Norwich bulletin., 1920-06-19

In the passage of her new revenue
 1neastfre Canada has once more demon
 strated her ability to dispose of her post
 war problem in advance of us. While
 her new measure is open to improve
 ment in some respects, 1t is. nevertheless
 a piece of practical and constructive m leg
 isiafion which is stimulating, writes
 Charles E. Lord in the New York Times The DoTninion's first problem of social
 unrest was courageously met, intelll- l sentIy handled and seems on the way to | definite solution along lines likely to
 prove equitable to all: Her problem Of taxation and adjustment of government finances is now in similar shape. There i is more than d jest in the query: Why l nof move to Canada?" She has at least | shown an intelligent courage and politl- cal standards which seem in advance Of ours.
 | / Cou1pare her action with the state
 meilt of a member of our American con
 1 gress that the proper course to pursue as
 regards taxation is recognized put that
 the people, particularly the farmer ana
 the laborer, must be educated to approve
 it in advance before congress will act; or
 the letter of a United States senator who
 writes: "a
 .4The present revenue law as it stands is an abomination, and is conspicuous |, illustration of the legislative product or a congress charged with the duty Of rals- ing enormous revenue on the one hand, l, and painfully 'nprehensive of an aroused !, | public displea c which will find eX- , pression at the polls. We. therefore, so l carnoufiage our legislation as to make il ! i appear ori the face of things that only 7 those possessed of enormotis wealth and large incomes are unduly burdened. 'The people long subject to indirect t taxation through our tariff laws. seen = 4O urIf n tiof any scheme of taxation. however op l, pressive to them in ultimate results - which, on the face of things, seems to b. 2 otherwise.
 It When they do become conscious O n the fact that theirs is the burden unde . any form of taxation, and that such bur d den is aggravated under a system lik 't ours, we may hope for scheme of direc e taxation more equally distributed ant
 therefore more equitable and just" J. The thought back Of such statement i :" apparently our familiar dictufn ''Safet, if first" particularly individual safety an q the party and political safety which feel IS that the pill of taxation must be glide it before the people will swallow it, under a rating both patriotism and intelligence y and stressfng the spirit of envy and GU :" pidity which may be led to believe tha ct a proper way to meet our individual re ct responsibilities to our government is to al ,r tempt each one of us to shift our shar S. of the burden to some other fellow t. back and to delude ourselves with tn 8, belief that in so doing we are not, eac le one of us already bearing larger bui 1s den than is at all necessary to accon Lv pIish the purpose of financing the gov ,e ernnent's needs.
 r. Grave college professors, learned an ,e painstaking impressed With the beautie q. of abstract theory but as usual under at estimating the element of human natur, ,p have seriously recommended to tn 70 treasury department and to congres r. revenue measures based on taxing CT H. deavor and legislators, with a keen al s preciation of the unpopularity of taxe " have gladly experimented with metho
 which might seem to the minimizing [ ,s place the burden of taxation upon lin A' tied number of people, carrying with as it does the fascinating possibility .. appealing to the least worthy and mo- 's selfish instinct of the voter-instinc ee more or less common in all of us ar t- upon which have been based many coi ur spicuous political fortunes.
 IT It is to the credit of Canada that sf us has, to an extent subordinated such cor 'e. alterations and has had the courage IT, apply a measure of taxation on consunl " ton. relieving Some of the burden C SC, endeavor, even if she has only gone pa g. way and not yet reached the full neasul H. of sound legislation at which she will
 all probability eventually arrive Sl II has at least made the attempt to eoutr ng and define her expenditures. to provit all income enough to meet them without ad i'd ing floating debt, to base a portion