Pueblo chieftain., 1921-04-02
SALES TAX
TALK HEAVY
IN COUNTRY
In Minds Of Congressmen,
Tho, Matter Is
Vague
CBY MARK SULLIVAN)


Washington, n G., April Away
from Washington you hear much about
the direct sales tax In Washington if
You want to learn the status OF this
proposal you must search for it The
business men and others thruout the
country who have been advocating this
new proposal for more than n year
nave not made as much progress with
congress as they believe There are
many among the leaders who believe
thoroly in the soundness of tho pro-
posal but in every case belief in its
soundness as matter of principle Is
greatly tempered by timidity about its
cNpediency as matter of politics.
Again and again you hear the cxprcs-
sion II believe in II thoroly. but /
doubt II We can get 1t thru Congress
Ihe radicals liz Congress and all who
follow the leadership of LaFoIlcttc
are much more completely crystallized
in opposition to the sales tax than
anybody else rs in favor of it The
college economists among the treasury
experts are opposed to it.
stated in its simplest terms. the
proposal is to put fiat tax of per
cent on everything that is sold. Every
merchant, manufacturer and other
business man at the end OF each month
would count up his gross sales for the
month, make out check for | per
mahA VI Ahf ana mali IL 10 inc
government This is tho proposal in
is simplest form.
Among tho advocates OF it and among
the Senators and Congressman who
arc considering 1t here there are a
my tudc OF variations and exemp-
TONS. Some would and some would not
tax. in addition to the sales of COM
modities, the sale OF services also.
winch means salaries and wages. Some
would exempt all farmers some would
exempt everybody whose gross salcs
IN year are less than IS. 0Co. some
would make the exemption as high
as SO. 900. Some would and some would
not exempt occasional isolated sales.
like the sale of IA house or n farm.
some would and somc would not ex-
cmpt the saia q sscurttiea b. brokcrp-
The estimates as to the amount OF
money this tax would raise vary OF
course. with the exemptions. Even tho
estimates on the stnapSest and largest
form OF the tax vary. Some claim II
would false as much as IS. ooo. 900 ooo.
somc as little as 5000. 000. 600. II this
tax would raise tho minimum estimate
o. 5000. 60. 900. that would be substnn-
tally half tho total tax that the gov
crnmcnt collects and would permit a
large scaling down OF tfs present in
come taxes.
What the present status OF this pro-
roNsl is among the ~, Congressman
ana UArFty -slA SCut1tOrh ~uss SONIC
time during tho summer will vote on
It Is impossible TO say. II Is diftcul:
even 10 say what the present status
OF It IS among the ten or twelve lead
ers Who presumably Will largely dom
inate the taxation program.
These leaders have not made up
their minds yet They have not thought
deeply into the subject at all. They
are very far short of that state OF
fortnight dcciaion which alono can
put this or any other proposal thru any
legislative body. They are still in the
state where they discuss whether to
do anything about the new prposal or
whether to ignore IL entirely.
Those who have gone furthcst
toward making up their minds In favor
OF 1t do not in any case at tho present
date go further than introduce II ten
tativcly or in experimental form. They
say they can only get it thru by max
ing IL palatable to Congress. They say
ono way to get IL thru would he to pass
a bonus bill in favor OF the soldiers,
and have the bonus raised by this new
form OF tax thus making the new tax
palatsbic by means or the appetizer of
the bonus.
The fact is. tho now administration |
and tho Republican party do not have |
a tiscnl program yet, and have not re-
ally put their minds on fiscal pro-
gram Tho leaders have arrived at "A |
certain amount OF decision Us to tho |
order in which the various subjects 1
will he considered by Congress. They |
,rputipnSd on Page Twol