The Washington times., 1924-08-15


restore itself. The costs Of
the Government are ell assessed
on the people.
is doomed to provide q GER
tain amount of money out Of
the sale OF his produce. no mat.
ter how low the price. to pay
his taxes. The manufacturer,
the professional man and the
clerk must do the, same from
their income. The wage Garner.
often at a higher rate when
compared with his earnings.
makes his contribution, perhaps
not directly, but indirectly, In
the advanced cost of everything
he buys.
The expenses Of the Gov.
eminent reach everybody. Taxes
take from everyone q part Of
his earnings, and force every.
one to. work for a certain part
of the time for the Government.
When we come to realize
that the yearly expenses OF all
the governments In this coun-
try have reached the stupendous
sum Of about 1880, ZOO, 900, we
get some idea OF what this
means. OF this amount about
$500, 100000 IL needed by the
National Government, and the
remainder by local governments.
Such a sum IL difficult to
comprehend. It represents all
the pay Of 100000 wage earners
receiving So a day, working. 300
days in the year. II the Gov
eminent should add on 100000.
900 Of expensee, It would rep
resent four days more work
OF thesee wage earners. These
are some Of the reasons why
I want to cut down public
expense.
More Tax Reform.
I want the people Of America
to be able to work less for
the Government and more for
themselves. I want them to
have the rewards Of their own
industry. That Is the chief
meaning Of freedom, Until we
can re-establish a condition un.
der which the earnings Of the
people can be kept by the peo-
pie, We are bound to suffer
a very distinct curtailment of
our liberty.
These results are not fancIfuI,
they are not imaginary; they are
gr1mly actual and real, reaching
into every household in the land.
They take from each home an
nually an average Of over $500.
And taxes must be paid. They
are not a voluntary contribution
to be met out Of surplus earnings.
They are a stern necessity. They
come first. 1t is only out OF
what Is left after they are paid
that the necessities Of food, cloth.
ing. and shelter can be provided.
the comforts Of home secured, or
the warnings Of the soul for a
broader and more abundant life
gratified.
When the Government effects
a new economy, It grants every
body life pension with which
to raise the standard Of existence.
1t increases the value Of every.
body's property and raises the
scale Of everybody's wages. One
Va SAAS SAGSLLC6L 1dNOES lllhl CHI
be bestowed upon the American
people Is economy in government.
Because Of my belief in these
principles, l favor economy that
the taxes Of everybody may be re.
duced. Much has already been
done. The bill which I signed
will save the people about $1,000
900 each day. I want further tax
reduction and more tax reform.
The raising of the revenue re-
quired to conduct our Government
is intimately connected with our
economic welfare. If 1t is done
by wise and just laws, the bur-
den will be the most easily borne.
But il the methods Of taxation is
not sound. disaster will follow,
reaching even to financial panic.
Our first thought should be
to maintain unimpaired the &C.
tivity OF agriculture and industry.
That tax Is theoretically best
which intereferes least with bust.
ness.
Every student knows that
excessively high rates defeat their
own purpose. They dry up that
source Of revenue and leave those
paying lower rates to furnish all
the taxes. High rates tend to
paralyze business. For these
reasons / am opposed to excess.
profit taxes and high surtaxes.
When the revenue bill Of 1921
was passed. abolishing excess
profits and greatly reducing high
surfaces, 1t was Immediately fol-
lowed by a revival In business
and an increase in the number Of
large incomes, so that the Gov
eminent received nearly 100000
600 more in taxes from those
having incomes over 100000 than
under the higher rates Of the
previous year. But rates were
still too high, and all kinds Of
business began to pause; agr1cul-
ture especially felt their indirect
effects.
A new tax bill was passed this
spring carrying still further re.
auctions, and under its apparent
influence there seems to be the
beginnings Of another increase Of
prosperity. Good business Is worth
more to the small taxpayer than
a considerable percentage OF tax
reduction. .
only about S,5oo,ooO people pay
direct income taxes. The remain"
der pay, but pay indirectly, in the
cost Of all purchases, from a pair
Of shoes to a railroad ticket.
This country has at least 100000
600 Of these indirect taxpayers.
am not disturbed about the
effect on a few thousand people
with large incomes because they
have to pay high surtaxes. They
can take care of themselves.
whatever happens, as the rich
always can. What concerns me Is
the indirect effect Of high sur
taxes on all the rest Of the l)eo-
pie. Let VI always remember the
poor.
Clean Elections.