Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1920-04-06
Age-Herald (Dem. }

Birmingham Age-Herald (DemD
cOncurs.
In declaring for repeal of the
excess profits tax" the Evansville
Courier DEM believes Gov Cox
"has the support or the best econ
omical thought of the counry.' de
claring that Experience has shown
this tax to be one OF the most vic
ious causes Of mounting prices and
the high cost OF living In place
of this tax. the Chattanooga Times
end DEM tells Us Gov. Cox pro-
poses a tax on purchases. Continu.
ing. the Times says:
THE Governor claimed TO have
found by investigation that "at
least one-half Of the 100000 900
required to operate the government
can be obtained from a tax of from
1 to IL per cent of the volume of
business done by any concern, and
such a tax would be neither cause
nor alibi Tor excess prices, The
proposition made by Governor cox
is gaining favor tho more it is I'M
derstood, and may b. adopted as
one of the method ~ !ucing the
cost Of living
But this is tie widest sort OF
economics possible, " declares the
Louisville Post GnlJ. IF we I'm.
derstand this" says the Post. ct
means that if a finn does a bus.
ness Of 100000, It must pay to the
Federal government a fixed per
centage of that sum. no matter
whether it has made money or lost
money through the transaction"
And the Post goes on to say:
" Everyone knows that many cor
porations elect TO do business al q
loss every now and then, preferably
to going out OF business. In fact.
the greater number of business
houses that are now successful had
some bad years at the beginning.
y plan to tax the volume of bust.
ness done, without regard to the
profits shown, would be terribly
disastrous TO the business OF the
0untry."
objection to cxcess-profit tax re-.
peal VS. also entered by the Nebras.
ka State Journol (Rep). His sug-
gestlon. this paper says, rs taken
up with extraordinary enthusiasm
wherever high income and profits
taxes are paid. ANA why not? It's
effect whatever lis purpose. is to
shift the burden of federal taxation
from wealth 10 population. 1t is an
abandonment Of the doctrine of
taxation according to ability to
pay. and the substitution OF virtual
" a head AK Economists. the
Journal says. "are almost unani-
nous in denying that the profits
tax can be shifted to the consumer,
land it is to be observed that those
who say they can shift the tax are
at the same time very anxious to
be rid of it. This paper thinks,
therefore, that Gov. Cox opens
his campaign for the presidency by
giving approval to taxation
scheme which would release the
wealth made in war from paying
anything like is proportioaate
share Of the war debt and lit
hardly seems possible that this
will commend Gov. Cox to the aver
age American voter"
Gov. Cox's advocacy, "now that
the war is ended, of junling most
of our institutions devoted to war.
and scaling governmental machine
ry down to the point of necessity
and efficiency is taken up by the
Cincinnati Times-Star RepD:
Just how it is TO be incorporated
in the Democratic platform OF 1920
is little difficult to see" the
Times-Star says. rs it not a
Democratic administration which
has hung on to the war machinery
of the government long after the
reason for lis existence ceased to
exist? - The Governors decla-
ration as to efficiency simplicity in
government, etc, does him credit.
But it will not help him much if
perchance he should be Chosen an
the candidate of the Democratic
party and therefore as The reDre.
sentative and defender of the VIII
son administration"