The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1922-11-17

Joneses and Bill Smiths and other
stockholders are not holding a listen
ing ear In the direction Of the voices
that preach radicalism. communism. or
some other ism, by Whatever name,
that may propose departure from the
safe and sane policies of our govern
ment.
As fellow stockholders. all OF US are
keenly alive to the fact that. In the In
terest Of good business and the smooth
running OF our corporate machinery.
we must raise money for our expenses
with the least possible disturbance to
business progress II we would attain
the highest success.
Much has been said and written
about the tax scheme in Canada which
has without doubt brought into the
Canadian treasury a huge sum, and
apparently no burden has been felt by
the taxpayers. Indeed. ne writer re-
ferrcd to the levy as "a painless tax"
and, If any tax can be Irathfully CALL
ed painless. the sales tax Of Canada
seems to Justify the description. It
became effective in May, 1920, ami, in
Its first year OF operation. levying a
rate Of two cents on the dollar, yielded
in our country would, 1t Is estimated,
yield about six hundred millions an
nually. Without doubt 1t would be
fair to all; would put a premium upon
economy. and vet could not be said to
carry any extra imposition upon the
luxuries and extravagances of those
who do not want to be economical The
distribution. in other words. would be
universal; the collection would be eco
nomical; chances for dishonesty and
evasion would be minimized.
But regardle ss of tine fact that our
own country has already had consider
able experience with sales taxes as i'm
posed by the Acts Of 1917 and 1918,
the administration of which has been
satisfactory and successful. there
seems to be a hesitancy on the part
Of congress to do away with the oner-
Gus. annoying lines Of taxes SO diff
cult and expensive to collect, ana to
adopt instead---even on trial-some
sort Of sales-tax plan.
Chambers of commerce. business and
commercial organizations OF all sorts
throughout the entire country, and
many individuals generally, have ac-
vocated the proposition as the most IN
telligent, fairest, and least oppressive
of all forms of taxation. The indcrse-
ment Of many others would no doubt
follow If mre though, were given nv
the mass taxpayers to the fact that
the men of modest incomes are really
finally paying the big surtaxes OF the
rich--for it is n fact that the more
the latter's incomes are taxed, the
more is added to the price OF the pro-
duct from which such incomes are de-
rived. A sort Of endless-chain affair."
and vertically chain that has us all
bound tight!
How much better would be more
universal distribution of the burden
for we must have taxes. and incomes
must be taxed. How much better 1t
would be to have a simple, workable
plan that would not cause hindrance
in Investments, withdrawal and with
holding of capital from industrial
channels, and the incidental tightness
and tenseness that make living condi'
tics more or less unsatisfactory tc
everybody.
II it should appear that there is JUS
LITIGATION for hesitancy on the part O
congress to try forthwith a genera
sales-tax plan similar to that whicf
Canada has adopted. which taxes tn
sales of middlemen wen as manufac
turers, why not try the plan proposed
by Senator Snoot. to levy manufac
turers' and producers tax of three PEI
cent on goods sold for consumption o.
use without further process of manu-
facture:
Or, If not that plan. why not try
modified general consumption or turn
over" tax plan. levying half of on
per cent, or even quarter of one pc
cent, or such rate as ay be estimated
to produce the required amount
revenue. not to be applicable to food
stuffs and products. hut to apply t
expenditures.
The proof of any tax plan is in tn
working thereof-and in the worktni
only. Hence my belief in giving tn
sal es-tax theories a test.
Each stakeholder in our vast cor
poration knows that simplicity in man
aging our affairs, the elimination
red tape and Of complex regulation
that can be understood only by ex
perts-and about which even expert
disagree. so that regulations nave I
| be further resulated-would mea
more success in our BUSINESS in othe
words, more prosperity in way of div
| idends" for all.
| So 1T is up to us to strive toward
time when thrift and production ma
receive every announcement from GU
board Of directors: when useless es
travagance may be in the same desre
discouraged. If we work together cor
scientiously toward that end, we sha
surely again see normal times. redue
ton Of prices. and the sor, or pros
perity to which we are entitled
We can be just as patriotic in p"ae
times as we were in war times. An
now. as much as in the days of wa
is the time when the United States
America. Incorporated. "needs friend
NO CLASS LINES IN AMERICA. SAY
GOMPERS - DECLARES UNION
KEEP STANDARD OF WORKER
/ an pI. ANE OK SELF RESPECT.