Great Falls tribune., 1922-04-20
MONTANA MUST Spend LESS
SAYS STATES TAX EXPERT
John Edgerton Says Woe Will Follow If Present
Oppressive Levies Persisted in
or Increased.

Montana must spend very much les,
past if she shall soon enjoy her full
than she has done in the immediate
heritage of prosperity" declared Johr
Edgerton, expert tax statistician of tn.
state board of equalization in discuss
ing the subject of taxation before the
Billings Rotary club on March 27. IT
will be but Woe" said he, "if Montana
| persists in or increases the present
oppressive taxes to meet future un
bridled and ill-advised public expend
itures."
Mr.. Edgerton's discourse was so clear
and logical, that The Tribune prints Il
herewith in full, considering it one o1
| the clearest expositions Of the tax
problems now facing the people that
| has yet been given. Mr.. Edgerton't
address follows:
! I thank you for the courtesy yor
have accorded me. shall only SPEAK
as private citizen. Personally, make
| no pretension as an adequate tax au-
thority.
He to whom It falls or rather on
! whom falls the task Of fully discussing
any phase Of taxation in d few brief
! nom ents may well feel helpless. BY
your invitation I am bidden to refer
to this subject in any way that may be
interesting to businessmen. ! am for
bidden by your good sense to make q
political speech. In trying therefore
to reconcile your invitation with pro-
priety on my part, / appreciate the
confusion of the maiden who wanted
to go in swimming but was thus ad-
jured: Eyes, my darling daughter. hang
your clothes on a hickory limb but don't
go near the water"
Notwithstanding that taxation is a
subject that candidates for political
office wax eloquent about, the facts
relating to the money that is taken
from the peoples pockets and spent
for public purposes must in these times
stand as naked and alone as did that
maiden.
The worlds most powerful mon
arches passed away when taxation be-
came unjust and oppressive. The peace
and prosperity of America in general,
and of Montana in particular, will be
secure only so long as our revenue
systems shall be vested in intelligent
equitable and just national, state and
local taxation and also in comfy in
taxation.
Ghost Pays Fiddler
The corollary is that all govern
ment, be it national, state or local,
must be economically and efficiently
administered.
The ghost at every dance is paying
the fiddler. The greater our govern.
mental expenditures, the higher will
be the taxes and vice versa. Every
check made upon unnecessary expen-
ditures public money will be paid in
cold hard cash to the taxpayers.
Economy in public affairs Is taking and
keeping out Of the pockets of the
people just as little money as pos
sible.
Any genuine or substantial inquiry
into public finance by whomsoeyer
made in Montana viii be as difficult
as it is important. Many people talk
loosely about economy, about increas-
ing the efficiency of government, about
ceive. for every dollar paid in taxes
and about many other equally pleasant
and desirable improvement in public
administration.
The fact of the matter is that there
are few points at which such people
could off.hand intelligently correlate
public economies so as to figure very
largely in the tax rate.
In other words, most people know |
so little about the costs of government
that their recomm endations or de- |
mands for improvements often are
mere random guesses. This Is all too
apparent to the seasoned political
who can and does too
readily ride into office on an impos- /
sible and r-to-materialize economy |
wave.
Learn Basic Facts
There should therefore be no in
vestment by taxpayers that will give
them more in value received than 70
learn and apply the basic facts and
principles relating to our state and
local revenues and expenditures. This
will spell the end Of incompetent serv-
ants and political demagogues. These
were the product of former prosperity
and flush times. The cost of these
has been heavy. but the lesson will not
be soon forgotten. The people should
no longer tolerate their existence and
waste. i
Next to this past "tax Inertia" of
the people. the present greatest menace
is a public official who does not meas
ure up to the law and to the require
nents of his office. If we would have
economy we must eliminate those Of
ficials, boards and commissions that
nave been elected or created under the
,uise of representing the people but who
never are cannot advanc or become
, part of a genuine business admin
stration The bondage that such So
called and useless representatives i'm
pose upon taxpayers certainly. does not
end to liberty and the pursuit of uni
;ersai happiness. l thank God for my
belief that the false in our political
structure has already collapsed of its
,wn weight and will soon pass away.