Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-28
Burden
ON BIG STATES HIT.
Beck Declares Unequal Dis
tribution of Political Power
Is Grossly Unjust.
mpeciaI pisnatch To The Star.


PHILADELPHIA, April 28.-Declar-
ing that bureaucratic government in
Washington regulates the lives of the
American people from the cradle to the
grave, Representative James M. Beck
branded as grossly unjust the unequal
distribution of political power among
the various States.
His address was made before the
Union League Club on the anniversary
Of the birth of Gen. u. S. Grant.
The inequalities In taxes and appro-
prtationS may some day bring future
generations of Americans to a realizing
sense of the undue burdens now i'm
posed upon the larger States" he
asserted. These States pay more than
one-half of all the income taxes and
the benefit they draw from Federal
appropriations is but an infinitesimal
part of their contribution. Other States
make an insignificant contribution to
the Treasury and draw from it for their
own local needs far larger sums than
they contribute.
Tax Comparison Drawn.
"There are six States which draw
from the Treasury in such subsidies So
for every dollar that they pay into the
Treasury. Two States draw more than
So for every one they contribute, while
New York, which contributes nearly
OAAAAA Va PAbAAS 4ChCLluCS, OcIItsS 1SSS
than / cent to every dollar it con-
tributes.
In 1880 Iowa's entire payment of
Federal taxes of all kinds was $3.50. 900.
1t, however, drew direct from the Fed
eral Treasury $1,315,000, thus drawing
from the other States, principally New
York, Pennsylvania and Illinois, ISL per
cent more than it paid in. Montana
contributed $2,6l0,000, but drew from
the Federal FTsrno
per cent. New Mexico paid in 1924, 900
and drew out 81 1877 900, or $50 per cent.
North Dakota paid in $556, 900 and drew
out 81, 704 900, or 800 per cent of its
contribution. South Dakota paid in
$4,000 and drew out SLIP 900, or 1872
per cent. Wyoming paid in $751;, 900
and drew out $2,400. 900. or 319 per cent.
BY contrast, New York paid in $928.-
OOO.OOO and drew out $6,727 900, or less
than ! per cent; Pennsylvania paid in
$3.50. 900 and drew out 81 900 600, or
about per cent: Illinois paid in S247.-
100000 and drew out $4,000 900, or a
little less than 2 per cent
This apparent injustice seems so
glaring that the thoughtful man. who
prefers to think that his country Is
based upon an equitable distribution of
political power and the burdens of gov
eminent, tries to seek some explana-
ton. So far as the distribution of poll
teal power Is concerned, there is none
No one can honestly claim that on any
theory OF popular government the sc, 00J
people OF Nevada should have the same
power as the 1881. 900 people of Penn
sylvanta. 1t is true that this grossly
unfair distribution Of power principally
anectS the political functions of the
senate, although 1t is not without some
eject in the House of Representatives
where each State. however small has at
least one vote, and also the electoral
college. AS TO the latter, there is gener-
ally such difference in the votes be-
tween the two leading candidates for
President that the disproportionate
power Of State like Nevada or Idaho
ordinarily has no appreciable effect.
Out In close election in the electoral
college it would be determinative."
Industrial Interests Discussed.
Discussing the industrial interests of
the States which are affected BY tarin
duties, Representative Beck declared
that m 1927 Pennsylvania produced
more commercial commodities In its
factories than the aggregate products
OF Is other States Of the Union, and vet.
In determining the question Of tariff
duties, these IS States had so votes and
pennsylvania only Indeed, only /
during the period when the Senate
refused 70 receive the Senator whom
the people OF Pennsylvania had elected.
IF there has ever been a rational
defense OF the unequal distribution of
political power, whether regard Is had
70 population as a measure of wealth,
or TO the actual wealth produced by
olnerent States, have yet to hear it."
he continued. There is no more strik-
ing illustration OF the fatalism OF de-
mocracy than that the American people
are either unconscious of, or indifferent
TO- these gross inequalities.
Gross as Is the disparity between
the burdens and benefits of the differ
ent States, 1t Is insignificant as COM
pared with the injustice Of our in
come taxes as between individuals and
classes. Less than one-f1ftieth of our
population pay any individual income
tax. and in 1928, 10000 citizens paid
over so per cent Of the great total of
nearly $4,000. 100000. About $50 900
citizens paid over 81 per cent of the
staggering total.
There Is an even graver aspect to
the question, and that Is the impetus
given to socialistic ideas that is due to
the ever-increasing Capitalization of
power IN Washington. No one can
question that We are growing each year
more socialistic. We were once a Ma
ton Of individualists and, as such,
jealous OF any undue extension Of gov
ernmental power. Today, the American
looks not so much to himself as to his
Government for salvation. Bureau-
cratic government in Washington today
regulates the lives of the American
people from the cradle to the grave and,
as the power Of Government ever in
creases the dignity Of the individual
wanes. II we were a homogeneous
people. like the English, we might be
benefited by a Socialistic conception of
Government, but this perpetuity of the
Union, for which Grant fought and
Lincoln died. may one day be menaced
by the undue Capitalization of power in
a country so vast as ours In area and
NO heterogeneous in population"