Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-01-08

cost Of all the substitutes for meat,
Thus for the first time In American
history consumers OF food, organized
and partially enfranchised, are com.
ing to congress to demand a big eco.
nomic reform. Incidentally, the fact
that Secretary of War Baker is the
active and enthusiastic president OF
the National Consumers league will
not detract from the interest with
which the house committee will hear
its argument.
Only Six for Fair Taxation.
Six members Of the senate voted for
the La Toilette substitute to the Pen
rose Simmons revenue bill, which ia
now In conference. The Wisconsin
senator remarked that he had no idea
that any large number would support
such q taxation measure as he favor.
ed, but that he had made it a rule of
his public service to follow principles
without deviating hairs breadth, no
matter what other men might do.
The chief difference between the La
Toilette revenue bill and the one ap.
proved by Penrose and Simmons and
their friends on both sides of the
chamber were:
Normal taxes on incomes, affecting
people of small income-Senate bill,
$40, 000,00 La Toilette bill, &c..
100000. Small-income people taxed
1870, 900, 900 more under the senate
bill than under La Follette's plan.
Surtax, affecting larger incomes
81 OILS; 100000 under senate bill; ST..
ia 100000 under substitute. Senate
plan saves $500, 900, 900 to people OF
big incomes.
War excess profit tax-Senate bill,
$2,4O0, 100000; substitute, $4,000
900. Saved to war prOflteers under
senate bill, $500, 000, 900.
Estate or Inheritance tax-Senate
bill, $22,0O0,0o0; substitute, $110,o00,-
900. Saved to big estates under senate
bill, $88,0O0,0O0.
Corporation income tax-Senate bill,
$4,000, 900; substitute, 500 200, 900.
Corporations not under war excess
profits clause taxed $4,000, 900 more
under senate bill.
Transportation facilities, tax on rail.
way tickets, etc.-Senate bill, $219,.
600, 900; La Toilette substitute, no tax.
Net burden imposed by senate bill as
compared with La Toilette bill, $219,.
00O, 900.
The total revenue proposed to be
raised by the senate bill is estimated
at $500, 900, 900; the total proposed
under the La Toilette bill was $685.
100000. But the difference between
the two plans was great deal wider
than that. 1t was the difference be.
tween putting the burden Of taxes on
the middle class and the toilers, by the
Penrose-Simmons bill, and putting the
heavier burden on the proflteering
class, by the La Toilette BILL
People Sacrificed.
In the course OF his speech the Wis.
consin senator dashed the reactionaries
in both parties, whose plan of raising
most of the cost of the government for
the next year by loans instead of by
taxation he described as a "crucifixion
of the great mass of the people of this
| country" He warned them that the
| cost of administration for several
years to come would be as great as
| during the first year of the war-just
as happened after the Civil war, when
| the expenses in 1869 were only slight
| ly below those of 1862.
"Mr. President" he declared, IF
wanted to be mean, if l wanted to try
to deduce something from the facts
that imputes motives, If l wanted tt
be partisan, could say that you want
ed to stand in with wealth, that you
wanted to curry favor with the big
business institutions of the country
that you wanted to let up the taxes
on the millionaires in order to finance
the future campaign; that you wanted
| to take it out Of the great mass Of
the people who are not organized, anG
who have not any wealth nor any
power to strike back with. l do moi
believe anything of the kind I jus,
think you are going blindly at this
business. l will not ascribe any such
motive as that to you"