The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1921-08-25

alternative. He has been studying
taxation and he is convinced that he
has devised a scientific program which
will raise necessary government reve-
nues without Stacking business or
burdening the people. Such pro-
gram could be adopted if the admins
tration would forget its tenderness for
special privilege.
should not promote production" says
Keller. "There are rules Of taxation
just as we'll established as the laws
of mathematics. But instead Of call
ing in competent experts, the ways
and means committee seeks the advice
of a multi-millionaire cabinet officer
(Mellon) whose suggestions seem to
be based upon prediction promises to
the war profteers instead of scientific
economic principles. We could Tighten
the load on industry and relieve the
workers and farmers Of this country
of about $3.50 per year for the average
family if the administration would
quit coddling millionaires and monop-
olists and seriously consider the taxa
ton of inheritances and land values"
This last proposal is the essence of
Keller's tax program. He wants to
repeal all the nuisance taxes which
are paid by the people and replace
them with a stiffly graduated tax on
inheritances which will raise $780,
100000 annually. He wants to raise
one billion more by per cent tax
on land values. This tax allows each
individual an exemption Of $4,000 and
entirely, eliminates all improvements.
The bill defines improvements as "any-
thing that is the application of labor
to land" and, under this definition,
practically no farmers would pay
taxes. ,-.
The bulk Of the billion dollars raised
by this tax would come from the cof-
fers of the great corporations which
hold iron ore, coal, oil, timber, water
power and other natural resources out
of use and retain idle lands for specu-
lative purposes. The Keller program
undoubtedly would relieve the small
taxpayer and break up these great
monopolistic holdings. This explains
why the bill is so bitterly opposed b.
Fordney, Longworth and other de-
tenders of special privilege.
SHIPPING BOARDS PECULIAR
- T.. ..~. WAYS
Chairman Lasker Of the United
States shipping board wants congress
to give him $500, 900 so he can set
tie claims" against the board. In
view of this request, it is interesting
to know that Joseph w. Powell, re.
Gently vice president Of the Bethlehem
Shipbuilding corporation, has just
been appointed by Lasker to take
charge of the claims and accountaney
division of the shipping board.
Powell is the same man who blocked
an effort of the shipping board to
audit the books Of the Bethlehem cor
poration when it had claims of $780,
100000 against the government. He
also stopped any real investigation Of
the charge that his boss, Charles
Schwab, had proited by irregular
dealings with the government. Schwab
wept copiously when this allegation
was made, and the prostituted press
whitewashed him, but the charge was
never properly pressed largely be-
cause of Powell's activities.
The Schwab interests still have
claims aggregating more than $780,
900, 900 against the government, and,
to say the least, it is q strange pro-
cedure to select one of their former
employees who is still acting as "a
dollar-a-year man." to pass on these
claims. -. $3.50 49,. -