San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-04
FRENZIED TAXATION

those who wave req lldSS, H'aNS 4
diary speeches against private wealth ana
destroy property with their own hands
and those who, posing as statesmen use
their official power for the destructive
purpose.
If all the tax schemes sprouted at Aus
tin should develop into laws, the effect
would be no less injurious to Texas than
would the adoption of a frankly socialistic
form of government for this state. In tact,
the government under such taxation
would be socialistic in effect, irrespective
@of the name that might be given to IT.
OF all the schemes yet reported from
Austin. the one for the imposition OF a
state income tax law upon the people OF
Texas IS the most vicious. The news dis
matches have had little to say about this
project; but from what has been reported
n seems that some of the lawmakers have
been contemplating for some time the en-
actment of such law. Apparently they
regard it as matter of course.
IA subcommittee of the main commit
tee" saws a dispatch, "has decided to use
Dinkle's income tax bill as the basis tor
an income tax measure that will be pre-
scented TO the House. The subcommittee.
expects to have a state income tax bill
ready for the main committee at once"
From this it is to be inferred that many
income tax bills have been prepared; that
the subcommittee is to have wide range
of choice in picking the one to be favor
ABLY reported to the House as whole.
IF such proposal had been made IN
the LEGISLATURE ten or twelve years ago,
nearly every member except the author
sof it would have jumped to his feet in
Sndignant protest. But the federal gov
eminent enacted an income tax law, and
now the Texas Legislature mustn't be be-
hind the times. That, at least, seems to
be the attitude Of some members OF the
House.
Never before in the history Of the
state has such a situation existed as that
which has been created by the attitude OF
present-dav lawmakers toward the prop
erty, the industry and the general wealth
of the people. Such lawmakers seem &c
think that the peoples only proper func'
ton is to make money for the maintenance
of the government and that the govern
ment iustifies its existence by spending
more and more money on projects from
which the people derive no benefit
Well, with the introduction of state
income tax bill, the people of Texas, i
they have any care for their future wei
fare, or even for their existence outside
of a condition of slavery, ought to take
the Legislature by the nape of the necl
and shake bolshevistic notions out of it
heads-if it may be regarded as having ;
h. - Il 4L;c ~,
are paying taxes out Of all proportion t
what they get in return therefor. This ap
plies to individuals as we'll as to compan
ie. and corporations and all other con
Germs engaged in the production and dis
tribution of wealth and in the rendering o
services necessary to the welfare Of society
Already every conceivable kind OF prop
erty is taxed-not only concrete property
but mythical property as well. All com
mon carriers, for example, have to pay
tax on their Intangible assets"-thei
good will" etc. Although no human be
ing could possibly ascertain what the goo
will of a railroad is worth, in terms Q
actual revenue received, appraisers c
railroad property place a certain valu
upon what they think is the extent an
degree of the esteem in which the publ
holds that railroad.
Perhaps there is a connection betwee
the new tax schemes and the movemer
to discard Texas present constitution
favor of new one. Comfortable oppos
ton to the new-constitution project ha
developed, and now new forms Of tax;
lion are being proposed. Have the adyc
Gates of a new constitution decided tn;
they must find other ways Of increasir
takes? Isn't it significant that the prescr
sconstitution was fairly satisfactory
Everybody until the tax limits which
prescribes were reached?
1t was after the failure of Govern,
Neffs proposal to impose 5 per cc
production tax on the oil indutry that
- bill to extend the intangible assets I;
law was introduced in the House. If tn
bill should become law, the revenr
from the taxing of the intangible asse