The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-03
PLEA FOR A SALES TAX.

Signing himself Common Sense
Business" somebody has sent out a
circular letter calling for the enact
ment of a sales tax law.
Instead Of the business firm spend
ing several millions of dollars hiring
expert accountants to make out their
income tax, says the letter, wouldn't 1T
be nicer for them to pay it every
month. just like they pay their gro
Gerry bill, same as they pay their in
come tax on ice-cream cones, or the
alter tickets, or anything OF this kind.
and by doing it this way, it would be
a pleasure to run business, as you
would be square with the government
every month.
For an example, it is pointed out.
say a firm sold 100000 worth of
goods a month, and paid one per cent.
This would be $1,000 per month. At
the end of the month the bookkeeper
could step over to the adding machine
and add up the sales, and mail the
check just the same as he pays his
grocery bill or any other account, and
at the end of the year, all this fretting
of hiring lawyers and expert account
ants would be done away with, and in
stead of having several thousand
clerks in the revenue office. the gov
eminent could have about twenty-five
or fifty clerks in every state, and do
away with a million or more clerks,
and each and every firm would be
glad to pay as much or more taxes
than it is paying now.
The government, says the letter,
could have it's men go around to the
business houses and one man could
check up from fifteen to twenty bust
ness houses IN one day. and they could
check up fifty or a hundred business
houses where they check up one now,
and there would be no excuse for any
thing being wrong. and it would be a
pleasure to run a business. But as it
is now, no one can make out an in
come tax report unless he hires law
yer or an expert accountant, and you
might have paid the government too
much or too little. You never know
where you are at, but by paying one
per cent of the total amount of sales
and paying it every month. you know
where your business stands all the
time, and not only that. but the gov
eminent would then have the money
from fifteen to eighteen months in
advance, and everybody would be
happy and have nothing to fret about
at the end of the year. Then we
would not have to spend MILLIONS of
dollars for expert accountants or law
yers to make out income tax reports
Six clerks in the revenue office could
bred the way it is run now. and by do
ing as stated above, the business men
can Keep their mind on their business,
and in this way it would be a pleasure
to run a business, land more good
business men would stay in business,
and at. the same time we would be
paying as much tax as we are now
more if We could pay it every month.
Then we would not owe a big bill at
the end of the year to attorneys and |
the government.
For goodness sake" the writer |
arrange it so we can pay !
once a month and SO We won't be |
dreading the big bill we have to pay |
at the end OF the year. for If we pay It |
once a month we won't think any,
thing more about it than we do in |
paying our hired help. and please |
make it simple SO we won't have to |
pay the attorneys and expert account
ants more than we pay the govern
ment."