The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-06-24
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unusual attention. The invited
guest, a selected few in number,
smacked their lips in anticipation
Of the feast But when It was
examined and it parts dissected,
1t rottennesS was revealed. No
setting was ever more adroitly
staged than when this scheme
of taxation first made its deb1r.
1t was billed for passage at the
psychological moment. The ped
pie We're stopped under heavy
load Of taxation. For three long
years they had felt their country
slipping through the results Ct
riotouS and debauched ADMINISTERS
ton. They had seen the natural
resources Of this Government dis
sipated, it's chartered courses
abandoned, its leaders corrupted.
They saw policy of passivity
; adding discredit abroad and bank.
ruptcy at home.
Their hearts were heavy and
their spirits low. Any ray Of
hope that might bring the slight
est relief was welcomed. When
the Secretary OF the Treasury of.
fered his plan and the President
Endorsed it, the American people
did not stop to study nor tarry to
think. But reason follows hys.
teria and right ultimately tri.
unphs.
Melons Juicy Melon.
What is this melon that Mellon
sought to cut? 1t would have
given 1900 Of the S,5S5,9S5 in.
come tax payers in America 81
per cent Of the total reduction.
Under its benign provisions an
income of 100000 was to re-
ceive a reduction Of 1881, 1892,
while an income of $4,000 would
have received only $8.75 reduction.
Through its unrestricted earned
income provisions it would have
opened an avenue Of escape to-
every tax-dodging capitalist in
America.
Written in the cold lines of
that proposal was the inspiration
of its author, that the less ex-
acted from the highly favored
few, and the more demanded from
the less-favored many, the greater
the good to the common country.
The champions of the proposal
believe that prosperity should
come from the crumbs that fall
from the tables Of the rich; that
II you 1egislate solely to make
the NWell-tod-do prosperous their
prosperity win seep through upon
those below. The Republican
party is the ancient enemy of the
y d. A.
reactiOnary Republican doctrine
and inimical to Republican prac.
tics. The income tax was never
intended to touch poverty. 1t ex-
acts no settlements from bank
rupt courts-forecloses no mort
cages and forces no sales. It is
collected only where prosperity
smiles and earnings abound. AS
q means OF raising revenue It is
one OF our party's priceless leg.
acies, and as such it shall be
neither weakened nor destroyed.
AssuredIy Right.
When the President and his
Secretary of the Treasury, with
all the hosts of selfish interests,
charged on the battle front of the
American Congress in behalf Of
the Mellon plan, Democracy and
Progressive Republicanism stood
firm. 1t was the same ancient
contest, and for the same old
cause. Under the leadership OF
Simmons in the Senate and Gar
ner in the House, we triumphed,
not because we were numerically
strong, but because we were as
suredly right. Through the DEM
ocratic law every taxpayer in
America will get q rs per cent
reduction this year.
Every person who pays an in.
come tax will be required to paw
less in the future than in the
past. And this Democratic legis.
lation, against which all the
agencies Of this administration
have inveighed, will give greater
reduction in taxes than would
have the Mellon plan to every
person whose annual income
amounts to less than $4,000 an.
nually.
Reduction of Taxes.
Out of the total of 3,585,985 in.
come tax payers in America s.
bSO,5S5 will receive a greater re.
duction in the Democratic plan
than they would have received
under the Mellon plan.
In the reduction of taxes the
Democratic party sought greater
reductions and broader elimina-
tons than did the Republican
nominee or the Secretary of the
Treasury. In the Administra-
tons mad efforts to forestall
Democracy's desire to effect
greater reductions than those
recommended by the Administra-
ton the Treasury Department
juggled figures and deceived the
public.
The Administration said that
the Treasury Department would
only stand for a reduction Of
$500 100000. The Democratic
party gave them a reduction Of
$470,OO0, 900.
The Administration said that
the tax on candies, checks, notes,
automobile parts, amusement
places, drafts and soft drinks
should remain. The Democratic
party said those taxes must go.
The Administration said that IL
we would increase taxes on 81
580,5S5 income tax payers and re.
duce the taxes on $500, 1t would
release money for productive en-
terprises and increase the pros
perity of all. The Democratic
party answered that indubitable
facts refuted such an argument.
Special Privileges.
1t was not reasoning they
sought nor facts they desired, but
more special privileges to the
favored few they craved.
In 1922, out of $2,S79 ,000, 900