The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1922-11-28
AN AGE OF EXTRAYAGANCE

AN AGE OF EXTRAYAGANCE
II is now figured out that the peo-
pie of the United States spend one
sixth eff their annual incomes IN
taxes. The federal government gets
about half and the other half goes
for state, county and municipal gov.
ernments. This accounts for about
seven billion dollars year and if it
is only one-sixth Of the earnings Of
the people the total earnings would be
forty-two billions The amount paid
i for government is known and can be
stated with approximate exactness.
The totaA incomes Of ths people
incomes rom business, from invest
ments, from personal labor can only
be estimated but if the people Of the
United States spend fofty-two billion
dollars a year they spend four hun
/ bred per capita and twelve or fifteen
hundred per worker Even when we
/ remember that this counts the cheap
est unskilled labor il greater mum
5ers than the men who earn more it
seems improbable that the people Of
the United States have more than
4 forty-two billion dollars a year to
spend. If they have less they pay
in taxes more than sixth of what
they make.
But this it only part Of the bun
dens the people bear The tariff the
Republicans have just enacted will
take six billion dollars a year from
+ the people to give to the protected
manufacturers. This would not be
counted in the taxation for She vow
ornment does not get cent Of it..
The people pay it out without know
ing it. 1t goes into the cost of all
/ the goods they buy that is protected
by the tariff. It increases the cost
Of living.
And still this is not all This six
billion represents only manufactur-
ers' prices The manufacturers sell
to wholesalers and they to retailers.
The profit that these receive must
come from the Shsumers. In somo
eases this / ont more than doubles
the cost Of ne goods to the consumer
If the pr it on this six billion dollars
grows to nine billion and with the
seven billion that the people are pay
ing for taxes carries the total up 20
sixteen billion or more than third Of
the totaN income of the people.
A dollar saved is dollar made,
The repeal of the protective tariff
would save between six and nine bill
lion dollars to the people and there
fore be equivalent to making that
amount. This would be sixty to eigh-
ty dollars per capita-from two hun
bred to two hundred and fifty for CIV
cry worker or if we supposed one
worker SUPPORTED family of five ii
+, would mean from three hundred to
sour hundred per family. This would
/ leave government in it's various forms
/ with its seven billion dollars to spend
and with proper management and the
strictcst possible economy lhree bill
{ lion could be cut from this %ud this
would make saving that with the
one already referred to as much ans
! five or six hundred dollars to the tam
/ lily Of five.
i We expect three years from now a
I considerable degree of relief from the
tariff burdens and possibly the eXpen-
ditures Of the United States govern
ment will be reduced. We ought also
to reduce the expenditure of the state,
county and municipal government
They have mounted to their high and
we'll nigh intolerabc level mora
through bonds than in any other way,
I The state. the county or the city
wants something that it has not tie
/ money 30 pay for. Somebody shouts
4 about Progressive citizens, about q
progressive community and the pco-
/ pie, instead Of doing without what
they can't pay for, go in debt for S.
/ The increased cost Of government
does not oea}e from the payment Of
these debts Tins Is 10 come lat&r
and VIII double taxes once mere. The
4 t,.s,,1ss., +,,,>4 c.n,,, 80 ;,,, ,,,,,. - .
meet the interest of this indebted
ness. Ii it is ever to be paid nobody
knows what taxes will be required
ia the Asar future. But every man