New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-10
TttE INCOME T1Y

We do not believe there is tax levied by
the Government 50 OncrOus upon SO large
class of people rs the Income Tax. 1t is not
e0ual--its cXactiOns are unjust, and 1t dlScrlml-
mates against persons of limited means. We
have said the law is not equal Let us Illus
trate its inequality. A. b. has an income OF
1000 from rents of houses or lands, or from
money at interest; and rs $1,000 is exempt by
the law from tax, he has nothing to return TO
the assistant assessor, aud of course pays no
income tax. G.. ID. has an income OF sou or
! 900 from either bank. insurance, canal, rail-
road or turnpike stock; and he pays $50 or 500
income tax, rs these companies are required
10 withhold per cent. from all dividends OF
such companies or. if C.. ID. has $500 or $1,000
of interest from "bOnds of any railroad, canal,
" turnpike, canal navigation, or slack-water
company" said company is authorized to
withhold from all payments of such interest
3 per centum G. u. is taxed in this case go
or $50, while his neishbor, who has the same
amount of income, from other sources, is not
taxed at all There are thousands of men,
women and minors all over the land who are
taxed on stock dividends and on interest from
bonds who ought not to pay dollar of tax,
because they have not over thousand dollars
Of income.
The law further discriminatcs against Ma
tional officials The Government taxes the sala-
ries of all ollcers-cvil, military and nav;d-
over $1,000. The President of tho United
States pays on $4,000 of his salary a tax of
8 per cent, or 81 200. lie pays no housc-ront
The Secretary of the Treasury pays per cent.
on $1,000 tax of $3.50. His salary is $4,000.
The Chief Justice pays n tax of per cent on
S5.5O0--S27j. The Treasurer of the United
States pays a tax Of per cent on Si,OOO-S2OO !;
and the Auditors of the several departments
of the Treasury, whose salaries are $1,000 pay
n tax of per cent on S2,OOO-SlOO each Now,
| if the Secretary of the Treasury, or either one
or all of the other officials have no other IN
come than their salaries. they are not allowed
to deduct the amount of house rent from their
pay and this is nearly, and in some instances
more than, the amount of the salary. Gov
eminent clerk, whose salary is $4,000, pays n
tax Oh 81 800 of per cent.-$75. clerk with
the same salary in bank or mercantile house
! il allowed $1,000 exempt; and If he pays $500
house rent he may deduct it--taX $25-and, if
| he pays 81 000ihOusc-rCnt the tax is $50, saved
to him, which is paid by the Government clerk.
| There is no justice in this inequality.
Another reason why the Income Tax ought
not to be extended after the year 1870 is this
! The Tax on Salaries is higher than the tax paid
by propcrty-owners OH real and personal prop
eriy for State and County and City purposes. The
United States Assistant Treasurer in New York
has a salary of $4,000. He is taxed for income
| per cent on S70O0-$35O. If he owned in this
city $4,000 worth of real estate. he would be
taxed on about GO per cent. of its value, $4,000
Cat the rate last year in this city,. tax OF
1886 81: less by S2ii 10 than the Assistant
Treasurer is taxed for income by tho Govern
ment on his salary. Is there any justice IL
| such a tax rs thlsY
The amount of tax received in 1858, on III
comes over $1,000 was $39.0T.GlQ 49, From