The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-07
THE PRINCIPLES OF TAXATION.

THE PRINCIPLES or TAXATION.
The tax-gatherer is an official not espe-
cially beloved by any member Of the commu-
nifty. We may have a respect for him border
ing upon veneration, and cherish all those
emotions with which we naturally regard all
the representatives Of authority; but we GER
tainly are not glad to see him. We do not
welcome his approach, and we do not think
over kindly Of him when he has departed
And yet he is a most necessary member of
society. He is the instrument of producing
some Of our greatest good.
We make up our minds that the war can
not be sustained without taxation, but we
disagree as TO the method by which taxes
should be apportoned. An equal distribu-
ton of the public burdens would seem to be
the most satisfactory mode. When any differ
enees are made in the amount of taxation, it
would seem that they should be regulated less
by the amount of revenue than the source
. whence it is derived. 1t is the wealth and
resources of the people which should be inn
partially taxed. The people it is who are in
terested in the war, and upon them the Gov
ernment-sustaining taxes should be made
equally to fall.
In connection with this subject, the refer
ences of the Secretary of the Treasury to the
several acts passed by Congress, with a view
to provide the large means required to meet
annual expenditures, are significant and inte-
resting. To meet the anticipated expenditures
Of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1862, Con-
gress authorized a loan of S370,000O00. In
addition 70 tbie ronrraes G,rtIar o,thor;yod n
direct tax of S20,0O0000, and a tax Of three
per centum on the excess of all incomes
over eight hundred dollars per annum. Ex-
perience showed, however, that the estimate of
the Secretary was inadequate, and Congress
was asked to provide for probable deficiency
of nearly S214,0O0000. These data illustrate
how wide of the mark the most careful esti-
mates will sometimes be, and that an impair
tial application of the principles of taxation is
as imperative as taxation itself The report
of the Secretary of the Treasury asserts that
S300000,000 at least should be realized from
internal duties and the suggestion is made
that a commission, properly constituted, for
the purpose of inquiring as to profitable
sources Of revenue, and devising improve
ments in the modes of its collection, might
result in much assistance to Congress in its
deliberations on the subject
The Secretary believes that tax on sales
might become a very large and important
item of revenue, through the application of
stringent rules recurring frequent periodical
returns, verified by oath, and coupled with the
power to compel an exhibit of books OF
account He further suggests the collection
of an income tax from all without exemption
and argues that the adoption of a scale aug
menting the rate of taxation upon incomes as
they rise in amount could not be considered
oppressive or unjust inasmuch as the ability
to pay increases in much more arithmetical
proportion as the amount of income exceeds
! the limits of reasonable necessity.
A tax on tobacco, in the leaf or unmanu-
featured, the Secretary OF the Treasury
believes is the only means by which duty
on that article can be collected fairly and
equally, and through which an adequate
amount of revenue can be obtained from it,
The Committee of Ways and Means will i'm
mediately consider the bill introduced by Mr.
STEVENS in regard to the tax on tobacco, and
further regulations with respect to the expor-
tation, and the paying and accepting Of gold
anu silver coin.