The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-03-09
palm Beach Post)

This is the story OF The petition for
an adjustment OF taxes which shall
make prosperity again possible i'll the
United States Of America.
On February 2l, John Francis Har-
ris. banker and broker from New
York City. addressed the West Palm
Beach Rotary Club. He chose for his
subject taxation, and the response OF
his audience demonstrated that he
had struck home, that he had voiced
sentiments which his hearers very
generally shared.
The following morning The Post
printed Mr. Harris speech and the
day after that commented on it edi-
tCrially, expressing the opinion that
he had hit the nail on the head and
thanking him for having the cour-
age to come out and state the facts
concerning what is postponing the
prosperity that has been hailed as al
ways in sight for close to two years.
The gist of his exposition was that:
We and other parts of the world
have the most uneconomic system of
taxation ever devised. 1t puts a pre-
MUM on slOth, wastefulness, neglect,
because it hanGicaps daring, frugality
and endeavor. No one can truthfully
say to the young man of this country,
and in their hands is the fate of the
republic: Devote yourself to the
building OF 4 great enterprise, display
courage, intelligence, foresight; make
its success your paramount object,
and you will be rewarded Re will
Tot be. Ii the enterprise fails, and
many new ones do. and some old
ones, the state does not participate in
the loss. If it succeeds, the state
taxes an undue part of the reward.
This is an unequal partnership, and
such partnerships do not endure.
Patriotism is ii quality which may
be analysed. Men are patriotic in
proportion as they feel that the COM
mon welfare is bound up i'll the per-
retUity of the government and they
cease to be of that opinion. They then
desire not the preservation of the gov
crnment but its destruction. Witness
the French revolution and the Rus
sian, and many others.
The United States is tax ridden
today ana there can be no permanent
considerable revival of prosperity I'M
til the amount collected is lessened
and more important that it be impos-
cd in an intelligent manner and not in
an ignorant, prejudiced manner, as at
present
OF course the plain truth is that
some Legislators believe, or pretend
to believe, that the comparatively few
so called rich people are now paying
the great bulk OF the taxes.
Il cannot understand how anyone
can seriously consider our present
system and not realize that it bears
most heavily uron the men and wo-
men who are dependent upon their
daily mental and physical eXertions
for their livelihood. The rich can anU
are buying tax free securities, they
can and are refraining from engaging
in new enterprises, they can and are
living on accumulated capital waiting
return to sanity which is likely to
come but there is some uncertainty
about it, and why labor and toll and
save if tomorrow destruction awaits
u.s."
Men of great means and men who
depend on their daily labors for sus-
tenance were quick to commend Mr..
Harris remarks and the ensuing edi-
torial in The Post. 1t was Immediate
ly apparent that Mr.. Harris and this
paper had merely given expression to
what many of them have been think.
ing, that the opinion is prevalent that
this country is suffering not the inev.
liable aftermath of war but the conse-
quences of an unreasonable, inequit-
able and unscientiflc system of taxa.
ton together with rechessly waste.
full administration of government.
Such was the origin Of the petition.
Because it appeared that a very
general grievance had been put into
words, lit was decided to embody 1t
in a petition stating the grievance
and asking for relief, that all who
would like to sec this nation arrive at
just and economically sound system
of taxation, and have our common in
terst directed again in accordance
with the traditions of the republic, and
the precepts of good business might
he given an opportunity to say so.
The petition will be circulated just
as widely throughout the length and
breadth of the United States Of Amer
lea as public opinion justities. Chance
ordained that it should start In West
Palm Beach. If, as Is believed, II
does voice the opinion Of the great
majority In all sections, whatever