The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-08-04
The Income Tax Agitation,

The Income tax law expires by Limitation
In 1870. The tax on tho revenue for the
current year Is collected In the next. Two
years ago Congress repealed tho taxes on
manufactures, that yielded revenue of
$40, 0O0, 900 annually. The revenue has
not failed in consequence, as was predicted,
and II 10 now urged that the income tax
should be repealed, or confined to revenue
from corporation dividends. As the In.
crease In revenue from other sources has
allowed an annual reduction In the objects
OF taxation, II Is claimed that the exemption
may be doubled so as not to apply to expen-
ditures necessary for the comforts of life.
The agitation is growing In such way and
with such volume that 1t Is pretty sure to
be heard from at the next session Of Con-
gress. And beyond this, the revelations that
have been made Of evaslons Of tho law arc
causing q doubt friendly to the repeal.
The tax has an interesting history. II ap-
pears nrst In the act Of August, 1861, col
Letting throo per cent. from incomes over
$500 AFTER January, 1863; one and a half
from revenue received from interest on
United States securities, and Ave per cent.
on the income Of Americans living abroad.
This was repealed In July Of that year, and
q tax OF three per cent. on incomes over
5000, five per cent. on incomes over $4,000
and on the incomes OF citizens living abroad,
was substituted. A tax of cent and half
was placed on income from national securi-
ties, aud the act was limited to 1860. A
change was made In the summer of 1854,
when incomes between 5000 and %, 900 were
taxed i've per cent; between 5000 and
go, 900 seven and half, and over the latter
sum ten per cent. This tax was limited to
| 1870. In July, 1854, an additional tax of
| Ave per cent. was laid on the incomes Of the
| year previous, making II for that year eight
| twelve and half, aud fifteen per cent. The
| exemption was fixed at 81 200, and taxation
made uniform on all sums over 5000, at five
per cent, In March, 1868, and 1857 So the
law now stands.
The collections under these laws from
1868 to 1868, both inclusive, have amounted
1864, sl4, 9l9, $50; 1865, $50, 740, i5l 1886;
SOL OH 1883; 1867, sG4, 1854 ,437; and 1868,
80, 4l2, 037. OF the collection Of 1867,
t57,040,G4l were from individuals and
t7,943, 796 from corporations. Last year
these sums were s32, 027, Gil aud 1885,, 426.
II the exemption from 5000 TO 81 900 ap-
piled to the revenue Of 1867, explains the
| decrease, II shows certainly that the tax
acts oppresslyely upon small Incomes, AS Is
charged In the movement to which We have
referred.
The tax upon corporations remains. That
upon individuals fell from S57, 800 900 to
sS3, 000, 900 In 1s67-6s, principally because
II was upon expenditures, and these have so
increased as TO absorb full u 200 per annum
where family have TO DO supported, even
with the closest economy. Men OF small
means are forced TO an evasion whom called
10 pay five per cent, having no surplus
whatever. And they do not include all who
evade the law. Many prefer TO purchase
some luxury rather than spend part Of
their money 10 paying tar. And many
who might by rigid economy meet the tax
will not do so, considering II taken from the
prime necessities for domestic comfort and
health. And thus the law becomes odlous,
and Is avoided as far as 10 possible.
In view Of these facts II Is certainly a
matter deserving Of consideration whether
the law should not he limited at an carly
day, and before the decentralization 1t Is
working extends further. This is enforced
by the remembrance thai the former llmlta-
tiou has not proved Injurious, and by the
knowledge that nothing is more beneficial
to business and conducive of prosperity than
the lowest possible rate OF taxation. Con-
gress will have to decide the matter at an
early day, and the prospects are that another
reduction will be made. ihildociphid North
lmsricdn.
A MONSTER RATTIRsNAKE, measuring six
and a half feet In length and thirteen and a
half Inches around the largest portion of tho
body, and who from the number Of his
rattles seemed to be 80 years Of age, was re-