The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-09-10
WEALTH ISTAXED
TO LIMIT BY new
REVENUE BILL IS
WARNING GIVEN
Congressman Longworth
Says Necessities Must
Bear Future Burdens
(By Associated Press.)

Washington, Sept. 10.-Wealth Is
taxed to about the straining point by
the new war revenue bill, Repre-
sentative Longworth of Ohio declared
in the house today when debate on
the huge tax measure was resumed.
He warned his hearers that any ad
ditional taxes levied hereafter must
be borne by people purchasing arti-
cles of daily necessity and said that
as the cost of war mounts a greater
proportion OF 1t will have to be borne
by future generations.
Pointing out that congress is about
to exact from the American people,
sum which would have more than
paid the entire cost OF the Civil war,
both to the Union and the Confeder-
acy, Mr.. Longworth said the tax Of
80 per cent on war profits and the
maximum OF 20 per cent on excess
profits and n per cent on incomes
was mighty near the danger mark.
He added that this is a bin Ito
raise war revenues not reorganize
society.
"Just as surely as you impose a
tax which amounts TO plumber" said
the Ohio representative, Just so
surely do You overshoot the mark
and render difficult IL not impossible,
the financing necessary to effectively
prosecute the war.
Most of the coming issue Of LIB
erty bonds, Mr.. Longworth' said, will
be purchased by individuals and their
purchasing power will be affected di-
rectly by the taxes on their incomes.
Although he and other members had
doubted its possibility, the ways and
means committee, Mr.. Longworth
continued, had succeeded in framing
bill designed to raise $4,000 000,0 600
by taxation without resort TO con-
sumption taxes and increased tariff
rates. These remain, he added, as addi-
tionaI sources of revenue in case
some of those now counted on are
destroyed by legislation or other
wise.
Contending that the Presidents
order stopping the manufacture of
beer after next December /, will
cause loss of $500, 900, 900 In revenue
under the new war tax bill, Mr..
LongwortF1 said congress may be
forced to impose consumption taxes
sooner than had been expected. In
that connection he suggested a tax
of seven cents a pound on coffee, 25
cents on tea; 10 per cent on rubber.
90 per cent on wool, Is per cent on
hides and one cent on sugar. He es--
timated these would yield s240 100000
annually.
He also warned that the proposed
wartime national prohibition legis-
latIon would reduce the estimated
revenue returns from beverage by
81 500. 900, 900, which with the lost
revenue on beer from December j
until the national prohibition meas
ura becomes effective would reduce
the estimated revenue under the bill
to $4,000, 900, ,0O0 Although criticising
some Of its features, Mr.. Longworth
commended the bill as a whole as
vast Improvement over the old law.
In conclusion, the speaker por-
trayed the conditions under which the
German people gagged and bound,
paw bloody tribute to the insatiate
ambition of the house OF Hohenzoi-
lern" and said that mo citizen OF the
ernbattIed nations. not even the son
of the great pacifist, Henry Ford. is
more surely Immune from bodily
harm than are the German emperor's
six sons, who win be preserved un-
damaged for posterity".