Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-11-11

public interest. In whose interest are
you fighting it? Vote against it if
you dare
The easier way out is for Senator
Blank not to oppose the resolution
and if he is politician he usually
follows that course.
Another angle to this situa ton is
found in the question as to the pre-
ponGerance of public sentiment
Mantestly, the people VINO do not
pay income taxes are not excited
over the publicity given the returns
come tax returns We're made last
of those who do pay-that is. they
are not fighting mad over it, In
year by approximately 100000 in
Givi1uals. Every man and woman
OF them may be up in arms over the
publicity given their private affairs,
but they number less than one
seventh of the voting population of
the United States. They may be
powerful financially and socially,
but they are in decided minority
numerically and the politicians are
not likely to lose sight of that fact.
Most members of congress are poll
ticians.
Fight 10 Amend Tax Law
At the same time the war is rag
ing over the proposed investigation
there will be another fight to amend
the income tax law in such a way
as either to repeal the publicity
provision or to hedge it about With
such restrictions that never again
will the newspapers of the country
publish long lists of the returns
made by persons of wealth or other
wise conspicuously in the public
eye.
There has been much discussion
as to the intent Of congress in
enaCting the publicity provision at
the last session. On the face of its
action, it would appear that con-
Sress intended 10 bring about eX-
actlY what has happened. However,
many members of the house and
senate insist that such was not the
intention, and it is reasonably GER
tain that treasury officials and the
pubic-or at least the in
come tax paying public-had no
idea that wholesale publication of
tax returns would result
1t was understood in Washington
at the time that congress was mere
ly putting itself in the position
where it could, lawfully, call on the
secretary of the treasury to furnish
it with individual tax returns in
cases in which congress required
such information in the public in
terest.
But. whatever congress intent
may have been, the result has been
rather more than less of a muddIe
that must be clarified by the courts
or by congress itself
Sales Tax Proposal
Out of this controversy. also. may
come a fight to repeal the income
tax law as a'rlicable to individuals
and substitute for it a sales tax
The fundamental idea back of the
income tax was that the burden of
furnishing the government with rev
enue should fall upon those able to
bear it and in pror ortion to their
ability, to bear i. The idea back of
the sales tax is that everybody who
spends a dollar shares the burden,
and shares it in proportion to his
expenditures.
opponents OF sales tax nave
insisted that it would be paid by
The great mass of the people who
can least afford it. Its proponents
contend that the income tax is r'-ra-
mded and passed on to the ulti-
mate consumer and~is a far greater
burden than sales tax would be
while tax exemptions and evasions
let the rich escape their reSponSi-
bilities to the government in far too
many instances.
One thing is agreed-a sales tay
would be easily computed and easily
collected. The individual would pay
it as he spent his salary. wages or
other income. and he would not find
himself at the end of the year with
his money all some and an obhea-
ton to the government which he
could not meet or could meet only
with difficulty. There would be no
need for the elaborate organization
required TO interpret and administer
the income tax law.
Also there would he no occasion
for all this hullahalloo over the
publicity concerning private in
comes.