The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-10-03
TUESDAY. OCTOBER 8, 1922.
SOME TAX ALTON PROBLEMS.

SOME TAX XATION PROBLEMS.
If we thought it would do any good
we shouldn't n,ird calling up all Of
the Philadelphia lawyers and asking
them to please help us over some tax
alton shoa's. Not that we do not
know when our own pockets are pick
ed, but former Senator Beverldge-
who should know better, in an ef-
fort to stage a political comeback IN
Indiana is wobbling fearfuly.
Fer example the aspirant for fed
eral senatorship honors and emolu-
Rents from the Wabash is quoted rs
laying in a speech at Evansville, that:
Socalled "eXcess profit" taxes,
exorbitant taxes, surtaXes (Which
mean double, triple, quadruple,
quintuple and sextuple taXes)
and corporation taxes had the in
evitable effect of eXhausting in
vestment capital or driving it into
hiding. Thus enterprise was
asphyxiated, markets reduced.
These excessive taxes on business
were secretly added to prices, Of
ten multiplied and passed on to
the consumers who felt the ef-
feet in the high cost of living -
While there ought to be an am
pie and honest income tax, there
mNst not b. confscation under
n" ',ise cf taxat on. The pur-
~Cs. of am tax is to raise rev.
eHue for the government, and not
TO destroy capital.
The which, rs Bret Harte might
have put it, would be mostly accept
BILE to The Record, if Mr. Beverid;c
hadn't forthwith engaged IN a strenu-
Gus defense of the Fordney-Mc Cumb-r
fSriff act which imposes grossly ex-
cessive taxes on the necessaries, and
the unnecessaries of life, and taxes
which will be secretly added %
prices. often multiplied and passed or
to the consumer who will feel the
sting in the high cost of living"
In rebuking Mr.. Beveridge for mis-
attempt to play the role of Tweedledee
and Tweedledum on the stump the In
dianapolis News calls attention to Mr.
Beveridge's record where it was shown
that he did not vote as he talked, when
he supported tax measure based on
the products of child labor enterin~
:~'"~"+c'e ccr,morce. That was a tay
not imposed for revenue, but for tn
suppression Of an evil, or at least a
alleged evil.
This taxation question is a fearful
thing, when it is conducted on a wig
Cling End wobbling basis, by slip
perry footed politician. And, alas,
that it about the only way that tax
alton programs are handled now
days, whether they concern state .r
federHl governments. We are sorry
to see Mr.. Beveridge so far at sea
IN the leading question now before
the people, and which is causing CON-
plants from all parts Of the nation,
yea the earth.
Not long ago a leading official of
the federal treasury department call
ed attention to a great embarrass-
ment resulting from a deficit of some
$672,000, 900 the federal treasury was.
facing, which was due to the app,o-
priations of the congress In excess
Of the estimates Of the budget bureau
md its excessive cutting down of tax
ation. This tremendous deficit can be
r"ercon'e only by the most evtraorji-
nary economical system on the part
Of the government, but the chances
are new and higher taxes will be re-
sorted to.
We had been in hopes Of getting =
new congress Of men who would pro re
Of the Dawes type Of manhood-conI
ceding that a government cannot af-
ford spendthrift methods any more
than individuals, but IL the candidates
for the places lately vacated by stand
patters for patronage and axe-grind-
ing graft, are to be replaced by can
iidates like Mr.. Beveridqe we might
rs well keep on drivinc toward the
off place 1t is now pr~cr!
lily $3.50 split between the citiz ,a
md the tax ferrit. The end IS not ha,f
.s far away as the end of the rainbow.
Columbia Record.
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