The sun., 1918-10-08
Mr.. Horace g. Seits's Ignorance No
Denser Than kitehln's.

Denser Than kitehln's.
Not to poke fun at his ignorance Of
the subject he discusses, and not to
cause public smoker over his as
sumption that economics consists
merely of u mixture Of ink and
bathos, but rather to show the men,
tai inadequacy which likewise affiicts
a backwoods statesman who under
takes to make the revenue laws Of
nation at war, we give some attention
to letter from Mr.. HORACE G. SEITz,
who writes regarding a Sun editorial
article, the following part of which
stirred Mr.. SEIIz's emotions:
"It Is stated. for example. by those
whose business 1t Is to produce oil. that
It is the rule, not the exception. for a
new strike, as IT is called, to gush in
the first few months or even weeks half
Of all It ever will produce. Now, this
makes, for the moment. profit which
apparently is several hundred per cent.
on the capital put in. But, as the
property itself Is the oil and nothing
but the oil, IL tax takes three quar-
ters, or half. or no more than a third
Of that yield Of the first several days
Of operation, then, as a matter of eco
nomic fact. that tax. gathered in one
sweep. takes tho greater part of the
whole value of what that well may
yield with a trickle instead of q flood
in all the years in which 1t may be
operated after the first strike.
Wherefore. when more and more oil
Is necessary to the safety Of the nation.
1t Is fool tax that tells a prospcctor
not to tap his new well. since he will
get nothing out OF 1t. though he may
operate 1t for n generation. 1t is a
fool tax that keeps natural wealth locked
up because to unlock It Is to forfeit It."
Mr.. SErrz says of the foregoing,
among other things:
After reading this editorial article I
unconsciously turned back a page OF
THE Sun to that In which the first
column carried the double column head
The Nations Honor Roll and noted
the five long columns OF names, the
names Of mon. tried TO look down
over the list OF names, but as the
thoughts came the sense OF shame aad
sadness was almost overwhelming.
ITO men who have cheerfully and
gladly suffered the torments OF the
damned. given up positions, families.
friends. and all-even to the supreme
sacrifce--to demonstrate to the world
their absolute belief In the ideals OF the
Declaration Of Independence. TO exem-
plify by living example the principles
sentiments such as expressed in this
editorial article must be beyond express
sion-language cannot express it
The assumed discovery of a mares
nest. possible technicality by means
OF which men, who have no hesitation
in unloading onto an unsuspecting pub
lie the stock OF n company after the
well has reached the 'trickle' stage, may
secure the gains without paying tax
possibly that they may lend to the Gov
eminent this money saved! The in
ference that a man would be foolish to
open a we'll under these conditions, and
that the only thing which would pre-
vent the man from starting the well and
incidentally reaping the advantage OF
the large demand at this time is the
fool tax which is being condemned.
THE most abject apology possible to
be made cannot make amends 10 those
men who have put love Of COP and OF
their country and It's ideals above air
else, No language could wipe out the
feeling of disdain which those men must
feel for the petty squabbles OF pollti-
clans and for the sordidness OF the petty
seeker of pelf.
do you appreciate the possibility
being called upon to demonstrate the
true meaning Of democracy as a type
OF government, to live it's ideals so that
nations may know its value as a living
government capable of adoption by all
nations; the possibility that each in
dividual is made responsible for the
character Of his demonstration; the pos
sibility that each individual must rem
der his accountability for the demon
stration made, and the possibility that
this accountability must be made not
only to his fellow men but also at the
time answer is made TO his individual
stewardship on earth? II. G. SEITz.
NEW York. October g."
In the first place, before he can in,
diligently think of this subject, much
less discuss 1t, Mr.. SEIrz must be
made to understand that the finding
and drilling of oil wells Is done. for
the most part, by tens of thousands of
poor prospectors. The great oil com
panies in the business Of refining oil
ana marketing It's products do not
hunt for the wells; rarely do they op-
erate them. They buy their oil from
the men who find the wells and drill
and pump them.
Mr.. SEITz must come to understand
that year in and year out the prospec-