Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1921-08-25
REPUBLICAN
LEGISLATIVE
PROGRAM
SECRETARY MELONS TAX PLAN
NOT POPULAR


republican biglwigs have gotten to-
gether with the President in confer.
ence at the White House and it is
evident that the storm of disapproval
over Secretary Melons proposal to
tax all automobiles and bank checks
and to increase postage has nd it's ef-
feet The effect is good as far as it
goes. MELONS, proposal would have
absolutely shifted the burden of tax
alton from the big rich to the average
taxpayer, despite the Presidents
promise "to lift, not shift, the bur-
den."
The latest understanding among the
Republican leaders, will result in a
lifting of the burned to the extent
of $720000,000. But whose burden Is
lifted? An examination of the agree
ment reached at the White House
conf renee shows that about $700,000,-
900 Of this burden is to be lifted from
the shoulders of the rich, the great
corporations, and those rich enough
or spendthrift enough to buy such
clothing as calls for the luxury tax,
and from those who buy railroad and
Pullman tickets. Most of the last
mentioned taxes have been paid by
the rich, the well-to-do and firms en-
plpoying travelling statesmen. An ex-
animation of the list shows not more
than $20,0OO,OOO of the relief is TAX
en- from the backs of the farmers,
smaller business men, mechanics. la
borers, ETC., and of those none get re-
lief excepting those who patronize
soda fountains or who drink carbon
ated refreshment,. Thus we find
that so far as the average citizen of
modest income is concerned the bur
den lifted will amount to about twenty
cents per head for each man, woman
and child in the county.
The Associated Press is authority
for the statement that. the White
House agreement is to reduce the
transportation taxes by oneIhalf. The
income tax on the largest incomes
from 100000 per year upwards
to be repealed entirely, and for fear
this favor might not be fully atppreci-
ated by those best able to contribute
to a campaign fund, it is to be retro
active-in other words, it is to be
set back to last January. The cloth
ing luxury tax is also to come OF. II
is a tax on a woman's hat costing
more than SIS, stockings costing
above So, socks above 81, mems hats
and shirts above S., on tennis rec
quets, golf sticks, billiard balls and
skis. Notwithstanding the fact that
the great corporations have already
set aside the money to pay the ex-
cess profits taxes for the3frst half Of
this year, the entire tax is repealed
from January-and remember that
This is not tax on reasonable earn
ngs, but on their earnings above
per cent net, after great "deprecia-
Ion" has been allowed for. But tho
most unfair part of 1t is yet to be
stated: T he corporations, In selling
heir wares, have already made the
public pay this tax; now it is to be re-
nitted. not to the public, but to the
which have been collect
ng it since last January! This foots
Up $450,000,000. Repeal Of the big
ellows' income taxes lifts their bur-
len to the tune Of $90,O00,O00 more.
Secretary Mellon will personally re-
'eive great relief.
For the man who has a small i'm
ome there is no relief except at the
oda fountain. If he lives in the coun-
ry he gets no relief unless it be the
ew pennies he pays on bill Of lad
ng On box, pig bought for breed
ng purposes or a piece of farm ma
hinery. On the other hand, the
lost prosperous portion of the people
those whose incomes run from
1000 to 100000, are to have their
axes cut more than half from last *
and then cut again NEXT
anuary to onefourth of what they
aid last year. For the great majori-
y of those who pay income taxee-
hose falling within the lower sched-
les-there is no reduction.
The above is the substance of the
f; the White House agreement:
congress may alter 1t somewhat.