Norwich bulletin., 1920-03-27
WHEN WILL TAXES COME DOWN

very little of the responsibility cane be laid to high taxes. It is true that many of our taxes tend in spite of everything to become consumption taxes. They are passed on and on until they can be passed no farther. But taxes are only drop in the bucket of present high prices.
 The large tax levies made necessary by the, war have made the tax item one of the most vital in every busi- ness. When the assets acquired by the nation during the war period properly analysed due credit will be given to the tax law for having inn pressed upon our people generally the necessity of keeping more accurate accounts. This will lead net not only to more accurate records and hence to more honest accounting between tax payers and the goyernInent, but. also to the reconstruction of business along more systematic and efficient lines. Persons will seek more accu- rate information regarding their bus mess conditions and will be able more quickly to remedy defects and | to conduct their business enterprises more successfully. It will be seen. 1 therefore, that heavy war taxation | has not been without it's benefits. | Gradually our manufacturers are getting over their uncertainty as to l the cost of labor and raw materials and uncertainty as to markets, and 1 tho the uncertainty with regard to I taxes remains, | think we could look l forward with assurance to conditions | permitting a reduction of the revenues | to be secured from taxation if we I had merely to consider raising enough money to meet governmental expendi- | lures.
 1 But there are other things to be .conSidered-and most important | among them is our war debt amount
 ing to some $50 ,000. .000,0SJ. A part ot l this debt will be paid from other sources, but the larger proportion can
 be cleared only by taxation. Shall il l be cleared away by this generation | or are we justified in passing it on to
 our children and their children's chil- l dren to be paid off in easy install ments? To answer this question we ! first must know-if we mean to be l just-what we got out of the war: l Whether we shall pass on to genera | tionss to come benefits gained by oul I sacrifices in blood that give. us the
 right to ask that they make up oui 1 sacrifices in money.
 L The war was fought "to end war IIt was the inspiration of this holy cause that gave to us and our allies
 
 achieved as a result of this genera tion's suffering? It is not the league rl of nations in itself that will prevent
 the recurrence of war, but the conf
 dence of the people that it will hav,
 this effect. If we ratify without de
 stroying this constitution, it seems tc ..s me there will be no reason why W,
 should not reduce taxation for thi
 generation and permit the generation 2 to follow to contribute something fo :. the benefits we shall have handet
 down to them.
 ,. If on the other hand, the war VI iLhave fought turns out to have gainet , us nothing but temporary respit s.l from armed conflict and aggression 7 how then can we ask our children t l share the burden We have laid upol our country? The wise thing to d
 and the just thing to do, if the leagu 3 lrof, nations is not brought into be : ing. will be to increase our taxes an pay off the war debt as quickly a r possible, in order that future genera tions may be left free to prepare fo t ! the wars they will have to fight.