The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-06-26
LEGISLATORS TAKE NOTICE

LEGISLATORS TAKE NOTICE
The heads of our state government
have been loud speakers at many war
activity meetings Golden words buy
no defense bonds. They say nothing
about lowering state, county or city
taxes. There is just so much annual
income to the people of Montana The
administration is calling for the pur-
chase by our people in Montana of
two million dollars worth of bonds a
month, twenty-four million dollars a
year. Of course l favor, and have al
ways favored, the federal graduated
income tax; even though, as Elihu
Root said truthfully in the supreme
court of the United States in his argu-
ment against the constitutionality of
the first federal income tax law, that
any graduated income tax is a com
munistic measure.
Though our formerly isolationist
press knows, If it ever thinks seri-
ously at all, that graduated income
tax inevitably leads to form of com
munism, none would now advocate a
repeal of that form of taxation in SO
many words. Many, of course, would
indirectly repeal it by a sales tax:
thus shifting the burden of govern
ment from those best able to bear it
to those least able to bear it. 1t is
possible, perhaps, to combine the
good results of individual effort (our
present democracy with the ultra-so-
plan now giving Russia the
strength to stand for civilization
against German barbarism by means
OF a graduated income tax In Russia
before June %, 1941, some moving
picture artists were making more per
year than the $4,000 maximum in
come suggested by the President for
the duration"
Everybody in Butte is buying war
bonds: men, women, children, work
ngmen, businessmen, capitalists, mon
sy-changers, clerks, working girls,
awyers, doctors, clergymen. At good
news we buy for joy, at bad news we
)uy them in stern resolve. But still
n May, Montana did not buy the two
million required of us. Most, 1 my
ef for one, do this without thought
II now next years federal income tax
$ going to be paid. Many of us who
'ay income taxes also pay state and
county states; the urban income tax
ayers also pay city taxes.
Many who pay income taxes also
ay heavy interest charges year after
ear The imaginary surplus above
ne federal tax and living expenses
oes to pay interest on installments
n every kind of property: homes.
rucks, cars, furniture; a little life
lsurance, doctor bills, hospitals, fun
rails; sometimes college expenses.
Vhere a federal income tax is above
l,o0O, few are able (without the
clip OF a banker) to pay it all in
larch, they must meet it in quarter
: installments.
1t is inevitable that the federal in
)me tax next year be about double
nat 1t is this year on the same in
)me.
The members of the judicial depart
ent OF the state are not paid as
ell as other states on an average
~, but most other office holders are
I'D more than similar office hold
s get in other states There is no
lance to cut down the expense of
'Vernment here. We are still paving
terest on the capitol building bond
sue; the interest paid on this now
AYnQa6Q 10 npie
ae government always has been, al
ays VIII be, extravagantly run The
ly chance for the taxpayer is to
t down the revenue and then i'm
If the states credit. No practical
rift can ever be instilled into the
wants of the people in the Capitol.
me prudence can be forced on them
ALLEGATION of income. By now,
ere would be debts for highway
llding of tens of millions if the
soline taxes had not been ear
Irked for years.
The state income tax cuts to $1,000
single men, $4,000 for married
N. 1t reduces the standard of liv-
!. 1t puts burden on almost every
rk1ng man now in the state. It
kes it that much harder to buy war
Ids. 1t may prevent payments of
eral taxes next year of utmost
I'd to the federal government. AS
G as the state income tax does not
'ly to corporations, agree with
lge Angstman's famous dissenting
MON, that it is not uniform and
refore not constitutional.
let's give the state income tax the
k for the duration!
LOWNDES MAURY.