The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-05-15
DOUGHTON SUBJECT,
OF INTERESTING STORY
Continued from Page One)

night. Monday night he had a new
set of business taxes which more
than raised the required sum.
Hits Rich and Poor
Doughton's tax philosophy is
unadorned. He says it is the SIM
pie democratic and orthodox view
that taxes should be levied for
needed revenue only. They must
not soak the rich nor grind the
poor. He is an arch foe of wealth
gouging.
"There must be some big tax
payers left to get revenue from
when all this is ovef," he says.
Once he decides on tax bill
it is pretty sure to hit rich and
poor alike. "Taxes on income" he
saws, care about the only ones
which take into consideration the
taxpayers ability to pay.
"But, even a good tax some
times is a bad tax. The question
never is ended. When levies are
yielding enough revenue there
still are schedules which are too
high or too low"
He processes no great know
ledge of the science of taxation,
and comedies that some folks
won't believe he knows beans
when the bags open. He says he
lust trys to do his best, and there
are those who know that his hum
BILE best is better than that Of wis
er men with less substance.
Gets Dander Up
Doughton has the keenest ex-
perts in the land at his beck and
call. He sits as a "horse-sense"
Judge on their tax proposals, de-
Gliding whether they are fair and
equitable. He commands the res
pect and loyalty of his entire
committee, including Representa-
tive Allen T. Treadway (R.,
Mass.) the ranking minority
member whose job it is by posi-
ton and persuasion to heckle.
His friend "Allen" sometimes
gets his dander up and the two
venerable stalwarts of opposite
political faiths wind up in a roar
ing contest which usually sub
sides in a convivia1 glass Of but
termilk.
Both are up against the works
this time. They thought they had
done something in passing the ST.
900, 100000 tax bill last year. This
So, 500, 100000 baby tops the World
war record and is perhaps the
biggest revenue measure in all
the history of all the world.
For that, Doughton may be par
doned in wanting personal credit
for steering it. He insists 1t be
worked out by the committee as
a whole rather than by the Gus
tomary subcommittee. It will
save perhaps two months OF dis
cussion, he says, and mo one
knows what else may confront us
this summer"
Folks must realize, he says, that
their country faces a grave sltua-
ton and be prepared to pay for
its salvation. He says it eventual
ly may warrant a sales tax, but
that he hopes not.
Known AS "Muley"
Some say it is his inherent ten
acity of principle plus willing
ness to face issues that appeals to
Mr.. Roosevelt. Washington leg
end says the chief executive, once
he has the hard-won word of the
North Carolinian, can depend up
on it. If he doesn't produce, news
men pounce on it as evidence that
the whole congress is out Of hand.
There is a popular saying that
once his mind is made up, his
head can't be turned with an axe.
This stubborn quality earned him
the c1oak-room moniker, "Mul-
ey" Doughton.
It became popular back in the
Hoover administration when the
craggy faced hillman lowered
over his colleagues in hours OF
floor debate to help defeat a sales
tax which was almost damned
through. 1t required when he took
the floer to denounce petitions
for the Townsend plan as erals
ing false hopes among our old
people," when he fought for the
social security bill as the great
est piece of social legislation" and
again when he called up the re-
serve power of his long, lean
frame to hammer through the
reciprocal trade program of his
old friend Secretary Cordell Hull
of Tennessee.
,, Second To Speaker
Home folks asked Doughton to
run for governor in 1885 and for
the senate in 1887. In both instan-
ces he said he. would, if they
wished, and out cropped stories
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