The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-05

inauguration or Direct Taxation--OuI
W.T. Durthens-The New Income Tax
We publish in another colcpn the bill which
mas just passed Congress, levyirig tax upon
incomes 'Uld on carriages, watches and spirit
uous and ermented liquors. No measure
passed during the present session has excited
more interest foS it affects many who Have not
hitherto been troubled by the iaxgatherer, and
introduces new principle in the mode of rails
ing the public revenue W this country
Direct taxation has always been advocated
by the partisans of free trNde as an indispen-
sable basis of their theories. That has been one
cause, perhaps, why they have made such slow
progress among us, for our people, accts-
toned to the easy mode of providing for the
wants OF the government by import duties and
land tax, could not reconcile themselves to q
system Of taxation which possesses so many
disagreeablo features. When the income tax
was first introduced in the House of Commons
ny Sir Robert Peel in 1912, it excited a great
cutlery, and to this day its unpopularity con-
tinues undated, the inquisitorial powers con-
ferred under it rendering it repugnant to
the advantages of free trade cannot be
enjoyed without taxation of some kind, and
as no substitute as secure and simple can he
devised for it, the income tax will, in all proba
bility, become fixed feature in the fiscal legis-
lation of Great Britain.
The necessities of great war baye forced
upon us measure which we had hoped to
avoid. The interest of the immense loans that
have been authorized by Congress has to be
provided for, and as our revenue from imports
can no longer BIO relied upon, and the public
lands will, in all probability, be ali absorbed
by the grants made TO the officers and soldiers
OF our army, no option is left us but to resort
to 1t. The sum proposed to be raised In this
way is twenty milliOns-the same amount as
was levied under Sir Robert Peel's bill The
pei. centage of taxation is, However, considera-
bly, less, being only three per cent on all M
comes over eight hundred dollars, whether en-
joyed by individuals or corporations Non-re.
sidents, deriving their incomes from property
in this country, will pay five per cent for their
abseatesism-a just and equitable provision.
The duty on carriages is to be from one to fifty
dollars according to the descripticncf vehicle;
on gold watches; one dollar; on silver, fifty
cents; on spirituors liquors, five cents a gal
Ion, and on fermented ditto, sixty cents a
barrel, or twc'cents ~ gallon. These inposts will
considerably affect all classes, but mere parti-
cularly those in the enjoyment Of large incomes,
whose property has hitheMo never been ade-
quately assessed. Millionaires, like Mr.. W. B
Astor, Commodore Vanderbilt, Mr.. Lenor, the
Lorillards and others, will henceforth coptri-
bnte fair proportion of their wealth
to the direct support of the national
that if We had heavy national debt the
pressure of taxation would arouse our lea6-
ing citizens to sense of their responsibilities
and induce them to taket'ie elections out of the
hands of the low politicians who now control
ti,ens Such result wc,tfdnct be dearly paid
by the burthens imposed by the war.
Tie twenty millions Of taxes to be raised by
this bill are allotted in fixed proportions
among the thirty-fcur States and eight
organised Territories of the Union. 1t is
calculated that by the 1st' Of April next
when ii goes into operation. ALI she rebel States
will have been brought back to their loyalty.
Should this anticipation not bs fulfilled, the
North will have to provide for the def
cheney, either by an iscrcase~ Of the income
tax. or by adding other articles.bo the schedule
of internal duties. Tho mode oseolleciion will
be through the same machinery by which the
only addition made TO il will be n bureau in the
Treasury Department, consisting-of u Commits
sioncr, with salary Of three theasand dollars,
and clerks whose aggregate salaries are moi to
exceed six thousand
Thus it will be see IL that While the bill pro.
vidcs securely for the objects contemplated,
il creates but little new patronage, and opens
no fresh door to corruption. That ii will cause
great deal of grumbling ouds dissatisfaction
we must be prepared to expect. To our mind
one of lbs most acceptable fcatures is the gene
raj conviction it will create that it will
henceforth be necessary for taxpayers to look
after their own interests. Tie control Of our
affairs he's been too long in the hands Of nnprin-
cipled politicians and advertisers. When the
results Of their Encouragement are brought
home to, them in taxes that are harvesting, not
only in amount, but in their mode of collection,
we shall, perhaps. see those rho have stake
in the country fulfilling the duties and response
blities, to the neglect Of which we owe ouu,
present msforunes.
JEFFERSON BRICK on EArAL Administrators
son Brick tried his hand yesterday at nayel
affairs, in his usual style, ity announcing that
Admiral Kolrustan, "of the Bavarian Navy,"
was at Washington, and proposed holding an
official interview with the President. The king
dom OF Bavaria is situated in the interior, seye-
raj hundred miles from any sea, and the only
no, tu q nl,.i