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Show Taxes! Taxes! Taxes! i On January 18, Senator Watson Wat-son broke a thirty-year rule of the Senate by asking that a petition peti-tion be read. The petition, presented pre-sented by the Federation of American Am-erican Business, said: "Today combined American governments are spending one-quarter or more of our national Income. No ua-tlon ua-tlon can stand that drain and continue to function. The business busin-ess men of the country, regardless regard-less of party demand that government gov-ernment cease its policy of meddling medd-ling and repression and perform the political functions for which It was created." On January 19, Senator Borah said that a reasonable reduction of salaries of Governmental employes em-ployes would save the taxpayers some $200,000,000 or $250,000,000 a year. He Introduced a bill to reduce salaries of $5,000 or more by 6 to 20 per cent, with the exception ex-ception of the judiciary. On January 19, Governor Moore of New Jersey presented a plan for reorganization of the State government, the abolition of 42 commissions and other measures designed to reduce governmental expenditures by millions of dollars He said that the taxpayer needs aid and must be helped. On January 19, J. A. Emery, representing the National Assoc-ciation Assoc-ciation of Manufacturers, in testimony test-imony before a House committee, said tital expenditure of the States and Federal Government and local units wes $13,500,000,-000 $13,500,000,-000 to $14,000,000,000 in 1930, of which $10,250,000,000 was raised by taxes and the rest borrowed, representing deferred taxes. He urged broadening of the tax base and advocated that Government abandon all unnecessary expenditures, expendi-tures, adjust compensation in the Government service, and eliminate elimin-ate unnecessary new projects. On January 19, the New York Times, In a long lead editorial, said: "If the lavish measures proposed and backe9 with so much passionate and demagogic appeal were allowed to go through they would ruin 'our public fin-, ance, and bring on disaster greater than any which the depres slon has led in its train Ameri-ans Ameri-ans may as well make up their minds that they have no Great-Father Great-Father at Washington to relieve them from all their distresses." Thus, taxation is becoming oui foremost national issue. Excessive Exces-sive taxes threaten Industrial development, de-velopment, home building, employ ment, the investment of capital, progress of all kinds Those who are fighting against It are fighting fight-ing In the interest of every citizen, citi-zen, no matter what his station In life may be. |