The Cordova daily times., 1919-04-14
FRUITS OF PROHIBITION.

It was estimated that the loss Of federal revenue caused by prohibition would amount to $1,000,000,OO0 or more. Mere considerations of revenue were not permitted to disturb the program dictated by the Anti-Saloon league. From the state and city of New York, and from all towns where the license system prevailed, a great, easily collected revenue was likewise taken away. The New York taxpayer must not only bear his part in the wantonly increased federal burden, but new fardels must be laid on his breaking back. Bulldozed into approv- ing prohibition, which beat them at the polls last fall, and the rising pub lie sentiment against which they have seen too late, the republicans of the legislature have devisd plan to raise revenue in place of that so carlessly tossed away, to make the taxpayers pay for the prohibition foisted on them
 The bills prepared by a special committee of both branches of the legislature and introduced into the senate and assembly propose an in- come tax of 2 per cent on individual incomes of more than $1,000 for single and more than $2,0O0 for married per sons a tax of one-half of 1 per cent on tangible personal property over S3,00O; the increase from 3 to AZ per cent of the tax on mercantile and manufacturing corporations. Income from corporation dividends is to be taxed The state income tax collector follows the federal. The patient is to be bled twice. On top of 2 and 12 per cent and surtaxes, a state tax of 2 per cent is to be piled. Citizens of other states doing business or practicing their profession in this state will be subjected to it's income tax. Future is- sues of state and municipal bonds, now exempt, are to be taxed. The pro- ceeds of the personal income tax are to be, shared equally by the state and the localities where it is collected.
 Senator Davenport, one of the architects of these extraordinary bills, describes them as intended to relieve the burdens now imposed in most of the cities of the state and to replete their sunken local revenues, which will suffer severely as result of prohibition" It is edifying to see the men who helped make big holes in state and local treasuries now try ing to fill the holes up, It is edifying to find them proposing to relieve the suffering which they were accom- plices in bringing about by making the taxpayers, the unconsulted people, suffer more. And it is edifying to learn that the $3,000 exemption from the tax on tangible personal property was made with the view ito overcome objections raised by the spokesmen for the farmers upstate" It is not worth while to criticise bills whose unwisdom is palpable, which are not expected to pass; which, probably are not mean to pass. On the day before they were introduced the superintend- mt of tn Anti-Saloon lague put forth long letter, homily and proclamation, ir which he virtually threw up the sponge for the leagues prohibition enforcement bill, and warned the re- publican party that it might lose the assembly. The republicans at Albany must rgret but cannot alter the polit- teal and financial results, the divi- dends of disaster. which their trans actions with the master of legisla- lures have cost them.-New York Times.