The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1932-06-30
Freedoms Anniversary

T ULY the American people will celebrate the one
hundred and ifty-sxth anniversary OF the Declara-
Al ton of independence, that document intended to
vouchsafe to citizens of this nation the right to lfe
liberty and the pursuit of happiness
1t is highly fitting that this historic date should be
celebrated 1t is also fitting that the principles enun
cated in the Declaration should be reafrmed as they
will be, by orators throughout the land.
Our nation is not above criticism. We see abuses
on every hand and complain about special privileges
given to some and njustices done others. Our legal
system slow legislative system often trfing
and inadequate. Even executives are sometimes
partisan and selfish.
But on the Fourth Of July we forget these things
and celebrate the far greater privileges that
After all we have as ideal system of govern
ments has yet been projected and to-
wards better things though occasionally momentarily
retarded is pronounced a period of years.
Let pause and celebrate what we have.
The Check Tax
A SHINING example of governmental inconsistency
~ is the levying of two-cent check tax on the
heels of expensive campaign to discourage
boarding
Few persons will discontinue checking accounts
because of their safety and convenience and the value
of the cancelled check receipt; but almost every
depositer is encouraged to carry more money on his
person to the expense of writing frequent small
checks. Money in ones pocketbook is better than
DeSQeS
every citizen better prey for pickpockets holdup
and other racketeers.
All there is to recommend the tax is that it will
yield large revenue and is economical to collect
Every banking institution becomes unpaid tax col
lector for the government.
There is little to be said for the fairness of the
levy Two business places located side by side may
do the same volume of business in year and make
the same profit but because one business buys such
articles farm produce in small quantities and pays
by check while the other buys manufactured goods in
large quantities and writes comparatively few checks;
one may spend thousand dollars year check tax
the other only twenty dollars
Government in Business
n SIDE from which is unrvaed a tax
~ burden, probably the greatest waste of public
funds when government departments at
tempt excursions into the business world Mnnesotas
rural credit bureau muscle shoals, the farm board
and many other instances are cited proof of this
contention
Even given monopoly with unusual power to
branch out include unrelated enterprises, the post
office department has failed to operate without de-
felt and has found it necessary to raise rates to pay
for its extravagances.
Over-elaborate postoffces, payment of fancy sal
aries to men who should be the payroll of political
parties, failure to retrench when receipts drop off,
franking concessions granted public officials and
generally abused and tendency to spend freely when
the money easily be blamed for the failure
Nepotsm and appointments to pay political debts too
often lead to ineiciency in government enterprises
Beware of the politician who ignores all this and
tells you the government should assume the manage
ment of the railroads other public utilities
ture into the few fields not yet costing the taxpayer
money.
When nations gather around conference table,
the world sees them in their true co]ors. Japan de-
mands protection, during the invasion of Shanghai
Manchuria, suppose, and France seeks protection
against strapped and broken Germany which slowly is
gaining economic strength because the amount it
spend for arming has been drastically limited.