Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1923-07-07

more SCHOOLS, more feguIaCl0n OF
business, more insurance of individ-
ual comfort and happiness. We are
already paying one-seyenth of our
national earnings to support an infin-
tie variety of governmental activi-
ties. But even this great sum, a.
mounting to nearly ten billion dol
lars a year fails to meet the demands
of all the dreamers and reformers.
If taxes are to be reduced, or ev-
en- kept from increasing, we must
discard some prevalent notions about
government We must understand
that national prosperity depends up
on the full use of our wealth-produc-
ing agencies rather than upon legis-
lation. If the country would pros
per it must continue to build up its
agencies for producing wealth Tax
money ground through the govern
ment mill, does not do this. Taxa
ton is really partial confiscation
by the Government, Theoretically
for the benefit of society at large.
Part of this is a vital benefit for we
must have government to protect
the individual in his personal rights,
to insure legal equality of opportun-
ity and to render needful public SER
vices.
But as we extend government be-
yond these fundamentals we APP
proach the brink of socialism. We
have already soeialized one-fifth of
the corporate wealth of the country
by placing it largely under govern
mental management. This has hap
pened within a period of fifteen
years. If all industry were socializ-
ed there would inevitably come a de-
mand that the Government take over
the farms.
Many chafe at the slowness in
accommodating wealth, and turn to
Government and new laws for aid.
Thew seem to fail to realize that our
G, eatl5 Nattered standards of living
are due not to experiments in legisla-
ton, but to the increased productive
capacity of the individual on the
ia m and in industry, because of
mechanical aids They fail to see
that America is what it is principally
because we have learned how to use
coal and oil and water power and
iron and to grow bigger crops with
less man labor.
Another widespread error is the
belief that the buck can be passed in
taxation, belief that is responsible
for much of our tax trouble. In
various ways, the effect of every
tax is spread over the entire popula-
ton regardless of who pays it in the
first place. Direct taxes reappear
as indirect taxes, in poorer service or
in a discontinuance of service.
Farm tenants help pay bond issues
in higher rentals; wage earners pay
higher rents and more for food and
clothes in proportion to the increase
in the tax burden. No one escapes.
All these facts are strikingly pre-
scented in the series of articles by
Mr.. Rose that begins in this issue.
General realization of them is
first step in tax reduction. In the
meantime it might be well if more
states would adopt the Indiana plan
of giving its state tax commission
power, on the appeal of group Of
taxpayers. to hold public hearings in
the taxing districts to review bond
issues and tax levies. Then after
the vote is taken and the hurrahing
has died down, both sides must pre-
sent facts and arguments to sustain
their positions This might act as a
check on public extravaganza.
Merely grumbling about taxes gets
us nowhere. They are what we pay
for government. If we continue
to want more government, taxes
must continue to climb. The way
to solve the tax problem is to limit
the functions of government. 1t
may mean the sacrifice of some pet
theories of social regeneration, but
it is the only way to jam on the
brakes.-The Country Gentlemen.