Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-12-02
State Incomes And Expenses 81
Discussed By Governors a
Meeting ifl r ef1nsyludi1ia Today
Sproul Tells Of Efforts tos
Raise Municipal Funds II
Southern State; Others
Are on Program For Al Y: .
dresses.

Harrisburg. Pa. Dec. 2.Creati6n t
of a national committee representing
both state and federal governments to
revise and simplify tax laws was adj
vocated by Governor William c.
Sproul Of Pennsylvania before the gov
ernors' conference here today. h 4.
Most states will require new taxa
ton legislation within the next few
years, Governor Sproul said, pointing
out the advisability Of making the
states and preventing duplication OF
fedefal and state levies. si i.
recommendations should be made
to congress by such a committee, the
governor said, looking to modification
of federal laws SO that the states may
be protected in their revenues and
their taxation sources saved from de-
Harrisburg, Pa, Dec. 2.-Discussing
the subject of state incomes and dis
bursements before the governors con-
ference here today, Governor VIM. c.
Sproul, of Pennsylvania, told of ef-
forts made by fiscal heads here to
raise necessary funds for municipan-
ties, state and national without inl-
posing burden upon the states in
dustries.
In Pennsylvania, the governor said,
no direct state tax is levied upon the
property of the people, needed reve-
nues being derived from taxes upon
capital stock securities and the earn
ings of certain classes of corporations
upon insurance and from fees and IL
censes.
AL possible efforts, he declared, had
been made to relieve citizens and in
dustries of burdens made particularly
heavy during the last few years by the
expenses of the war. Explaining for
the benefit of the visiting governors in
the hope that each may carry kone
constructive ideas for legislation in
state meets it's obligations, he said it
had been possible to avoid levyins
upon the capital stock Of manufactur-
ing corporations.
| Industries Young.
! I'VE are still nursing our infant in.
dustries here,' he said, ''nor do we
tax our vast mineral products, the
value of which alone amounts well
alopg to two billions Of dollars q year,
! "A ten per cent ton tax upon coal
mined in Pennsylvania alone would
Yield $30GOO,000 per annum and a
five mill tax upon the capital stock Of
corporations engaged in manufactur-
! ing which are now exempt, the same
rate as is paid by transportation and
many other companies would Weld
i SIS. 100000 additional. s G. d
II will, therefore, be seen that our.
neids OF taxation here are still hvits
ing and that much additional revenue
could be raised without imposing any
particularly heavy burden upon our
i people. It iss our desire, however, not
to impose taxes which will restrict
business or bring any marked Increase
IN the price OF commodities.
There must be some germ in the
Potomac" he said, which makes our.
national statesmen forget that the ma
t1on is made up Of states: that these
states have functions to perform nj
fectlng most intimately the life and
| Welfare OF the republic and that tlc.
}, operation of these activities requires
money IN generous Quantities 6
u Costs Increase,
Governor Sproul said that the cost
OF everything necessary to carry OIL
state functions had increased so enor-
mously in the last few years that il,
many states deficits and oyerdrafts
upon the appropriations have had to
pe permitted to prevent an actual
closing down of the work of caring
Tor unfortunate and dependent wards
of the state.'
incomes and land, he said should
? be subjected to no additional leyies.
either by state or nation. The first Of
these, he said, were bearing as heavy
burden as they could well stand
Modern taxes upon the utilization of
natural resources, he declared. wos,ld
!, not be so burdensome. particularly ii
states made provision for making some
return to localities affected, in the
way of reconstruction rehabilitation.
The governor said he esteemed a
happy sign of the trend of the times
That there was strong tendency ev-
eryWhere to improve taxes in propor-
i ton to the ability of the taxed to nay,
Cooper Speaks.