The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-05-23

have to be taken care Of by our tax
payers.
"The main thing we shall have to
care for is that our taxation shall
rest as lightly as possible on the pro-
| ductive resources of the country, that
| it's rates shall be stable, and that it
| shall be constant in it's revenue-yield-
] ing power We have found the main
| sources from which it must be drawn.
| l take it for granted that it's mainstays
| will hencefOrth be the income tax. the
excess profits tax, and the estate tax.
! ALI these can so be adjusted TO yield
constant and adequate returns and yet
not constitute too grievous burden
| on the taxpayer. A revision OF the IN
! come tax has already been provided
| for by the act of 1918, but / think you
| will find that further changes can be
| made to advantage in the rates OF the
tax and in the method of it's collection.
! The excess profits tax need not long
| be maintained at the rates which were
necessary while the enormous expense
| of the war had to be borne; put IL
| should be made the basis of a perma-
! nent system which will reach undue
| profits without dscouraging the enter
| prise and activity of our business men.
| The tax on inheritances ought, no
, doubt, to be recOnsidered in it's rela-
| ton, to the fiscal systems of the sew
| eral states, but it certainly ought to re-
| main permanent part of the fiscal
| system of the federal government
| also.
| Nevertheless, there are parts of our
i tariff system which need prompt at
| tention. The experiences OF the war
have made it plain that in some cases
! too great reliance on foreign supply
! is dangerous, and that in determining
| certain parts of our tariff policy, do
| nestle considerations must be borne
| in mind which are political as well as
| economic. Among the industries to
| which special consideration should be
! given is that of the manufacture Of
dyestuffs and related chemicals. Our
complete dependence upon German
supplies before the war made the in
| depreciation of trade a cause of excep-
tional economic disturbance. The Ger
man chemical industry, with which we
will be brought into competition, was
and may we'll be again. thoroughly
knit monopoly capable of exercising
competition of a peculiarly insiduous
and dangerous kind.
"The United States should, moreover,
have the means of properly protecting
Itself whenever our trade is discrim-
mated against by foreign nations, in
order that we may be assured of that
equality Of treatment which we hope
to accord and to promote the world
ever Our tariff laws as they now
stand provide no weapon of retalla-
ton ia case other governments should
enact legislation unequal ia it's bear
ing on our products as compared with
the products of other countries.
'Wfll you not permit, me, turning
from these matters, to speak once
more, and very earnestly, of the pro-
posed amendment to the Constitution
which would extend the suffrage to1
women and which passed the house
of representatives at the last session
of the congress? 1t seems to me that
every consideration of justice and OF
public advantage calls for the imme-
diate adoption of that amendment and
it's submission forthwith to the legis-
latures of the several states. Through.
out all the world this long-delayed ex-
tension of the suffrage is looked for.
"The telegraph and telephone lines
nf 10 m
owners so soon as the retransfer can
be effected without administrative
confusion; so soon that is, as the
change can be made with least pos
sible Inconvenience to the public and
to the owners themselves. The rail-
roads will be handed over to their
owners at the end of the calendar
wear: IL I were in immediate contact
with the administrative questions
which must govern the retransfer of
the telegraph and telephone lines II
could name the exact date for their re-
turn also. Until I am in direct con-
tact with the practical questions in
volved I can only suggest in the case
of the telegraphs and telephones, as
In CHe case VI IhC 1uiI"dyo, IL IL
clearly desirable in the public inter
est that some legislation should be
considered which may tend to make
of these Indispensable instrumental
tiles of our modern life a uniform and
co-ordinated system which will afford
those who use them as complete and
certain means of communication with |
long been afforded by the postal sys-
tenn of the government and at rates |
as uniform and ineligible. Expert
advice is, of course, available in this |
very practical matter, and the pub |
lie interest is manifest Neither the |
telegraph nor the telephone service OF
the country can be said to in any
,orco national cvctprn