Evening star., 1926-10-10


d: S eral Government
Es%&s *ssSd and added $544.-
t22s4az2 - ~ aaiiiaSs2 900, 900 more to
William Fortune. h taxpayers
burdens.
This was the statement of William
Fortune, noted American business
man. whose unselfish services AS a
citizen was recently commended by
President Coolidge las an example to
inspire others to a similar interest In
public welfare The statement was
made in reply to my question as to
which is the greatest tax "ppressor-
the Federal, State or the city govern
ments.
AS | came out of the ma gnificent
building of the United States Cha
Of Commerce at Washington, heneath
whose marble walls experts are busy
massing facts, took a tleeting glance
at Mr.. Fortune You. would pick him
out of a crowd at once as man of
distinction and power. His stature
has the proportions Of the athlete In
the days when foot ball was an assur-
ance of hospital attention. His replies
came sizzling fast to my questions.
Out of a capacious memory he drew
upon complicated facts and figures
with the utmost ease. He was merely
retreading a very familiar pathway.
and l felt like tourls. who wanted
to be taken through taxland and had
found very surefooted guide.
You see." continued Mr.. Fortune.
the Federal Government has taken
hold of it's taxation scientifically. 1t
has budgeted it's appropriations. 1t
has reduced taxes. 1t has bureau Of
efficiency that has ferreted out mil
lions OF dollars Of administrative
aste. 1t has whitfield away the slag-
gering Indebtedness of the war at the
rate of nearly a billion dollars a year.
And the response of the State and
local governments to Federal tax econ
omy Is to spend more and more each
year and to go on adding billions to
their Indebtedness. In 1923 and 1924
alone our State and local govern
ments added $2.422.755 ,526. The in
terest alone on this increased indebted
ness a year will be more than we will
get from all our war debtors, about
are so much excited.
I'm 1921 the Federal tax collector
took $41.0S from every man, woman
and child in the Nation. In 1924 this
same collector would have taken only
$2777. Between 1921 and 1924 the
Federal Government lightened the
burden Of Federal taxation 1881 for
every man, woman and child in the
country.
I'm 1921, however. the State and
local tax collector took $36.47 from
every man. woman and child in the
Nation. But in 1924 the same collec-
tors took $43.22. or between 1921 and
1924 the State and local governments s
increased the tax burden of every
man, woman and child in the country
$S.75.
Between 1921 and 1924 the Federal
Government lightened the tax burden
on every American breadwinner-
those gainfully employed. those who
do the productive work of the Nation.
from street cleaners to hank presi-
dents-$37.92. Every street car con-
ductor. every mechanic. every doctor.
every nurse, every clerk was bene-
fitted on the whole 1912 by the tax
economy of the Federal Government.
But In 1924 State and local govern
ments were taking out of the pockets
of every American bread Garner $14.9S
more a year than they did in 1921.
Every American family is indebt-
ed to the Federal Government since
the armistice. The Federal Govern
ment reduced its levies on every
American family between 1921 and
1924 to the extent Of $3.50. In 1921
the Federal Government was taking
$17S91 from every American family.
In 1924 1t was taking only $119.0S.
The State and local governments were
taking $2631 more from every Ameri-
can family in 1924 than they did in
1921.
'Since the armistice the Federal
Government has lightened its levies
upon every man, woman and child in
the country, upon every American
breadwinner, upon every family in the
Nation. 1t has added to the prosperity
Of all these groups.
But since the armistice State and
local governments have been assault
ing the prosperity of every man.
woman and child in the country by
taking more and more out Of their
incomes for taxation. Is there any
doubt as to who Is our chief tax op-
pressOr?
For instance, here is the city of
Omaha. Nebr., with a population Of
about 10000. Here, also. Is the city
VI AhiOiI, N'lIio' VI opVot tiiO ooiIAC
size. with a population Of 20s,000. Yet
the cost of the fire department in one
was over twice what 1t was for the
other in a certain year. The people
of Omaha were taxed 1915 per capita
for their fire department in 1923, while
the people Of Akron were taxed only
$1.76 for theirs. How do We account
for this difference in cost between
cities of equal population?
why did the police department in
ST. Louis, with a population Of S21 ,543
in 1923, cost only $4.31 per capita.
while in Boston. with approximately
the same population. the per capita
cost was 1886?
why in 1929 did the police depart
ment in Seattle. Wash. cost only $3.40
per capita. while in Jersey City. with
almost exactly the same number Of
people as Seattle, the cost was $6.97,
or over 100 per cent greater?
why in 1929 was the cost Of city
government in Portland only $1.14
per capita. while in Denver. Colo,
with approximately the same popula
ton. the cost was $3.34. or nearly 200
per cent greater?
"If one State can have a much
lower cost of government than an
ofher State with an equal number of