The New York herald., 1921-09-09
VIII Hays's Message Of Promise.

Whether Postmaster-G General HAYS
spoke for the President or for the
whole Government, the new taxation
policy which he outlined in his Cleve-
land address as essential to the
country's welfare, and which Is sound.
practical and businesslike, Is mes
sage of national hope.
The domestic war debt must In
part be spread over later genera
tions of taxpayers, because the tax
payers of the present have paid and
are paying more than they can 60
on paying and more than the coun-
try can afford to have them pay, for
the reason that the industrial devel-
cpment and financial strength upon
which the future Of the nation de-
pends are now throttled by the tax
collector.
The excess profits tax must be
repealed, because 1t both kills in
centive and deprives capital and
labor of the surplus funds which are
necessary to build new business and
provide more employment.
The extreme income taxes must be
modified not only because they tend
to become unproductive for the
Treasury but because they take from
the savings that prudent men are
striving to lay up for their old age
when they no longer will be capable
of earning enough to support their
families or themselves.
AS for the new taxes to supply the
revenues which the Government un-
der the stern necessity OF war emer-
gency had to draw by unscientific
measures and vicious methods, they
must be more direct. transparent
end honest. Chief principle to be
called upon If the Government ever
is to be sure of sufficient income to
rect its expenses and IL the tax
payer ever is to be freed of the ex-
tortions which are practised against
him through present tax monstrosi-
ties is the sales tax. 1t is open and
above board, where the taxpayer can
see 1t, can know what he ought to
pay and can resist paying several
times as much as is due from him,
the excess exaction going not into
the public treasury but into rapa-
cious private pockets.
Whether this sales tax shall be
applied to manufactures, to the
transactions OF middlemen or to the
purchases OF ultimate consumers is
matter of detail. The fundamental
principle to be worked out is that
the tax shall be surely laid on gen.
eral consumption and shall be small,
clear and simple.
Whether such a tax can be put
into full operation at short notice
so as to replenish depleted Treas
ury IS of minor consequence. The
Government is in for heavy debt
paying for many administrations of
Presidents and sessions OF Congress.
The American people are in for in
cessant taxpsying for long genera
tions. A complete programme may
not be possible OF achievement this
year or even next. The Treasurys
urgent requirements may compel the
continuation for a while of some OF
the present unjust and dangerous
taxes while the safe and wise taxes
are being introduced. But the thing
for responsible Government. a
competent Government and an hon
est Government TO do and do now
is to start the new order OF things
and start 1t right.
In his quite specific declaration,
therefore, Of what must be done to
get the country on its feet again,
ond in his almost explicit promise
OF what will be done to meet this
overshadowing national problem.
ostmaster-General HAYs's message
comes TO thinking Americans like a
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