The New York herald., 1862-04-29
The Tax Bill In Congress.

The delay in the adoption OF tax bill by
Congress is most prejudicial to the interests OF
the country, and calculated to seriously affect
the national credit. The committee who have
charge of the bill do not appear to understand
the subject, and, what is worse they refuse to be
enlightened by the experience of the past, par
ticuarly in the case of the two great nations of
Europe. Instead of profting by the blunders
of those countries-blunders which they
have long since rectified-our legislators are
falling into the same errors, and beginning
where England and France began nearly three
quarters Of a century ago. and blindly follow
ing in the track which they abandoned, just as
if history had not been written for our exam
pie. The necessity for some tax bill is most
urgent and imperious; but if the clumsy bill
that has been so laboriously and slowly pre-
pared be adopted, as it is, it will only be so
much labor in vain, aud will be repealed at the
next session of Congress by the force of pub
lie opinion.
Formerly the number of articles taxed in
France and England was very great. Now they
are reduced to about twenty or thirty, and the
change is found TO be far more productive
of revenue than the old system. with less ex-
pense for collection and less vexatious to the
taxpayers. Instead of pursuing the same SIM
pie plan, our committees in Congress propose
to tax everything The first effect of this me-
thod would be to create an army Of taxgath-
erers, who would swallow up in salaries or
percentage very large proportion of the
al tod In ha MD he
noyance to the public would be extreme. The
odious and inquisitorial nature Of the income
tax in England rendered it so unpopular that it
could not be continued. But not only is this
leading feature of the bill proposed, but the
watch man may carry in his pocket, OF even
what lady may wear, becomes a subject of
inqusition and investigation, to the infinite dis
gust of the wearer. OF course, in every system
of taxation real estate must bear heavy pro-
portion. Its value is easily determined, the
objects il presents are not numerous, and the
collection is easy. Personal property ought to
be subjected to taxation, but only when it is
over an amount which will exempt the poor
man from its operation. He is reached in house
rent, which will be increased, and by a small
tax on the necessaries of life, such az tea and
sugar.
The Chambers OF Commerce of Boston and
New York have pointed out the true principle
Of taxation. 1t is requisite, they say, for the
convenience Of taxpayers, for the prompt reali-
zation Of revenue, and in order to avoid expense
in the collection, that the subjects Of taxation
should be as few as possible; that the neces-
saries OF life should be 30 universally and equi-
tably taxed as to make the burden fall on all
classes according TO each mans ability to pay;
that the tax for necessaries should be as light
as possible, while the luxuries of society and
the enjoyments Of the rich should be made to
contribute large share of the public revenue.
Carriages, whiskey, malt liquors and tobacco
ought to be taxed heavily by excise while sales
OF goods and merchandise in general use ought
to be taxed lightly. In the form of stamps a
very large revenue could be collected--stamps
| on newspapers, stamps on licenses and diplo-
mas. on all contracts, on receipts for rent and
| other debts, on leases, deeds of assignment and
mortgages, by graduated scale, according to
| the value. Thus would every man be cempel