, 1922-09-02
Lifting Tax Burdens
BY JOHN t. A
Chairman Republican National
Committee.


The Democratic party laid a heavy
burden Of taxes upon the people.
Those taxes were not all due to the
prosecution of the war. As soon as
the Democratic administration came
into power In 1913 the Democratic con.
gress began to increase appropriations
and jump taxes. Each year the ap-
preparations for routine expenditures
were vastly increased
Even those increases were not suf.
ficient to meet the mounting
under h Democratic administration
in times OF peace. On July s, 1916,
Representative Kitchin. of North Car.
DINA. Democratic chairman of the
ways and means committee, intro
duced a special tax bill legying 5000.
600 900 more on the taxpayers of the
country. This was not only long be-
for the United States entered the wal
but It was at a time when the Demo
cratic administration was saying 1t
would keep the country out OF war.
When the Republican administra-
ton came into power It found the op.
Grating expenses of the government
heavier than ever known. and the PEG
RAb W-hh a. aCCN VA 9-ftoVWf
000. 900. Regardless of whether the
money expended by the Democratic
administration had been wisely spent
and tho obligations incurred We're nee
essary, there was nothing left for the
Republican party to do but to assume
the debts and devise ways and means
Of reducing them.
At the same time It wa1 essential
that taxes be reduced. To accomplish
this. the Republican administration
put into immediate effect an economy
program effecting radical reductions
in routine public expenditures. These
reductions enabled the Republican
congress in it's special session in the
summer of 1921 to enact a revenue
law which reduced the public taxes
over $500, 600. 900.
II repealed the transportation taxes
levied on freight. express and parcel
post, aggregating owe a million dol.
lars a day which had been added to
the price of commodities purchased
by the average citizen. It repealed
the taxes on passenger tickets which
the average public was paying at the
rate of a quarter of a million dollars
a day.
It repealed the so.eaIed -iaisance
taxes which the general public was
paying on all sorts OF drugs. candies.
soft drinks, etc, to the amount of
S43, 900 900 a year. It repealed the 10
per sent tax which the average citi-
zen was paying Oh hats. millinery. hos.
iery. shoes. clothing. etc It repealed
the taxes charged at box offices OF
moving picture thea.ers and other
places OF entertainment amounting to
$40, 900. 900 a year. It repealed the
taxes which were being paid on in.
surance premiums amounting to $40.
100000 a year. 1t repealed the taxes
upon an sorts Of musical instruments
and sporting goods amounting to SIS.
900 900 a yea
1t repealed tho excess profits tax
which was strangling business. DIS
couraging investment IN new enter
prises and preventing development OF
enterprises already established.
It took special care Of the wage
Garner and salaried man with an in,
come OF less than 5000 IN that Il
Increased the exemption of all heads
Of families $500 a year and doubted
the exemption allowed heads Of fam
HES and others for children and other
dependents. Over 90 per cent of the
people Of the United Sites who pay
income tax come IN this classification
and by this increase OF exemption
over 100000 heads OF families wore
directly saved nearly 800 ,o0o, 600 q
year.
The man on tho street is already
well aware OF the fact that the Re
publican congress lifted a burden from
his pocketbook which was not only
irritating day by day but which
amounted to a large sun at the end OF
the year. He is also well aware that
the program of economy practioed by
the Republican administration is re
suiting in greatly reduced routine ex,
pe%nditures which will be reflected in
further reduction of taxes.