The Outgo Tax.
Probably every man who grumbles at his income tax cheerfully pays an outgo tax of equal or greater amount. If he drinks even moderately he doubtless averages thirty cents a day for his liquor, which amounts in a year to more than a hundred dollars. That is worse than useless outgo tax, exceeding in size his income tax unless he is a very wealthy man. If he smokes, he averages three ten-cent cigars a day or their equivalent, which is another outgo tax of a hundred dollars a year for a harmful luxury. The non-drinker and nonsmoker who pays a. hundred dollars a year income tax probably pays an equal outgo tax every year for candy, soda-water, coffee, and indigestible food. He pays another hundred easily as an outgo tax for unnecessary and even ugly clothes for his family, dictated by the mere whims of fashion. Still another outgo tax of a hundred dollars is paid by the average family that pays a hundred-dollar income tax for the one item of amusement beyond the legitimate recreation needs. If a man grumbles at his income tax, every dollar of which is spent for national safety and international righteousness, let him honestly examine his outgo taxes and then shut up.