The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-08-29
WE, THE CONSUMERS,
PAY THE TAX
released by Western Newspap'

OUR LEGISLATIVE bodies = To-
cal, state and national-would have
us-the Toms, Dicks and Harrys OF
America-believe the greater por-
ton of the taxes they levy is collect
= ed from the corporations. If we be-
ieved that we would not object SO
much to extravaganza in govern
ment operation. 5ds
In a factual survey Of 1856 cor
porations, made by the American
Federation of Investors, it was
found that these corporations had
paid a total of $2,565, 356,532 for
taxes in 1910.
The tax collector took that amount
out of the pockets Of the 1856 cor
porations. These corporations IN
turn took it out of the pockets OF
the ultimate consumers, and we
paid it in the form of an increased
price for the merchandise and serv-
ices we purchased. The corpora
tions had to pass along the tax col
lector's bill if they were to continue
in business and provide jobs for
their 3,490,801 employees. They
could not have taken it from their
5,888, $3.50 stockholders, the people
who supplied the money to create
the 3,490, 1901 jobs, for the total divi-
dends paid were only $1,247 1853, 722,
or less than one-haf the amount of
the tax collectors bill. Had they
attempted to take it out of the peck
cts of their employees, it would
have meant taking from each one
an average of $735.
The only practical, or possible
way was to get it back from the
consumers-the Toms, Dicks and
Harrys-by including it in the price
of their merchandise, and we, in the
end, paid all Of it, and then some.
The "then some" was the taxes
paid by the wholesale jobber and
the retailer. They, too, if they were
to remain in business, had to pass
on to the consumer the amount the
tax collector took from them, and
we paid it.
Such are large part of the ''hid-
den taxes" we pay. Our law max
ers tried to cover them up, and
they succeeded for a time, at least
with a percentage of the people.
They realize that to levy direct
tax on the consumer of an amount
equal to the indirect tax he now
pays would arouse a protest ex-
pressed through the ballot box.
They are trying to fool all of the
people all of the time, but will find
it will not continue to work.
Either in the form of direct or
indirect taxes, the consumer is to-
day paying close to 80 cents to the
tax collector out of each dollar of
his income. He is working for
government nearly one-third of his
working time.
The taxes of those 1865 corpora
tons for 1910 amounted to $685., 518,-
634 more than in 1899. There will
be tremendous jump in 1941, UNI
der the new tax law, and again we,
the consumers, will pay it all.
ADVERTISING VALUES
FOR RURAL MERCHANT
THE LARGE STORES Of every
metropolitan center demonstrate
every day the value of intelligently
used newspaper advertising space.
To insure that intelligent use, these
stores employ the best expert adj
vertising talent available. They
pay large salaries to advertising
| managers because they know the
''how," when" and what" of mer-
chandising advertising.
These advertising experts cannot,
if they would, hide their talents.
They must display them each day
and in each issue If the newspapers
in which they buy space. Every
day they offer lesson in effective
merchandising advertising.
BY a day-to-day study of the copy
they produce, rural merchants can
learn the 'show," when and
what" of effective advertising. If,
and when, the lessons are applied to
their own merchandising problems,
the rural stores will find how much
effective newspaper advertising will
do in the development of hometown
patronage.
A study of the day-to-day adver-
Using of the large city stores will
show the rural merchant the show
of advertising and when" to adj
vertise what" Such study will
make of the rural merchant an adj
vertising expert.
RAISE WHAT WE CONSUME
w. c. WEBER, in the North
east johnson County Herald at Over
land Park, Kansas, proposes that
America encourage the raising of
all agricultural products we con-
sumo as solution of our farm
problem. II all of Americas rural
newspapers would support the plan,
it would provide a solution for the
American farm problem.