Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-05-07
The Income Tax In Operations
[Prom the n. Z. Post Of May 1st.ll !.

To-day, for the first time in the history
OF the United States, a law imposing taxes
upon personal incomes goes into operation.
10 Eugland this source of revenue has been
employed for many years, in peace as we'll
as IN war, and it has come to he looked up-
on IN that country as aperfectly legitimate
and reasonable method of filing the natl
oual exchequer. With us it has never
hitherto been employed, and is now the
last of all the taxes imposed by Congress
to meet the expenses caused by the civil
war. 1t is a burden made to fit every
mans shoulder, and there is no escape from
1t yet the equity of the measure is beyond
dispute. Every man,should bear his part
OF the load which the government is COM
PEELED to put upon US in order to preserve
the nation in its integrity. srs
Congress has made the income tax as Just
and equitable as it was possible to do. At
oest an unWelcome eXaetion, it was deter
mined to render its requirements leuieut
and reasonable. By. the amendatory act,
passed at the end of the last session, it is
provided that the sum actually paid BY any
person for house rent shall be exempted
from the operation of the tax, while, under
the terms of the original act all incomes
under the sum of six hundred dollars per
annum are wholly free from tax. The la.
boring class and the widow and orphan are
thus virtually exempted from the opera.
tions of the law. Incomes above the sum
of six hundred dollars, and less than ten
thousand dollars yearly, are taxed at the
rate of three per cent, less than the amount
paid annually for rent. Persons who re.
ceiVe incomes exceeding SIC, 900 a year are
required to pay at the rate of FIVE per
cent. upon the excess of over six hundred
dollars. Here, again, the gradatiou is
carefully drawn. The clerk who receives
one thousand dollars a year, and whose
house-rent amounts to three hundred dol
lars yearly, is exempted from the payment
of an income tax on all but one hundred
but three dollars to be
paid to the government collector; while
the capitalist who receives over ten thous
and dollars year is required to pay tax
upon his income at the rate five per cent.
upon thewhole amount, less tho regular
exemption of six hundred dollars aud the
amount annually paid for house rent. The
burden is thus adjusted according to the
ABILITY ofthe taxpayer; if poor, he is re-
CURED to pay small per centage, but if
wealthy two per cent is added to the
amount of tax. a
In estimating the annual incomes of per-
sons subject to the payment of the tax, the
year is to be reckoned from the lst day of
January to the last day of December of
1852. The law goes into effect to day, and
returns must be made to the proper officers
of internal revenue, but the tax imposed
is not necessarily payable until the 3Oth of
June next. Sums remaining unpaid for
thirty days after the both of June and for
ten days after demand by the collector, are
liable to an additional levy of FIVE per
cent, as a penalty. The ample latitude
given by the bill for the payment of the
tax will probably prevent the necessity of
any resort to extreme measures. aGl