing to bear who can afford 1t en-
cept only that limit which is imposed
by the consideration that taxation must
not reach point where the business
activity of the country becomes Grip,
pied and its economic equilibrium "a
thrown out Of gear, because that womb
harm every element Of the common.
wealth and diminish the war-makins
capacity Of the nation.