The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1924-02-22
OUR WEEKLY LETTER
FROM WASHINGTON

coin s birthday was one Of the mos
forceful speeches ever delivered by {
President of the United States. Ill
made no ~etense to oratory. 1t was
an address which paced fairly ant
squarely before the people of thu
country the needs Of the nation a
this time After paying a well de
served tribute to Abraham Lincoln
the President took up the needs of tht
nation. He said: every sound pol
icy must be national in its scope. L
is always necessary to determine what
will be good for the whole country
Contrasting the flourishing condi
tion Of manufacturing with that o1
agriculture, the President said:
Agriculture has only partially re-
vived; its position has been improved
and the return for the year are nearly
30 per cent in excess Of two years age
but the great food staples do not sci
on parity with the products of in
dustry. Their average price is little
above the Drc-war level, while manu-
features are about 30 per cent higher
The farmer is not receiving his share
The farm rs one Of the chief markets
for Tie industries Of the nation. You
cannot lcn% prosper with great
farming population area in distress
The farm has social value which can
not be overestimated 1t is the
natural home Of liberty and the sup,
port of courage and character. The
problem is not merely the problem. OF
the agricultural sections of our coun-
try. 1t is the problem likewise OF
industry, of transportation, Of com
merce and of banking. | have pro
NOTED tariff Investigations for in
creased rates on wheat, ! have extend
ed relief through the War Finance
Corporation, the Federal reserve bank
system.
President Coolidge called attention
to the fact that the relief organiZa
tion recently perfected to supply mon
ey and management for the larger
aspects of agriculture ought to have
active and sympathetic support. In
the ,latter of taxation, the President
stated tat out of an income of about
100000, 100000 the people of thi
country pay nearly $500, 900 III
taxes. OF this amount the national
government collects about $3,200,000,.
600 and the state and local govern.
ments about 81 4,300,0 100000. Hc said
"As a direct burden this is a stupen.
dous sum, but when it is realized that
in the course Of our economic life it is
greatly augmented when it reaches
the consumer in the form of the high
cost Of living, its real significance be-
gins to be appreciated. He said
that the debt paying program of the
United States is about $500, 600, 600
each year. In regard to the matter
of the reduction of taxes the Presi
dent said:
''Immediately upon my taking Of
flee it was determined after confer
ence with Secretary Mellon that the
Treasury Department should study
the possibility Of tax reduction for
the purpose Of securing relief to tax
payers of the country and emancipat
ing business from unreasonable and
hampering exactions.
The President pointed out that tn,
proposed bill maintains the fixed poll
cy Of rates graduated in proportion to
the ability to pay. That policy has
received almost universal sanction
It is sustained by sound arguments
based on economic, social and moral
grounds.
The President stated: 81 agree
perfectly with those who wish to re-
lieve the small taxpayer by gettinc
the largest possible contribution from
the people with the larger incomes
But if the rates on the large incomes
are so high that they disappear, the
small taxpayer will be left to bear the
entire burden. If on the other hand
the rates are placed where they will
produce the most revenue from large
incomes, then the small taxpayer will
be relieved"
He urged that consideration of
this question of tax REDUCTION not
a partisan measure but as somcthinf
for the coed of the people of the coun
try. He stated that, he was for this
measure because it was economically
socially and morally sound, He ther
said:
"Bat the people must understand
this is their fight They alone can
win il. Unless they make their wish
~