The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-08-08

ana the kepubilcan congress IN Wnlcn
all tax laws must originate, and
which for almost two years has eX-
ciusively held the power to amel-
iorate this condition. has not made
"A single effort or passed a single
law to lft from the American PEG.
Pile a load Of war taxation that
cannot be tolerated in a time Of
peace.
Promises Tax Reduction
Federal taxation must be heavily
reduced, and It will be lone at once,
if Il Democratic administration is
chosen in November. Without ham
pering essential national administrative
departments, by the elimination Of all
others and strict economy everywhere
national taxes can be reduced In ex.
cess OF two billion dollars yearly,
Annoying consumption taxes, once
willingly borne, now unjustlfied,
should be repealed. The incomes
from war-made fortunes, those or
non-producers and those derived
from industries that exist by un-
fair privileges may be able to carry
their present load, but taxes on the
earnings Of the wage.earner. OF the
salaried and professional man. OF
the agricultural producer and of
the small tradesman should be
better form of taxation than the
so called excess profits tax may
be found and I suggest a small
tax, probably n to one and one-
half per cent on the total business
of every going concern. II is to be
understood that the term "busi-
ness as used does not include in
come received by wage earners,
salaried men, ag~riculturists and the
small business man who should be
exempt from this tax. The prof
iteer and some Of the highly CAPT
talized 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 government.
A necessary condition to the ma
tional contentment and sound bust
ness Is a just proportion between
fair profits to business and fair prices
to the consumer. 1t is unquestioned
that the enormous expansion Of public
and private credit, made necessary
as a part Of war financing. the di-
version OF the products Of many in
dustries from their usual channels,
as we'll Is the disturbance to general
business caused by the withdrawal
Of millions of men from producing
fields. all contributed 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 a
sane adjustment is not far distant.
Deep patriotic sentiment enthralled
our people during the war and slight
attention was given to the m
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
tiiV thObpHb dAu Pun POoC " ftNboty
While millions of free men, regard
less Of wealth or condition. were gy-
ing Of their blood and substance, many
corporations and men seized the very
hour that civilization lay PROSTATE
to secure for themselves fortunes
wrung from the public and from the
government, by the levying Of prices
that in many cases were a crime.
Under present taxation laws much
capital is drawing out of industry
and finding investment in non-taxable
securities. This will cease If the
changes suggested are made.
No Return to Pre.War Basis
In the analysis of government, as
the events of today enable us to pene-
trate the subject, We see the differ
encc between the old and the pro
Of the reactionaries is that govern
ment should not function more widely
than it did in the past, but they seem
to forget hat the fundamental Of our
plan is equal rights for all and spe-
cial privileges for none. Modern life
has developed new problems. Civil
zation continues to build along the
same basic lines and %altruistic as we
may all be disposed to be, the fact
of products between individuals, COM
mercial units and nations, our de-
velopment would be slow. All Of this
growth goes on under the protection
of and with the encouragement OF gov
ernment. 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 sue
cess which has been achieved in this
particular, has led to the formation
of groups which seek this very adj
vantage. We are a busy people,
p~re-occupied in too large degree with
purely commercial considerations, and
we have not recognized as We should,
that the failure of government to pre-
vent Inequalities has made it possible
for mischievous spirits to develop
prejudice against the institutions OF
rather than against adj
m~inistrative policy. There is a very
important difference here. This dill
ference bears directly on profiteering'
which is today the most sinister influ-
n in American life. 1t Is no
, new thing in America.
War Caused Profiteers
The tribe of profiteers has simply
under the favorable cir
OF war. Fol- years, large
contributions have been made to the
republican campaign fund for no
purpose except to buy a government
inderhold, and to max illegal profits
~ the result of preference, Such
argesses are today a greater menace
o our contentment and our institu-