Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1861-10-10

n.oons =" No Poiu intO tno National
Treasury to 1871, 299 "a. This sum
she may raise by taxation or BY loan.
Suppose she elects the former mode
The assessed value of the property Of
the State is $3.50, $50, 49s, as anne.r.
by the Comptroller report. and a tor
of one mill and three-tenths of a mill
on the dollar will raise it. The State
already has in full operation ali tbs me-.
chinery, with body of trained oficers
for collecting her taxes and this addi.
tional levy can be collected without in
convenience to the State authorize, or
the people, and without any material in
crease of expense. If she assume it,
all she will have to do will be to add
one and three-tenths mills on the dollar.
or thirteen cents on the 800, to her
present direct tax, and the whole thing
is accomplished. Surely such q tax is
not obnoxious because of its severity,
No tax could be milder. It will be paid
without hardship and without COM
plant, except from those who desire the
overthrow Of the Government it is de.
signed to sustain.
But it may be provided for by tho
State in . mode even less onerous to the
people. The amount required can be-
raised by loan. The finances of Mary
land are in healthy condition; her cred
it is good, and, unless she has the folly
to follow the teachings Of those madmen
who seek to place her in rebellion to the
National Government, it will continue
good. She can raise it by loan on most
favorable terms, and in that event the
only charge upon her treasury will be
the annual interest, not exceeding, per
haps, $25, 900 per annum.
By assuming the tax the State may
correct all the inequalities in the sys-
TEN, relieve the landholder by distribute
ing the burden over the whole property
Of the State, preserve US from the pres
ence of the strange tax-gatherer, dimin-
ish the amount to be raised, make tho
payment easy to her own citizens, and
promptly relieve the National Treasury.
With reasons 30 numerous and cogent, I
cannot doubt that the State will hesi.
tate to avail itself of the privilege.
The third mode Of supplying to the
National Treasury the desired increase
of revenue Is by tax on incomes. The
10th section Of the act provides, THAT
"from and after the first Of January
"next. there shall BE- levied. collected
'and paid, upon the annual income Of
"every person residing in the United
Estates, whether such income is derived
"from any kind Of property, or from
"any profession, trade, employment OF
vocation, carried on in the United
Estates or elsewhere. or from any other
"source whatever, il such Aonusl in
"come exceeds the sum Of eight hun
"dred dollars, . tax Of three per centum
'on the amount Of such excess of such
"income above eight hundred dollars"
Very serious objection. it il conceded,
may be urged against . tax on incomes,
on account Of the difficulties in the way
of fair aud equal assessment. Taxes
on either income or property, though
theoretically equal, are practically the
most unequal. We may get = pretty
accurate notion Of the income derived
from rents of real estate, from funded
property, mortgages, and fixed salaries.
but all beyond this is mere gusss work.
There are No means by which to ascer-
tain the amount of farming capita, stock
10 trade, and the profits derived from
them. or the incomes Of professional
men. No inquisition into the private
affairs Of individuals can ever discover
these particulars. There is nothing, in
fact, to depend upon in such cases but
the declarations Of the parties, and We
need not dwell upon the impolisy of any
system of finance that sets the duty and
the interest Of the contributors in oppo-
sition, and makes them profit by CON
cealing or pervertipg the truth. Be-
sides, although these preliminary and
insuperable difficulties we're overcome.
and We learned tho capital and income
of different parties, We should have other
difficulties TO su1mount before the tex
could bs fairly assessed. The same do
duction should not bs made from in
comes derived from sources thst no not
equally lasting. To assess them on just
principles, the present value Of different
incomes, or their value reduced 10 per-
petuity, would have in the first place 10
be determined. But to do this on
large scale would be imprastioAbls. II
10 clear, therefore, that taxes on income
should not be introduced, except spon
An emergency, when the other and les
Questionable sources Of revenue are in.
sufficient, and when money nluss be hsd
at all hazards.
But waving al objection, OF this ne
ture, we surely cannot objses 10 shs ~
verify Of the provision Of sss not, or
to the rate Of tax il imposes. The lax
10 laid on the excess Of iosome above
$500. A very large msioriiy Of shs
community will not b touched BY IL ss
all. Eight hundred dollars per ennrn
will provide for every family sll she re-
crssaries and many Of the somsotss Of
life, and the law benevolsntlJ allows
this to be done before any contribution
il to BE- made to the public service. The
law, therefore. cannot b objected 70 on
the ground it is oppressive to the poor;
nor can the rate Of tax b rsasonabl
| oh;octad 70 II in thraa mar aantun T.