New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-02-24
LETTERS FROM TIE PEOPLE, AND RE-
PLIES BY THE TRIBUNE.
THE INCOME TAX.


10 ~ Editor Of The Trtv~
SIR: You say, in reply to the frequent COM
plant that the great majority whose incomes less Than
sOoO exempt from the burden OF supporting tho Gov
eminent under which they 1--we, whilethe small minority
whose incomes over $1,000 are compelled to carry hs
whole load of Income tax; that you know OF many poor
men who would be willing to exchange places With the
rich men having over 81 OD Income 70 your css
dor this is fair answer Yon and know ofa great
legacy 100000. II IL were to be taxed out OF al
proportion to other property so as 70 brng down
$4,000 But would that for taxing egacics I@
per cent while ell other taxes only one per
cent? Tits Income tax as II now stands = eheeedng
salary OF $1,000 poor men who are taxed rs much as he
would % Y y were seq 81 rey should
die to-day their families would be pennless beca,ss
s2O in this city better than 81 in the country
Why should the 81 iaborer IN Goshen be exempt from
paws SO taxes TO the United statesi But with cpeat
The Inquiry IN my communication. respecting which 700
900 DE exempted from taxation by the United States any
than every house worth slooO sho9d be exempted
from taxation by the State OF Eew-YOrkf Why shord
all the property OF the country he taxed and equally
taxed Do you think that the present distinction Il
harmony with the doctue of the glorious Declaration o.
Independence that all men are created free aud eqaaf
Obliged to for your notice OF the previous com
municatoD aud hope that you will be good enough ts
come tax II you think just and good tax there
many OF your readers who would DO glad to see your
and Injustice which pertain TO IT, they would DO eIOced
10 have the Influence OF THE TRIBUNE thrown In favor VI
modification or repeal Of IT, fAh rLh.
Repla.-Our remark that those who do not like the
income tax will find plenty ready to take their in
comes subject to the tax not intended as an an
swer. but purely as consolation Taxation Is one
of those evils that cannot be answered but If 1t adj
mits of consolation, should embrace the conso-
lation One of the few taxes that does admit OF
consolation is the income tax for the heavier we are
taxed the more money we have made. Why should
the 81 600 laborer in Goshen be exempt from taxa
tong We answer by asking why should the keeper
Of an apple-stand be exempt The line between
taxes too minute to pay for collection aud too grind
ing on the poor to be just must be drawn somewhere
Wherever it is drawn somebody must BIO barelyin-
cluded, and somebody, worth nearly rs much, ex-
cluded.
1t is absolutely impossible TO tax all properly
equally. We cannot tax the appletree when 1t bios
SONS, but we can tax the conversion Of rye into
whisky Surely our tax laws have been multfad-
Gus enough without anybody claiming that every
thing ought TO betaxed If we tax the penny whistle
must we tax the boy every time he blows i'll
AS TO the income tax, without discussing the
wisdom of its special rates limits hold that On
income tax, on general principles, is q good aud
proper tax for the that it rests mainly on the
rich and lightly on the poor.
We regard it as great triumph in our system OF
taxation that, heavy as 1t "a, 1T has never even
started the cry from any section class, unless II
be the rich, that il Is unequal. The West and the
East, the North and the South, the farmers and
manufacturers and, as rule, the rich and the poor.
amid al the anxiety of INSCRIPTIONS politicians To
raise the cry of unequal taxation, have been unabs
to do So except Ia the single instance OF the Govern
ment bonds, which it is unconstitutional, dishonest.
aud impossible to tax. The has been much CON-
plant of the multifarousnese and completely
and repetitOns Of our taxes, but none
of their just intent and equal operation.
In England. on the contrary. where nearly the whole
burden of the taxes is collected from few leading
articles of consumption. such spirituons liquors,
tea coffee salt, window-lights. and tariffs collect
able ON dry goods and clothing 1t is obvious that al
a poor man consumes much Us n rich one OF nearly
all these articles s9lOOtbs of all the taxes paid by
the poor. Under our system of universal suffrage.
taxes resting only on consumption Of food. drink,
and clothing or in effect, only on the poor. would
never be submitted to- While portion of our taxes
rest on consumption. and paid, therefore, amoss
pr CAPITA without regard to property or income we
think just and fair that others should rest on prop
erty and income only.