The Washington times., 1919-08-17

csnnot be blamed on the packers. II
! applies to all foods-not to meats
| alone-and to other commodities as
well.
The third. and no doubt the most
| important factor that will impede A
downward trend in food prices and
the cost Of living in other directions,
is to be found in the very great and
growing advances in land values
throughout the country. II Is report
ed that farm land has advanced in
price as much as S25 to 500 per acre,
in the various States during the war.
City land has advanced very greatly
| during the same period. Instances
arc many Of increases IN value OF
from % peT cent to 100 per cent and
more during the past few years.
Some time ago Senator Harding OF
Ohio, addressing the Senate. said:
vast quantities ot good farming
lanG near the best markets in the
world are not cultivated. In New
England there are 10000, 600 acres OF
unused land that might be growing
crops. There are 35,000,O00 acres in
the Middle States that might be
EARNED, but which are lying idle.
In the Pacific Coast States there are
lO0,000,000 acres OF uSused but usable
land. In all O0,OdO,oO acres or
thereabouts are lying idle. to say
nothing OF that which is made
quately farmed."
Resources Are Idle.
One-half of the nations resources
are idle. Economically we are work
ing with one hand, and the job Of
feeding the world today is not q
onc-hand job. Taxes have been null
tiPlied and applied to everything ex-
cepting land values. Tax these
5O0,0O0,000 idle acres into use and
food will be abundant and cheap.
Take the taxes off of buildings
and let the builders build the homes
Ceeoed to bring down rents.
Take the taxes off OF foods and
merchandise OF all kinds, and make
it possible to sell these products at
lower prices.
Take the taxes of OF the machinery
OF agriculture, of commerce and Of
industry, and speed up production at
lower costs. All Of these taxes are
added to the cost of the product and
passed on to the consumer who is
carrying the whole load. Ex-Presi-
dent Taft, in his editorial OF Friday,
August 18th, referring to the Presi-
ueul y 1000 massage, SalQ:
1T is fair to inquire, however, IL
the President should not have found
the present income and excess profits
tax one important factor in the in
creased cost of commodities. We are
attempting to raise $500, 900, 900 an
nually to apply on the war debt, in
addition to the customary taxes for
support OF city, State and Federal ac-
tivities. Almost all successful con-
Germs appear to be paying their usual
dividends after having set apart a
sufficient sum to meet the income and
excess profits tax. In practice, there
fore, this extraordinary demand upon
industry is being passed along in
most instances to the ultimate con-
sUmcr.'
Taxes Fall TO Consumer.
Mr. Taft is right, all the taxes
OF all kinds on production, incomes
and excess profits are passed along to
the ultimate consumer in the prices
charged for the product.
With a world crop of cereals of
only so per cent Of normal, we can
not have lower prices on wheat or
corn-the basic cereals.
With live hogs at % cents per
pound, and live cattle at II TO IS
cents per pound, we cannot have
cheap meat.
Only large scale production every
where and relief from unsound and
burdensome taxation, will bring the
solution OF this problem that the
people are rightly asking for.