The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1922-03-24
That Bonus Again.

SOH W hIOFO Oh AtASA
of most resistance. Take the soldier
bonus, for example. Last summer
the President opposed it on the
ground that the treasury was in nc
fix to deal with the enormous ex-
penditure the bonus would saddle on
it, that it would defeat all the scheme
of economy Congress was Matching
that it would force an increase OF
taxation; that it would impair the
public credit, and therefore it was
not to be thought of at the time.
Then clamor came on deck, voice
full and importunate. The thought
full man knew that one soldier favor
able to the bonus made more noise
than a dozen opposed to it, or indif-
ferent to it, but the Harding ad-
ministration keeps it's ear to the
ground, and pronounced opportunist
that it is, the Harding administration
interpreted the clamor for the bonus
as vox populi, and then the President
became an advocate of the bonus.
And Immediately it was heralded that
the bonus would run through Con-
gress like a hot knife through soft
butter.
But the thing ran against that ug-
ly snag taxation. How was the money
20 ho roscoI0 nTn cahnn1n IN
sell bonds and thus saddle the thing
on posterity; but the bankers insist
ed that would impair the national
credit, as manifestly it would, and
greatly embarrass certain refunding
plans the secretary of treasury has
in view. The President suggested
sales tax, which he called a tax on
production. What a miraculous dis
covery that-"a tax on productions"
Whoever heard of tax on produc-
ton that was not paid by the con-
sumner of the product? The tax on
whiskey was a tax laid on produc-
ton and collected from the distiller;
but those who drank the whiskey
paid the tax in the end.
The farmer bloc" that is the
boss of Congress, let the President
know that it would not hear to a
sales tax, 80 per cent of which would
be paid by folks who have to struggle
for a living-men and women who
depend on wage or salary, or growing
crop for the wherewith to buy things
offered for sale. Then the farmer
bloc" took the initiative and demand
ed that the money for the bonus be
raised by taxation of the millionaire
class And thus the thing collapsed,
and it is now confidently predicted
that there will be no bonus enacted
the present session, the administra-
ton and the G. o. P. finding the
resistance" too strong and too OBJ
stinate to overcome.
1t was fondly hoped to pluck
enough money out of the loans we
made to the allies in the world war;
but turnips do not yield blood, and
that scheme was dropped as imprac-
ticable and impossible. And what is
the result? The clamor is louder and
more threatening than ever; but
some powerful people have assured
the administration that there is n
heap more bark than bite in the
clamor and reluctantly it has been
resolved to have the House pass the
bonus and let it die in the Senate.
Of course fiat money was invoked,
and here is the economic profundity
of Mr.. Arthur Brisbane, who Tugs
around the brains of the Hearst yal-
lers, contributed to the elucidation of
the problem:
Five hundred millions distributed
among two or three million men
would be Immediately spent, and
spent wisely, for things actually
needed This would stimulate trade,
help restore prosperity. 1t would do
for the hard times what a good rain
does for the baked soil. But it would
not suit those accustomed to make a
nice profit whenever government
needs money"
But why pause at 100000?
Why not make it 5,000,000,000?
Why not hunt up every citizen who
is in financial distress, fill both his
pockets from the public treasury and
bid him go to the store, buy things
wisely" and thus stimulate business,
abolish poverty, eradicate debt, OBJ
literate hard times and supply every
human being with all the joy his
heart has room for?
What is the government for, if |
not to make everybody rich? Are
there not printing presses? Is the
grinding out of "greenbacks" a lost |
art? True, Jack Cade is dead, but
why should not his soul march on?-l
Savoyard, in Nashville Banner.
When you buy LIGHT GLOBE
cEU IN UnTT ADE nTIxTATrI zEA1