The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-05-12
GOVERNMENT AND TAXATION


were spent on a farm in Florida.
Often on a hot, bright day in early
summer, / have watched a large brood
of young turkeys deployed in an open
field busily at work gathering every
grasshopper and bug from a wide
swath, thus. to swell their little bodies
and feed and better the world. Their
mother, the while, assuming a stately
and watchful attitude.
Suddenly a motherly signal of
alarm stopped all activities and indus
try. A tiny speck mile up in the
heavens had been discovered. Now /
could catch the CLINT of the sunlight
on the snowy crest of that king of
American birds. All turkeydom
sought cover at once. Industry in
their world remained at low ebb as
long as the keenest eye could see that
speck in the blue ethereal
| have also often sen one hawk,
yea, even one buzzard, perch on a
snag ano bring all business and indus
try among the feathered barnyard
world to a complete standstill; all
sought cover, and there remained, un-
til such threatening enemy from the
clouds had disappeared.
The eagle is now seldom seen among
US. The only ones in Washington,
city are stuffed. Neither the Senate
chamber, nor the halls of Congress,
contain any specimen, stuffed, or
otherwise, of this great American
bird.
But, shall 1 say it? I will. There
are now perched on the eminence of
power in Washington a whole nest
full of hawks, who from that eyrie
are scanning the nation for the plump
and the half plump.
| have not said that all senators and
congressman are hawks, but many of
such are. This does not apply to any
man from Florida; but mostly, yes,
mostly to republicans.
Doings in Washington have inspir-
ed, and continue to inspire, fear IN
most of the rich and the poor who
have a dollar to invest in anything
besides silk shirts and follies' fads
All such have run to cover; some to
dodge income taxes, but all dodge
those Washington birds.
The proof of this is easy. Consult
any neighbor, or friend, who usually
has few dollars to lend out, or put
into new industries. Look at the i'm
mense increase in the savings of the
poor, and moderately well-to-do, a:
shown in the savings accounts of the
banks; while only the reckless, OIL
boldest, among such will tie up dol
lar in any new enterprise. Every in.
vestor seems now to desire to keeI
his money where he can grab it quick
ly if need be. The figures now avail
able to any man who reads news
paper show that this fear is well in
stilled into all investors.
1t is true the rich buy immenst
blocks of bonds that are income ta1
free; so do the poor. A poor mar
will often dodge small taxes as quick
lly as a rich man will dodge heavy
taxes. We all know that to be fact
They all seem to dodge; but thu
outstanding fact is that investors
rich and poor, readily invest al
enormous volume of money in bond
the income from which is fully tax
able.
The daily newspapers show tina
within the last year billions have beer
LOANED, on paper which carried no ia.
exemption, at about the same interes
rate which was paid on most state
county and municipal paper.
The actual figures before all mel
show that we have now more none.
than before in our history. Dali!
sales here of millions of foreign
bonds, railroad bonds and industrial
bonds proves our willingness to inves
our immense hoard of money. Sucl
buyers do not seem to fear incom
taxes, for the income from all such i
1Iu Ol LuOSh Va VII
paper the interest yield is no create
than on most of our county and mu
nicipal bonds.
i But the taxable bonds which do sci
thus are all of character which cal
be sold any day, any minute, at
price near cost. Income taxes, or M
income taxes, the facts now show tha
both the. rich and the poor of tn
masses have a little money which the!
are willing to lend to, or invest IL
any new enterprise. The rate OF in
terest paid. or the income taxes there
on appears. to concern them little
They do not want to furnish an.
bones to deck and elevate the eyrl
of that predatory brood of Washing
ton birds. 4a44 s...
4 L.n