Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1931-10-01
LOCAL CRAFTS TO
JOIN STATE AND
NATIONAL FIGHT
President Green Declares
Sales Tax Is Blow On
Poor Who Are Already
Too Heavily Burdened.

Local labor leaders and the mem
bers of the various crafts and organ
izations in Salisbury and Rowan coun-
ty are emphatically opposed to any
and all forms of sales tax, according
to a survey made by The Waterman
during the past several days, The To-
cal organizations have joined hands
with the state and national bodies in
their fight against all taxes of this
sort.
The local crafts took an active part
in defeating the sales tax introduced
in the last session of the North Caro-
lima General Assembly. President R.
R. Lawrence, of the State Federation
of Labor, was one of the leaders
against the tax issue in Raleigh.
Representatives who were sent to
Raleigh by the labor organizations
from this county and state lined up
unanimously against all forms of sales
tax.
Without exception, the labor lead
ers who were interviewed by a rep
resentative of The Watchman stated
their opposition to sales taxes.
That a sales tax would relieve the
well-to-do from taxation and place it
upon those least able to pay, was the
opinion expressed by local labor lead
erS.
President William Green, of the
American Federation of Labor, rec
emily issued the following statement
in connection with labor's attitude to-
ward a sales tax:
1.-The American Federation of La
Dor is opposed to the imposition of a
sales tax.
cit will exercise all influence at its
command to prevent the enactment
of sales tax legislation.
ut is unfair and unjust that a tax
of this kind should be imposed upon
the masses of the people particularly
at a time when it is impossible for
them to bear any additional burdens
of taxation. :
tsThe theory upon which our tax
structure has been erected provides for
the imposition of taxes upon the
wealth of the nation and upon those
who are best able to pay.
The ability to pay taxes rather
thar the opportunity to collect should
govern u legislative bodies in the en-
actment of tax legislation,
The COS of government should
rest more heavily upon those who re-
ceive the greatest benefits, upon &C
cumulated wealth, upon accumulated
earnings and those whose earnings and
incomes are inadequate to maintain an
American standard of living should be
protected from the imposition of tax
alton of this character.
THE sales tax is in contradiction
to this theory because in operation it
would collect from the poor and the
unfortunate, those who are unable to
pay and who ought to be relieved, so
far as possible, from any burden of ad-
ditional taxation.
The bold proposals recently made
by influential members of the Unit
ed States Senate in favor of the en-
actment of sales tax legislation ought
to awaken the masses of the people to
the seriousness of the situation.
unless an aroused public opinion
makes itself felt the sponsors of this
sales tax legislation will exercise all
efforts at their command to force the
enactment of this legislation at the
next session of Congress. Labor re-
CARDS it as a duty and an obligation
to oppose most strenuously the enact
ment of sales tax legislation.