The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-02-12
SALES TAX Is FAVORED.

1<ao60 AeAA 10 AVOd6O.
In all the discussion that has been
provoked by the nations unhealthy
financial condition, but one method Of
increasing income has been advanced
and seriously considered. Everybody
or nearly everybody who has any in
fuence in the CONTINGENCIES the adop-
tion Of sales tax-taxes on consump-
ton; on what people eat, wear and
use. This is the only sure and certain
way of getting money necessary to
maintain the extravaganza appropria-
tons Of congress. Everybody eats and
| wears something, and when all are re-
quired to pay for the mere privilege
of existing, steady stream Of dollars
is certain to flow into the national
| treasury
! The advantage of a sales tax, from
| the viewpoint of those who have, is
that it compels every citizen to bear
an equal share of the cost of main
tanning the government. The rich
man s family eats and wears but little
if any more than the poor mans FAM
lily. The worker who earns three dol
lars day will, with a sales tax oper-
atlng, probably pay as much to the
| government: as will MI. Rockefeller.
whose stomach is weak and whose
creature demands are extremely modest.
If taxes are piled upon corporations
OF proiteering business men, they will
be unable to function efficiently, it is
claimed. But if taxes are placed upon
food and clothing they will be paid,
for men and women must eat and wear
clothes, in the present state of society,
in any event.
SO a sales tax it is going to be. We
are going to maintain a four billion
dollar budget by taking food from the
stomach and clothes from the back.
We are going to get more money for
the government by giving less food to
the population.
There are, however, some merits to a
sales tax. The people will, when it is
adopted, be in no doubt as to who is
paying the bills. They were not always
so informed under ?: system Of indirect
taxation. But when the grocer, the
butcher, the baker and the landlord all
add little to every item bought and
paid for, to be turned over to the tax
gatherers, nobody will be in any doubt
as to who is sustaining the govern
ment. And then we will probably have
more interest in the conduct. of gov.
eminent. Wen more carefully scruti-
nize appropriations made by congress,
and when hundreds of millions of dol.
lars are being lavished upon special
interests our empty stomachs will tell
us that we are not getting fair deal
and We'll let out a howl of protest that
will reach and be heard at Washing
ton-maybe.
The nation that is compelled to tax
the bellies and the backs of it's people
is in a bad way. It is trodding the
dangerous road. We have endured
many injustices and hardships during
the past few years, but the popular
patience is frayed and ragged. It
should not be put to unduly severe
tests. For it may give way, and then
something horrendous may happen to
those mediocrities in congress who
throw up their hands in despair when
really serious proposition in govern
ment demands attention. They have
been trained so long in that school
which yields its first allegiance to the
interests that they know precious little
OF what the great body Of the public
is doing and thinking.
If the government succeeds in pluck.
ing all the goose without the goose
realizing that it is losing it's feathers,
all will be we'll. Otherwies, otherwise.
!