The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-04-25
How to TAXA Hint to c Ongress.

Congress is doing good work upon the Tax
bill, though we are sorry that the whiskey
spectators are spared. The criti cal financial
situation Of the country demands the very
strongest remedies, and the best of these RENE
dies is heavy taxation. The peop le are not
afraid OF taxes not half so mach at. tad as GER
tain members Of Congress appear to be Of do
ing their duty in the matter. But the people
are Enthusiastically sfraid-of the financial
crash and the consequent ruin which laist and
will come upon them if the government does
not avert it by speedy and emphatic taxos upon
everything taxable. The patient prefers the
most nauseous medicine to death, and the coun-
try prefers taxation to destruction. For slmost
the first time in history, therefore, heavy taxes
are popular, and Congress ought to take adj
vantage Of this feeling and impose such taxes
Immediately. Ell
There are two practical points in regard to-
the Tax bill to which we especially invite the,
attention Of our legislators. The first point is,
that all incomes ought to be taxed. The lavv
at present exempts incomes under six hundre d
dollars, and it should be at once amended.
Why should man who receives an income Of
four or FIVE hundred dollars year be excus, ID
from paying his tax to support the COVER n
ment! Or, If he ought to be excused, why r ot
exempt the man whose income is only six or
seven hundreds Exemption always breads lis
content. There are men in receipt of five tn Ou-
sand dollars year who are actually poorer
than those who receive only five hundred If
the exemption line is to be drawn anywhere, 1t
ought to include the poor rich men and exclude
the rich poor men. But the fact is that no such
line should be drawn. Every man, poor or
rich, ought to feel it an honor, as we'll as
duly, to pay triae towards the support Of the
best nation that ever existed. And then, again,
the men whose incomes are under SIX hun
dred dollars-after making those deductions
that the present law allows-are actually
the majority Of the population. By what
| right does Congress compel the minority to
| pay not only their own taxes, but the tsxes
Of the majority also! Is such . law in 40
cordance with the genius Of . republican
form Of government Not at al. Every
man has the privilege Of voting, and every
man ought to have the privilege Of pay
| ing tax in proportion to his means. Let Coy
| gress amend the bill In the manner We sys-
gest and it will do just and popular tbdng.
There can be no objection to IL, except from
timid politicians; and If any Congressman per-
mits political considerations to inAueice him
upon such question ~ this he deserves TO be
disgracefully drummed out Of Washington.
The second and only other point to which
we shall refer to-day is: tax oil the news
papers largely, but tax them ell alike. At
present the taxes are varied according TO the
circulation, and some newspapers Of very
small circulation are exempted altogether
This Is Offering government premium for
lack Of ability and enterprise, and b an i'm
piled encouragement to petty partisan papers,
Good newspapers can stand heavy taxes. II
bad newspapers cannot stand taxation let
them die, and the country will be ell the better
or when they are dead. We raised this same
point when the Tax bill was Hrst passed, and
We appeal 70 any newspaper reader II the
press has not been improved since the passage
Of that bill. heavier tax upon newspapers
would improve the press still more. Ofcourse
It would tax about half Of them out q exist.
ence; but that would be- an improvements OF
Itself, TO say nothing OF the Improvement
which wssld Individually take place In those
] papers that survived 9hsrs ass plsnsS q