The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-07
HIGH COST OF. LAFOLLETrIsM

'Lde OlleCCe campaign ueuCenanCS, ana especially Battling Bob" himself, con tinue to deplore the high taxes imposed by the federal government in one form or another, and attempt to leave the impression that if the Wisconsin states man should be elected president, tax relief for the farmer would be promptly forth coming. Campaign promises are pro- verbally easy, and temptation to make we'll nigh irresistible. For those who promise all kinds of relief for the farmers in the event that LaFollette should occupy the White House, it might be somewhat difficult to explain the especially the heavy increases in state taxation, in those states in which La Toilette and Lafollettism claim wide po- litical influence. Some comparative figures are illumi- hating in this connection. In Wisconsin, LaFollette's own state, in which he exer- cises dominant influence, the cost of government which was only about two million dollars twenty years ago has risen to near thirty-five million, or about thirteen dollars per capita. In Pennsylvania, which LaFollette declares
 
 aries, the cost of government is $9.89 per capita. In Illinois it is $7.8S, and in Texas it is $9.48. The LaFollette folks boast that they will carry Minne- sota. It has a slightly smaller popula- ton than Battling Bob's" own state, but makes an even worse showing in the matter of costs and taxes. Its gov ernment costs are $41,283,616, or $17.06 per capita, while Virginia, with about the same population, has government costs of $25, 5,132,233, or $10.62 per capita.
 The Dakotas are largely under the po- litical influence of the Wisconsin states man. In the matter of state govern ment costs and taxation they are still worse off. North Dakota spends near $12,0O0,000 for state government, or $17.99 per capita. South Dakota spends more than $18,000,000, or $27.92 per capita. The two combined have consid- erably less population than Kansas, but spend nearly $3O,000,000 for state gov ernment, while Kansas spends $11,529,- 645.
 In the Northwestern states the far mers' taxes are rising faster than else where, and yet that is the section where LaFollette's adherents boast of their strength. From 1913-1914 to 1921-1922 the increase in the tax on farm lands per acre in the whole United States was 226 per cent In Minnesota it was 246, and in North Dakota 258 per cent. The tax rate in Wisconsin was raised in 1921-1922 to SIPS an acre, or far above the average of the United States, which is about seventy-one cents. In Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, the Dekotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Colorado the increase in the rate of farm and land taxation was above the average, while in such states as New York, Pennsylvania, Mas sachusetts and Ohio, it was much below the average. These latter states have a very small sprinkling of LaFollettism, and Battling Bob's" adherents are not claiming any following in them.
 It may be well to consider that the states in which LaFollette boasts of much strength, and where officials are ex- ponents of his views and theories of gov ernment, particularly in the matter of taxes, are bearing much higher per capita burdens than states where the Wiscon- sin statesman is conceded to have no influence and no following to speak of. From which it may be deduced that the more he breaches from his texts and the more following he has, the less are the practical benefits to the farmers and other taxpayers.