The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-11
PEOPLES FORUM
SuCEestions on Taxation

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 As the reassembling of the leg islature is near, and as the prob lem of taxation will take up the greater part of their time and la bors, desire to express few thoughts on the subject. In De- ce:nber, 1922, I requested that the | legislators -elect would introduce | and assist in passage of an in come and inheritance tax, the most equitable taxes, which have pro- ven practicable and ample reve- nue producers, and which this state has always side-stepped. Meeting one legislator at close of the meeting, he said he was interested in my remarks and that they were going to attend to the subject. He also said that they were going to enact a head tax" How come?" I inquired. Well" he said, you know there are lots of people who pay no taxes. How come?" l again asked, knowing to whom he re- ferred, and not waiting for reply. stated that these people. white and black, may not have the pleas ure, privilege or unpleasantness. as it may be, of handing into the tax window, but they are and have been. and will continue to be, the final burden bearers, and the best effort and thoughts of legislators is to see how little. even indirectly, this burden should be. Aside from the comparative small amount which this head tax" will bring Into the treasury, it collection opens new sources of friction and unrest. This head tax should lie on the table and an income and an inheritance tax be passed as early as possible. I have read for years that Alabama is at, or near, the bottom in sew eral endeayors of man to uplift and better himself, but have not read in the press that 1t was the only state which had no income or inheritance tax. Since the time the United States supreme court declared an income tax un- lawful, 1t has been the subject of many and serious arguments It's legality has since been inn bedded in national and state con- stitutions, Alabama excepted. How drastic its operations should go, is still, and rightly, so debatable. An inheritance tax, by eminent statesmen, jurists, multi million aires is even more just and equit- able. The ninety per cent. who have no assets other than their mental and physical labor, are pressed to the limit to feed, clothe and keep in school a fair portion of the required time their often large number of children. Why call for more and more money for schools, then take away from him the money needed to feed and clothe the child, which must be done before he can attend school?
 Perhaps the state might find it lawful, and not negotiable, and would say profitable, to get part of this sorely needed money in a plan of taxation. new to us, but which is In operation in some of the older nations, and younger ones, too, and which has been mentioned at various times here, dlld lIldI IS DdCHelOr tax, There is nothing unfair in such a tax, in that have all the benefits derived from organized society, they contribute not a foot print to to it's existence or to its perpetu- ation. What tidy sum the state would fall heir to during the lives and after the death of these for tunate, or unfortunate, people, as 1t may impress you.
 These remarks are not in spirit of unkind criticism, or to impress my view, but to stimulate some dormant the thoughts and to bring to remembrance of our leg islators to not Increase the bur den of the poor man, white and black. That if new fields for rev enue are to be exploited, don't go to the "boneyard." for it's pickings are small, and don't supplement the present number on county roads and in convict camps with Legislation which will bring little revenue, and the inability or neg lect to pay would cost many times its face value in servitude or money. W. F. NOLAN.
 Bessemer, Ala, July g, 1923.