The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1953-12-04
10th Annual Farmer-Lahor Institute
PAINTERS OF fine PORTRAITS have
BECL0UDED States TAX Scene

b&a @ sS@ - Cd - 1sa
They amounted to only Al per cent
of all tax income, and in dollars,
1927 million. By 1852, the trend
of property taxes, percentage-wise
was again on the upward swing.
| These taxes accounted for 5.5 per
cent of total tax revenue, or $54.8
million. Taxes on land averaged II
cents an acre in 1910 and rs cents
per acre in 1862.
PHILOSOPHY OF TAXATION"
NEEDED
Importance of developing a "phil-
osophy of taxation" was stressed by
Mr.. Peterson. Propaganda constant
ly being beamed to the American
people, he said, tries to convey the
idea that "taxes are evil things" In
refuting such assertions, Peterson
stated g. a tax is not necessarily
a burden. 1t is an opportunity to do
together that which we cannot do
alone F.. :" AS an example of the lat
ter, he pointed to the Greater Uni
versity System and how the services
wish to use them. That there have
been 10 successful farmer-labor in
stitutes, annually conducted in Coop
Grafton with the University, empha-
size how here in Montana we use tax
dollars to do together that which
would not be possible by individual
efforts.
TAX STRAWS IN THE WIND,
ON NATIONAL LEVEL
Aims of tax drafters in the House
of representatives, under Rep. Noah
Mason (R-Ill.) bode no good for the
great majority of American people,
panel discussion brought out. Mason
is proposing a five-point tax program
which has strong backing from Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers
and other big business groups. Should
he be successful, the following ma
jor changes would result in federal
tax laws:
1. The income tax on corporation
dividends would be repealed.
2. The present tax on luxuries
would be repealed.
8. Additional taxes would be lev
ed on co-operatives.
4. A constitutional amendment
Uniting federal income taxes to 25
per cent would be given COMPRESSION
Il approval and submitted to the
states for ratification.
5. A national sales tax would be
imposed to make up for the loss of
'evenue brought about by points 1,
and A.
On THE STATE LEVEL
On the state level painters of
inc portraits have beautifully be-
louded the tax issue in the Legisla-
ure" with the result that no serious
ffort has been or is being made. to
tudy the tax structure.
With greater emphasis on state
vide equalization of funds for school
and the trend toward the
tate shouldering more and more re-
possibility in various social, well
are and other fields, uniform CLASH
ication of all property in the state
) badly needed. Yet, for three con-
ecutive sessions, legislation propos-
lg setting up machinery to achieve
inform classification procedures has
cen beaten down by major stockmen
nd other powerful interests in the
,gislature.
Efforts to secure enactment of
legislation whereby commercial
would pay fair and equi-
table share of the costs of our high
ways, have been in vain because of
heavy pressure on the legislators
by the trucking industry.
Similarly, all attempts to shift the
ennial burden of 100000 in Sill
isis payments from the general pub
: to the mining industry, and to en-
It an occupational disease compen-
ltion law have failed because of
opposition.
In considering additional sources
Continued on Page Three