Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-09-29

IN as overhead EXPENSE anu Is Ouc vi
the items added up to arrive at the
cost or selling price of their pro-
duct. If the real estate tax is one
hundred thousand dollars or more
the process is the same. General
sales taxes-always advocated by men
like Mellon, Senator Reed. Senator
Smoot and others like them-are also
paid by the consumer.
But how about income taxes and
inheritance taxes? The same men
are always against those. Why? Be-
cause income taxes are arrived at at
the end of the year when the profits
are known and are paid only when
there are profits and income. In
heritance taxes are collected when
the man passes out of this world, and
certainly there is no sense in his
leaving hundreds of thousands of dol.
lars or millions to his family. 1t is
only a detriment to them and the
large extent, be redistributed-
they should go to the government and
in that way make for less taxes to
those less able to pay.
If the rich can pass on income
taxes and Inheritance taxes then 1t
is because they have a monopoly of
the industry in which they are en-
gagged. Mr.. Christensen made no
mention of those two forms of taxa
ton. Note also who are the men and
interests that are always fighting
against income and Inheritance taxes.
To warn against taxing the rich
and saying that they pass it on
seems to us like giving up or kneeling
at the golden altar. Capitalization
of wealth has developed to the extent
that it is a menace to the country.
And if we have to bow and Scrape and
be afraid of the millionaires and bill
lionaires-Mellon is several time
billionaire-and if we can't tax them
so it will stick under our present
form of government then it is high
time to make right about face and
change that system. But the taxing
of the real wealthy can be done with
so per cent or more of the Legislators
representing the people and not the
special interests. If the taxes-in-
come and inheritance-can not be
made to stick why then should Mellon
and his crowd oppose them so much?
Mr.. ChristiansOn stated that the
value of the country is today approx
mately 100000, 100000 and that the
indebtedness-public and private-is
$3.50. 900. 100000. Our Indebtedness is
Is per cent of our value or our equity
is but % per cent.
Do we owe that huge Indebtedness
to South America. Europe, Africa.
China, somebody at the North Pole,
or the people up in Mars? No. Of
course not. Other countries are in
debted to America. 1t is not enough
that the wealthy of America have
gobbled up the securities of our own
country so that we can hardly bor-
row any mOre-and borrowing by the
way has been overdone-but they
have also reached out for securities
in foreign countries. They have
shown plenty of greed.
Our Indebtedness is right here in
our own country. And how has it
come about? Bad distribution. The
farmers and workers have not been
amply rewarded for their labors. The
margin of profit going into the hands
of the few has been too great. Favor
able legislation has helped that very
much. Some one will say if all the
property was distributed equally
amongst all the citizens today the
smarter ones and more aggressive
would have more than their share
tomorrow. But who is advocating an
out and out equal distribution of
property? There are thousands and
millions of good home loving citizens
who do not demand a ten thousand
dollar income, nor five thousand, nor
the average of $4,000 annually to
every family. They will be happy and
contented with less-in fact they have
not the desire to accumulate much
wealth-they like to have something
for rainy day, to be secure and
comfortable They get their happi-
ness and contentment out of some
thing different than money. But I'M
employment and misery. lack of that
odity-mOney-dOes not add to
their contentment and happiness. and
this Capitalization of wealth and
power has gone too far. Property
rights have gone too far. more atten-
tion must be paid to humanity. There
is too much difference in the treat
ment of human beings.
If we permit the strong to go un-
restrained it will wipe out the funda-
mentals of moral laws and Justice.
The former governor did not say
word about the Frazier bill for the
refinancing of farm loans at ~
per cent rate of interest and 1 u per
cent payments on the amortization
plan, and if he goes to Congress he
will have to take action on that or
other like legislation. 1t can not be
avoided. That bill is fundamental
and strikes at the big money lenders.
He said nothing about the bonus bill
or adjusted compensation to the for
mer service men, bill which If it
had become law in the last session