The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-08-07

!. business" as used does not include
income received by wage-eaners,
salaries men agriculturists and the
small business man who should be ex-
empt from this tax. The profteer
and some Of the highly capitalized
units have used the excess profits tax
IS 2 favorite excuse for loading or
the consumer by means of highly IN
flated selling prices many times the
amount actually paid the government
4 necessary condition to the national
contentment and sound business is a
just proportion between fair profits TO
business and fair prices to the con-
sumner. 1t is unquestioned that the
enormous expansion of public aud
private credit made necessary as
part of war financing, the diversion
of the products of many industries
from their usual channels, as well IS
the disturbance to general business
caused by the withdrawal of millions
of men from producing fields, all cor
tributed to the rise in prices. Rever-
sion of these various agencies to d
more stable condition will tend 70
ward a recession in the enormously
inflated present prices of many COM
modities and property values and
there are now evidences that a sane
adjustment is not far distant. Deep
patriotic sentiment enthralled our
people during the war and slight at
tention was given to the enormous
economic changes that were then in
progress and when observed these
changes were generally accepted as
one of the trials necessary to be en-
dured and they were submerged in
the thought and purpose for victory
While millions of free men, regard
less of wealth or condition, were CIV
ing of their blood and substance,
many corporations and men seized the
very hour that civilization lay pros
trate to secure for themselves for
tunes wrung from the public and
from the government by the levying
of prices that in many cases We're d
crime. Under present taxation laws
much capital is drawn out of indus
try and finding investment in nom
taxable securities. This will cease if
the changes suggested are made.
In the analysis of government, as
the events of today enable us to pene-
trate the subject, we see the differ
ence between the old and the pro-
gressive kinds of thinking. The belief
of the reactionaries is that govern
ment should not function more widely
than it did in the past, but they seem
to forget that the fundamental of our
plan is equal rights for all and spec
ial privileges for none Modern life
has developed new problems. Civil
cation continues to build along the
same basic lines and altruistic as we
may all be disposed to be. the fact
remains that except for the exchange
of products between individuals, COM
mercial units and nations. our devel-
opment would be slow All of this
growth goes on under the protection
of and with the encouragement of
government. The least therefore,
that might be rendered unto govern
ment for this continuous service is a
policy of fair-dealing. Too often the
genius of man prompts him to play
for governmental advantage, and the
success which has been achieved in
this particular, has led to the forma-
ton of groups which seek this very
advantage. We are a busy people,
preoccupied in too large degree with
purely commercial considerations,
and we have not recognized as we
should. that the failure of govern
ment to prevent inequalities has made
it possible for mischievious spirits 10
develop prejudice against the insti-
| tutions of government, rather than
against administrative policy. There
is a very important difference here.
This difference bears directly on pro-
fteering, which is today the most sin
lister influence in American life. 1t is
not new thing in America. The tribe
of profteers has simply multiplied
under the favoring circumstances IF
war. For years. large contributions
have been made to the republican
campaign fund for no purpose except
to buy a governmental underhold,
and to make illegal profits as the re-
1 sui VI DISlCISICc. EOuCn
are today a greater menace to our
contentment and our institutions than
the countless temporary profteers
who are making a mockery of honest
business, but who can live and fattcn
only in, time of disturbed prices. If
] am called to service as president
means will be found, if they do not
already exist, for compelling these
exceptions to the great mass Of
square dealing American business
men, to use the same yardstick OF
honesty that governs most of us in
our dealings with our fellowmen, OF
in language that hey may understand
to suffer the penalty of criminal Law
There is another reason for the
fabulous contributions to the present
republican campaign fund Much
money, of course, has been subscrib-
ed in proper partisan zeal. but the