Milford chronicle., 1927-07-29
NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Inc SIdC6 anu lOCdl LAX UuIuen Is
to be the next target of the farmers
of the United States according to
Senator Arthur Capper of Kansas,
who generally knows whereof he
speaks, and whose suggestions for
farmers are usually of the construc-
tive type. According to the Kansas
Senator who dwelt on the subject IN
a recent statement, a grass roots
movement is now being organized IN
the middle west which has for It's
purpose the relieving of some of the
burden of take which the farmer
Certainly here is a movement in
which we can all acquiesce. High
taxes do not form the only trouble
which the farmer has but they add
materially to his cost of production
and they ought to come down. Our
industrial prosperity has brought
high wages in the city and this has
resulted in higher wages and scar
city of help on the farm. There
seems to be no immediate remedy
for this difficulty, although improved
farming machinery will doubtless
solve this agricultural problem IN
time. But certainly something can be
done to reduce taxes.
AS Senator Capper points out, fed
eral taxes have been reduced until
the farm pays but little to the ma
tional government. 1t is the local tax
which hits him. Federal taxes have
been going down steadily for eeveral
years due to economy and efficiency
in the national government. But at
the same time in most states and
most localities the local taxes have
been going up so that the increase
there has more than wiped out the
benefit to the little fellow from low
er federal taxes. During the last six
years national taxes have been de-
creased and yet the national debt
has been reduced nearly five billion
dollars. But during the same period
the bebts of local and estate govern
ment have increased nearly three
billions. There is something wrong
here.
Of course the great increase has
been in the local units of govern
ment, and it is to be noted that these
units are self governing. The de-
mand has been for local public i'm
provements for roads, for schools,
and other public buildings. The peo-
pie want these improvements and
vote for them, or at least fail to rem
onstrate against them. And of course
the bills have to be paid.
The farmer and the home owner
in the city and town, in other words
those of us who have tangible
property-have to pay most of the
bill. The intangible property, unless
it pays a very low rate compared to
real estate, has a habit of eluding
taxation altogether. AS real estate
cannot be concealed or moved from
the home community it has to bear
the brunt of the burden.
All sort of remedies have been
proposed, among them state income
taxes, excise taxes and special taxes
on luxuries and non-essentialS such
as tobacco and toilet goods. But it is
to be remembered that one sure way
to reduce the taxes is to quit spend
ing so much money. So long as the
money is raised and no avenues of
taxation are opened expenditures
will be increased and the tax burden
will grow heavier rather than light
er.
1t would seem therefore that it
might be an excellent thing for the
local officials to borrow an idea or
two from the national government.
Federal taxes have been reduced be-
cause the federal government quit
spending so much money. Economy
and efficiency have been the watch
word and they have brought results.
Of course we will still have to have
new roads, new schools and new
hospitals. But ways can be found to
check expenditures without interfer-
ing with the public good. The feder-
al government has done it and no
body is suffering because of it. The
local governments ought at least
make a try at it,