The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-08-14

tUp based on the SOUND economic
Jprneiplc that revenue can only he
! Produced from those who have any
) hing worth while taxing
This viewpoint has always been
more or less resented by the taxed.
several of history's protticst little
vars have had tax trouble as the
basic cause and the revenue mch
have beer regarded as necessary
evils in several civilizations.
As a matter Of fact these men are
the ones who produce the where
vi,h1l on which the nations busi-
ness revolvcs. Somebody has to
collect the money 80 pay :or the
national eXpenditurcs-the vast
sums repaired yearly to keep up
military establishments. civic gov
eminent needs not to mention such
items as education, public health,
sanitation, the courts and their ac-
compartments. jails, prisons, re-
formatories.
Prohibition Brings Activity.
Since John Barleycorn turned up
his toes on hearing the news of the
eighteenth amendment, the bureau
Of internal revenue of the treasury
has been hard put to II to see that
aforesaid amendment is strictly and
property enforced. At times H.
would seem as If the entire adult
population were array"d on one side
and the revenue men on the other In
the matter Of booze.
To those who claim that notwith-
Standing the bureau, liquor il OBJ
tainahle In this year of grace the
answer can be given that it would
take force OF about so. 900 or more
revenue agents to adequately police
this country and keep 1t clear of
'quor traffic. 1t is too big for the
small force, comparatively speaking
the bureau is permitted by its ap-
propriations to maintain.
Then, too, IL must be remembered
that prohibition enforcement is not
thc only task of the bureau. II has
few other little jobs. including col
lectng the yearly income tax from
more or less reluctant public; col
Letting from departing aliens who,
having filled their pockets with easy
American gold are returning potcn-
ual millionaircS 90 their hOmClandS;
directing the administration of the
estate, capital stock and child labor
tax laws; collecting the special war
taxes; guarding against the use of
narcotics and getting special taxes
from and inspecting certain food
products. such as oleomarEcrinc,
renovated butter and mixed flour.
Bureau Makes Profit.
Ono thing is true about the revo-
nuc bureau that can be said of few
other government bureaus in town.
and the attention Of "lIcil Maria
Charlie" Dawes is respectfully di-
rcotcd TO il, the bureau of internal
revenue operates n a distinct profit.
The bureau of internal revenue op-
Grated last year for 80 cents on
every 800 collected TO fill Uncle
4 Sans yawninE Golfers And this
N small price including the cNpcndi-
W lures necessary for enforcing the
u child labor, the narcotic and the
prohibition laws. In fact, II il had
not been for enforcing the prohibi-
t!on laws there would have been
still more Of a balance on the right
side Of the ledger. For chasing the
uneasy ghost Of John BarlcycOrn
the length and breadth Of the land
cost the tidy little sum Of two
million and a few odd thousands
ff'y-nino to be explicit, what a
waste of money" some Of our Citi-
N2,ns will cXclaim after hearing this
tNbIt of news. But laws are made
70 ho enforced and it was up 10 tho
bureau 10 do II.
The 1000 fingers Of the bureau
reach out and touch everyday lite
oi the average American more than
province as Jnclc Sans business Of
lice is we'll known, but its protc,-
NVo phase not quite So VOL II pro-
t'g's IN" public hv placing pro-
hlhI'ivc tax on the output Of child
labor and this one action has done
moro tu reduce the volume Of child
labor in this country than any other
method tried, and II watches with
an overseeing eye certain foodstuf
operations.
Early Tax on Whisky.
In brief review NJ the bureau Of
Internal revenue HISTORY IT Is Wcll To
record that one Of its first taxes In
me carly history of the bureau was
mat ~ from Z 20 Is cents gal
ION ON whisky Personal liberty was
real thing I'm America then and
MS 'aN was disputed and civil war
vas actually threatened for a time.
Ihe distllcrs of western Ponnsvl-
Nanl1 began what lis known as "tho
Wnlsky rebellion" From that day
20 mis- the revenue officials have
nda q hard time trying to Instruct
ihe hardy mouutaincors Of Amoric'
IN what appears to them to be a
1Iang" law that man cannot D.