The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-02-28
SUPPORTING THE
COMMUNITY


who support their community: there
are certain other classes who do not.
There are many things besides taxes
that are used to maintain the COM
munities and their institutions. There
are Commercial clubs and various
kinds of civic organizations where
men join together to use their COM
bined efforts and money to do things
for the good of the community or
for the good Of the people in the
community, who are unable to help
themselves. There are charities that
call for money and there are organ
izations like the fair association that
require work and money to operate
them for public good. There are the
celebrations on the Fourth OF. July
and other holidays. During the war
there were the various drives to get
money for the Red Cross, there were
many other kinds of activities besides
the thrift stamp sales and the sales
of liberty bonds. The class of people
who support these things and do the
work are the kind of people who are
willing to do them and who want to
do them and who want to do their
part for public good. Tax dodgers
are not generally the kind of people
who rush into that kind of work and
organize and put up their share.
They are generally the kind of peo-
pie who have to be seen and per-
suaded to help if they can be per-
suaded. OF course, the alignment
and classification does not hold good
in all cases, but as general rule it.
does. People who dodge one public
duty dodge all other public duties
unless they have some certain thing
they are interested in that has a
special appeal to them One tax
dodger might be great baseball fan
and put up money for the support of
the baseball club or he might be in.
terested in the September fair and
patronize it generously and help
make up the program and support it.
A year ago last September Blackfoot |
got up roundup in honor of the
American Legion and much of the ex-
pense had to be met by subscription
of one kind or another among the
business houses. Some of the fell
lows responded generously and put
up their money while others prom
ised, but didn't put up at all. The
fellows who dodge one kind of public
burden will generally dodge all other
kinds if they can, including the
axes.
Government
Effect
The purpose of government is to
protect the weak against the strong
md the selfish. Firms that stay in
business must take in more money
han they pay out for expenses. One
t the big struggles nowadays with
BUSINESS men is to keep down the I
expense so it will not !
wamp them. The firm whose oper-
ting expense is greater than it's COM
etitors must sooner or later yield
heir business to the competitor be-
ause the competitor under bids v
lem. Suppose there are two firms I
the same line of business and one 4
rm pays it's taxes and responds to t
II the legitimate and proper appeals c
'r aid and money, all of these things C
ave to be added to the operating ex- a
ense. Suppose the competing firm il
odges the payment of taxes and all r
lie other things that it can; that 7
eeps down their operating expense
I'd they can underbid their COMPETE
,r on the price of their products.
he public does not know what are j,
lie means by which it accomplishes -
rncn1t of oil JD
care. What they want :,
the goods or service at the lowest u
ice at which they can get it.. The "
I'm that lodges it's taxes and other el
lblic burdens will eventually have "
ost of the business and the other Ct
IN will fail. The selfish tax dodger b.
e one who evades it's public duties. N
i'll be in control of that line Of bust r,
sss while the loyal, generous per- ~
N, or persons who meet all their =
)ligatiOns will be crowded out and
power and influence taken away
ON them and given to the kind of
ople who do not care at all for the It
vernment and for keeping up the O.
el
'emiums on A
shonesty a
The assessors office in this county a.
being operated on the plan that =,
Is the honest man afoot by driving y
m out of business and puts the sell
h element in control of business
d the government. 1t is reversing
cry purpose of government, pena-
ing honesty and placing premium r.
selfishness and disloyalty. ~
A person who lodges the payment ~
his taxes is not loyal; this is not -
'loyal in the sense that it has been th
ed during the war, that he would eN
fight the kaiser or fight for the III
silence of our own nation and the
otection of our country; he might [
willing to do all that, but in his
cry day affairs he is not support o.
his government and if everybody -"
build quit supporting the govern
mt for very short period there tr'
uld be chaos and the kaiser or We
ybody else could soon take pos XII
sion and have us under his con- ca