The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1921-07-15
AS TO. TAXES.

OF government. Even when our re.
public was administered on simple
and economic lines, when the major.
w party then In control, refused all
appropriations for internal improve
qests" because there was 40 warrant
for them in the constitution. the peo-
PIE complained of the burdens OF tax.
alton. For many years after the foun.
dalton of the government and during
the long period of democratic control,
stt1ct constructionists Of the constitu-
ton held the reiens of power and the
activities or the government We're con-
fined exclusively to the preservation
Of order and the promotion Of the gem
srsl welfare and the solution OF those
ilnumerable problems that arose In
the formative period of our history.
aRut once constitutional warrant was
given for t,internal improvements" the
foodgstes of the treasury were open.
I'd ard during the past third of CEN
fury the value Of our statesmen has
largely been measured by their ability
to extract money from the public
treasury for local expenditure. This
has added immensely to the burdens
Of the government and caused trsmes-
dous advances in the tax rates. The
d example set by, the general govern
rnent has been followed by the states
and In turn by the counties and the
municipalities, until a tremendous
burden of public debt and an eAor-
nous tax rate have been imposed upon
the people Of the United States. In
Maury county for example the COM
bined contributions to the federal,
state end local governments aggregate
around $50 or more per cabita of
Nhish about fye-sixths goes to the
federal government in direct and indi,
rect taxes. In addition the people who
live In Columbia must contribute an
additional $40 per capita to the sup.
port OF the city government, making a
taxso on the average citizen in this city
for an governmental purposes of more
than 49,, And taxes for local purpos-
es9in Maury county and Columbia are
less than in many counties and cities.
The average family Of five would pay
altogether $3.50 during the year for
the support OF government.
These big contributions in times Of
depression cause many protests
against the cost of government. But
who rs to blame? After all our legis
lators congressman, Justices and al.
Hermen, pretty we'll follow public SEN
tiRs1tli in making appropriations. The
people who complain most bitterly of
taxespare those who are the most ear
test and persistent and uncompromis-
ing .,ii13 their, efforts to- get appropri.
atoms for their own particular local..
ttes.s An idea as old as government
seems to exist and that Is whatever
tasssecured. from the federal treasury
rs that much money made, when as a
tnatef rof fact every dollar of It must
be contributed by the tax payers.
Z, Now as long as the progressive bus.
mess men are always pleading for in.
creased expenditures for government.
tarspurposes or for purposes often be-
yond the true bounds of governmental
activities, they, cannot expect reduc-
ttoA. Of the tax burden. On the aontra.
Wy they must expect an increase of tax
rates. and tax assessments. There Is
ging to be no real economy In govern.
neut. no reduction of its tar burdens
Until O majority OF the people deter
mine that they will cease their opPor-
tunities for increased appropriations.
Whenever a substantial majority of
the people really determine to have
governmental retruechment and econo-
mys,they will achieve that result. and
not before.
~ 49, Z - u