The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-02-02

I best. MI. ASuley also naQ MS IeatneFS
considerably cropped by the same gem
tleman. The country generally will
clap their hands and say "wen done,
Bingham" Mr.. Stevens has had his
way too long in the House, and has be
come arrogant and overbearing to an
intolerabIe degree. There is apparently
/ no end to his new schemes in connection
with reconstruction, and he has been
attempting all the session to dragon
the more rational and moderate mem
bers into all his wild territorial notions
/ by the awe of his sarcastic and wither-
/ ing inveclive, of which many members
stand as much afraid as they would of
so many Minnie balls. Mr.. Bingham
is about the only Radical Re-
publican that has had the cour-
courage to break with Stevens and de-
nounce his so-caIled Reconstruction"
bill as one of obstruction" That is
the phrase he applies to it, and we be-
lieve he is correct. He sharply and
forcibly reminded Mr.. Stevens that the
amendment submitted last session to
the country, and endorsed in the fall
elections, was the proposition upon
which Congress agreed to admit every
Southern State that might adopt it, and
that it was too late in the day to go
| back on that amendment and say that
its ratification carries no effect what
ever and does not secure representation
in Congress.
The country stands upon that amend
ment. It Is the otter of the loyal States
TO the South. 1t is their proposition
made in good faith. 1t was not put
forth to tantalize them, but in a gen.
erous and honorable spirit If accepted
it secures representation to any South
ern State Ifthey all refuse it, as they
are generally doing under the maliSn
counsels of the President, they do so
at their peril. They will never get
better terms, and will probably be
forced at last to close with an offer much
more distastefuI. In the meantime
however the course of such a man as
Mr.. Bingham, one of the abIest, most
fearless, as well as most Radical men
lin the true and good sense of that
word) in Congress, and the fact that his
speech has apparently killed off
Stevens bill, by sending it to the COM
mittee, will be an assurance to the
South and to the whole country that the
faith OF the nation as pledged in the
amendment will be kept, and that all
States following the example of Ten
nessee will secure her reward.
THE INCOME TAx.-The New York
Journal Of Commerce stoutIy opposes
the proposed change in the income tax
law exempting $1,000 instead of 5000 of
income from taxation, showing that it
will increase the inequalities and hard
ships of tine already very unequal law.
1t also disapproves the higher rate
now paid on all incomes above $1,000,
Whatever their source, and advises that
il any discrimination il to be made it
should be in favor of those who earn
their money by some business or pro-
fession. and against the products OF ac-
cumulated property, safely invested.
1t certainly is not fair to tax the $40. 600
earned by the professional man, OF
which sum he may not be able to lay
up dollar, mt so high rate as the SIO.-
600 derived by the capitalist from his
as though uniform rate on all incomes,
with no exemptions would, after all, be
the fairest method of collecting this
tax 1t would then have at least the
merit OF uniformity, and could not
Work more unjustly than ut present !
and especially with the exempted in !
comes increased to $1,000.
As instances OF the unequal working
ofthe law the Journal of Commerce in |
stances a farmer who has farm worth |
$4,000, and has $4,000 invested. The
products of his farm, consumed in his
family and devoted to improving his
place, are exempted by law, and the
5000 he gets as the interest on his in
vestmentS, are also exempted, so that
he pays no income tax at all. a neigh
Dor, who is mechanic and gets little
over 5000 year, has to pay n tax on all
over that amount, though his family
are dependent on his earnings for sun
port, having none OF the untaxed prn-
HuclS OF a farm to live upon. The tax
bears still harder and more uniustIy
on clerks and others in cities, with from
Sl,OOO to 5000 salaries, on which thew
have to support their families and nav
a generous slice to the revenue collector
besides. The best amendment that
could be made to the income tax Law
would be to repeal it altogether. If NOT
now, as soon as we can possibly dis
pense with the revenue derived from it.
or arrangements can be made to collect
tue amount IN some other way. No
method of taxation Is so UNEQUAL and
annoying as this, and in no other is
there such chance and temptation to
fraud. As war tax it has been cheer
fully borne, but it will be the part of
wisdom for our law makers not to con-
tinue 1t too long.
METROPOLITAN HoRRoRs.-It will
prove salutary exercise to the discon. ,