The New York herald., 1922-02-25

which has arisen In every section OF the
country And have wondered at
times. sir, whether there might NOT De
in the public mind some confusion OF
thought as between the unpopuiar1ty OF
the taxation which has been proposed
and the unpopularity OF the measure
itself
There is but one form of taxation
suggested for the purpose of carrying
this proposal into effect which seems to
me at all in keeping with the purposes
of the proposal. The benefits OF the
proposed legislation, whether they are
to be in cash or in any OF the other
four proposals, will be spread through
out the States in proportion to their
respective populations. because the
selectve draft law. under which our
armies of the world war were raised,
operated upon that basis. Therefore.
the payment of whatever obligations we
shall take on should be in the same
manner diffused among all these States
in like proportion.
Sales Tax Meets Requirement..
"The sales tax which the President and
the Secretary OF the Treasury have pro-
posed for the bearing of this obligation
meets this requirement Under it every
citizen OF every State will pay his
share, a share based upon his ability to
buy. which to my mind is one of the
surest indications OF ones ability to
pay.
"I have hitherto advocated such a tax
as an integral feature of our fiscal sys-
tenn; but, Mr.. President. ] do not wish
such q tax to be assessed as an addi-
tional burden upon the already too
heavy load which our people are carry
ing; nor would I have 1t except as a
means or relief from the ineouities and
unjustifiable exasperations' which high
authority has told us about under the
present system of taxation.
II hope, Mr. President, that at some
time not far distant we shall again APP
proach the question of tax revision aad
that we shall then devise truly sim
plified and a really productive system
of taxation in which the sales tax Will
have its proper place. That day. how
ever. is not yet here and we still have
an unba lanced budget with an incress.
ing demand for federal appropriations.
These like the poor. will be always with
us until we face the whole question with
consistency and courage.
'In the meantime. Mr.. President. we
have no right to attempt still further
to destroy the financial equilibrium o.
the nation. nor in my opinion has any
one the right to ask us to attempt Il.
have not enumerated the stupendous
sums already voted by Congress for tn :
heroic youth who bore the nations bur-
dens in the late war because | begrudge
them or because I think any of them
unnecessary. 1t so happens that my
service here has run substantially from
the date of the armistice and 7 have
voted with cheerful aIacrity for all OF
the items making UP the almost billion
and a half of dollars which Congress
has authorized for soldiers relief.
I'm addition I have voted for meas
ures designed to amelorate the condi-
ton OF necessitous or disabled veterans
of the eivll war and the war with Spain.
for enlarged pensions to civil war Wild
ows and to widows and orphans OF the
Spanish war 1t is my hope, therefore
Mr.. President. that my hesitation to vote
for the legislation now proposed cannot
be attributed TO any feeling Of hostility
or criticism for any soldier of the Re-
public. IL is because ! cannot justify
such vote with the economic. indus
trial and financial conditions which to-
day exist in this country"