The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1922-01-17
HIGH TAXES ARE
BIC MENACE To
ENTIRE NATION
Politics Not Involved,
Says Robertson; Co.
ordination is Necessary
to Solve Problem.

Taxes are not political ISSUE"
declared John Robertson of Weiser,
state tax specialist, who was in Cald-
we'll Saturday on business. Efforts
of either political party to drag this
acute problem into politics only serves
to camouflage and distort one of the
things that only united and conscien-
tious effort can solve"
High taxes today are directly at
tributable to the war and the state of
mind of all the people, Socialists, Re-
publicans and Democrats, following
the war. We are simply paying for
luxuries that we fancied we could af-
ford and have now found out that we
can not pay for.
81 spent last week in the Twin Falls
country. Do you know that interest
on the public debt there for civic
and county highway and county work
today is three fifths what the total
cost of government on that tract was
seven years ago? They built | miles
of road near Twin Falls at cost of
100000. Long before that road is
paid for it will have to be rebuilt. 1t
is that sort of thing which makes us
sweat today to pay our taxes.
1--WE have been checking up on the
total bonded Indebtedness of the state.
the counties, the cities, towns and viii
lagos. Thus far that total is in excess
of $55,O00,000 and | am satisfied that
, the, completed survey will swell that
amount several additional million dol
lars.
r What does this mean? Idaho is
paying, in round numbers, $4,000
every day for interest on those debts.
4 Ten thousand dollars is pouring out of
a this state every "a hours because we
. voted bonds without respect for the
q time when we would have to pay for
: them. Twin Falls county alone is
paying $1,000 every day, or one-tenth
a of the states total. i.
"And the national debt only serves
to pile the total higher. Because we
don't go out to the courthouse and
pain Jul ilioiSy III iSNSA al
taxes, we imagine that the extraction
S is painless. But we pay, just the same
: Every man, woman and child is pay
: ing approximately $oS per annum into
: the federal treasury by indirect routes.
: That means almost $500 every year for
r the average family. Is it any won
der that the load is heavy"
: Asked what he suggested to meet
|. this situation, Mr.. Robertson replied:
!. Zone thing is certain; political
!. twaddle won't get anywhere. 1t is a
real and pressing problem that we
have to solve and only the co-ordina-
t ton of the very best brains in Amer
: lea can hope to do anything One
e thing that will help materially and that
e is to put stop for all time to the
l. indiscriminate issuance of tax exempt
r bonds No wonder industry is stiff
}. fled for money. Payette recently is
l. sued tax free bonds, paying seven per
y cent semi-annually. No wonder
It wealth seeks such investments. No
wonder we can't get money for any
thing else when such bond issues are
ALLOWED to be marketed.
THE future? | believe we will be
able to work the problem out. Per-
haps it isn't as bad as it looks. Idaho
should have a better year in 1922
Farm products are at rock bottom
They cannot go lower in price and
they should increase. They must, il
the state is to live"