Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-07

+4+4 4+++444 ~ +l444++44 4+44+I444l
ducers and those derived from industries
that exist by unfair privilege may be able
TO carry their present load, but taxes on
the earnings Of the wage-earners Of the
salaried and professional man, of the
agricultural producer and OF the small
tradssTnan should be sharply modified /
believe that a better form Of taxation
than the so-called excess profits tax may
De found and | suggest small tax, prob
ably one 10 one and one-half Der
cent on the total business Of every going
concern. IL ls to be understood that the
term business as used does not in
clude income received BY waze-earners,
salarled men, agrictilturists and the small
business man who should be exempt from
tins tax. The profteer and some OF the
highly capitalized units have used the
excess profits tax as a favorite excuse for
loading on the consumer by means Of
highly inflated selling prices many times
the amount actually paid the govern
ment. necessary condition 10 the ma
tional contentment and sound business is
''-t proportion between fair profits to
and fair prices to the consumer
unquestloned that the enormous ex-
pansion Of public and private credit made
necessary as a part of war financing, the
diversion OF the products Of many IN
dustries from their usual channels, as well
as the disturbance TO general business
caused by the withdrawal of millions of
men from producing fields, all contri-
outed TO the rise In prices. Reversion Of
these various agencies TO a more stable
condition will tend toward a recession
IN the enormously inflated present prices
OF many commodities and property values
and there are now evidences that sane
adjustment Is not far distant. Deep
patriotic sentiment enthralled our people
during the war and slight attention was
gwen 10 the enormous economic changes
that were then IN progress and when OBJ
served these changes were generally
accepted as one of the trials necessary 10
be endured and they were submerged in
the thought and purpose for victory. While
mllllons OF free men, regardless of wealth
or condition were giving OF their blood
and substance, many corporations and
men, seized the very hour that civiiiga-
ton lay PROSTATE to secure for them
selves fortunes wrung from the public
and from the government, by the levying
OF prizes that IN many cases were a crime.
Under present taxation laws much capi-
tai Is drawing out OF industry and find
ing investment in non-taxable securities.
This will cease if the changes suggested
are made.
PRoFITEERs SINISTER INFLUENCE.
In the analysis of government, as the
events of today enable us to penetrate
the subject, we see the difference be-
tween the old and the progressive kinds
of thinking The belief of the reaction
aries is that government should not func
tion more widely than it did in the past,
but they seem TO forget that the funda-
mental of our plan euqal rights for all
and special privileges for none. Modern
life has developed new problems. Civil
cation continues to build along the same
basic lines and altruStic as we may all be
to be, the fact remains that eX-
cept for the exchange of products be-
tween individuals, commercial units and
nations, our development would be slow.
All of this growth goes on under the pro-
lection of and with the encouragement
of government. The least therefore, that
might be rendered unto government 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 formation of groups which seek this
very advantage. We are busy people,
in too large degree with
purely commercial considerations, and we
have not recognized as we should, that
the failure of government TO prevent in
equalities has made it possible for mis-
chievious spirits to develop prejudice
against the institutions of government,
rather than against administrative policy.
There is very important difference here.
This difference bears directly on prof.
teering, which is today the most sinis-
ter influence in American life. 1t is not
new thing in America The tribe ofprofi-
teers has simply multiplied under the
fayoring circumstances of war. For years,
large contributions have been made to
the Republican campaign fund for no
purpose except to buy governmental
and to make illegal profits
as, the result of preference Such largeses
are today greater menace To our con
tentment and our institutions than the
countless temporary prodteers who are