Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-25
Abusing the Taxing Power

CONGRESSMAN CHARLES l.. KNIGHT.
~ of the Fourteenth Ohio District, is Il
Republican, but nevertheless he Is alarmed
~ he increasing cost OF state and Federal
government AS he views il, the burden
already has reached unbearablc proper
tions. and the limit under the unrestrained
power of Congress to impose taxation is the
sky. Facing the assured deficit OF anywhere
from half To Il billion dollars in the Fed
ora budget ana contemplating the kindred
deficiencies in many of the States. he says
that there is but one comment to be made
The situation is self apparent The expenses
Of government have reached the point
where most that business produces is taken
To pay the cost of government.
This is the showing that he presents:
The per capita cost Of Federal government
in 1913 was less than 81, and the bonded
debt was nominal Now it is 500 per capita
and the bonded debt is $1,000 per family
The cost OF State government at that time
was about 50 per capita. 1t is now So per
capita. Taxes amount annually 10 more
than 33 per cent over the total OF circu-
lating medium and constitute burden
equal to $3.50 a family. or 40 per cent of
the average workman's earnings. Obviously
there is but one remedy indicated-the re-
ductiOn OF government expenses
But how is such reduction to be brought
about? The legislative branches Of govern
ment have fallen into the hands OF groups
or classes who have discovered how easy
and profitable it is to have the government
plumber the taxpayers that they may plum
der the government. These groups have be-
come absolute in their power to dictate to
Congress and the Legislatures the amount
OF. taxation to be imposed To carry on the
operations OF government. Under the whip
and spur OF this dctatorial power scarcely
a bill goes through Congress or the legisa
ture that does not set up another new gov
ernmental agency calling for the eNpend
ture of still more money. Those legislators
who refuse TO take orders from this power
incur its vengeance and do not survive long
in public life. Thus forewarned. the poll
tcians who compose our lawmaking bodies
seek cover and generally speaking humbly
do the bidding Of any group that has votes
to reward those who serve them
Pointing out the difficulty OF curbng
this steady mounting up of the costs Of
government, Congressman Knight warns
In giving Congress unlimited power to
levy direct taxes upon the people we have
signed our industrial and business death
warrant. Il gives TO the politicians un-
limited funds, and the result Is inevitable.
There can never again be economy or a
lessening OF the tax burdens unless the peo-
pie summarily rise up and take that power
ont OF the hands of Congress. II will Of
its own motion never surrender it,"
The way to remedy the situation is
pointed out. Those who wrote the Constitu-
ton foresaw that Congress might be un-
willing TO surrender an attractive but
dangerous and oppressive power SO they
provided for amending the Constitution
without the consent of that body This
power inherent in the people should be
employed, he says TO forbid Congress to
lay a direct tax save in the event OF war
The suggestion is made that the Governors
OF the States should call convention and
agree to summon their Legislatures TO act
az once on proposal for amending the
Constitution as indicated. On the apDlica-
ton OF the Legislatures OF two-thirds of the
Legislatures OF the several States it be-
comes mandatory on Congress to call a
convention for proposing amendments,
which shall be valid to all intents and
purposes as part Of this Constitution when
ratified by the Legislatures OF three -fourths
OF the several States or by conventions in
thrce-fourths thereof" The latter procedure
would be best. for in that way the people
would obtain direct expression on the pro-
posed amendment. The suggestion of the
Ohio congressman is worth following up.
Congress can no longer be trusted right
fully TO use the unlimited power OF taxa
ton which il possesses.