Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-06-24
INCOME RETURNS.

London Cor. Missouri Democrat, May 22.l
The publication of the incomes re-
turned for taxation in the American pa
pers, has always struck me rs an I'M
necessary and offensive exposure of per-
soual aud private concerns to the public
eye-bnt (never too old TO learn) Am
inclined to change my mind, for the
effect produced by the late returns that
have been, in part, published here, has,
next 10 the completion of the Pacific
Railroad, had the most potent influence
of anything that has happened for some
time, in showing the British public that
American prosperity is not the bubble
many Of the anti American papers de-.
sire 10 represent 1t. Iu one sense, this
is o country Of Gradgrinds, and nothing
goes so far in the way OF convincing
them on any subject AS hard facts. Now,
the effect Of which l speak, may be seen
reflected in Il late article in the Tee
graph, from which | make an extract:
ttOur own income tax returns tell us,
in q rough but approximately correct
fashion, what are the average earnings
of the upper and middle classes in Great
Britain. From these We know that the
number of really large incomes is, con-
sidering our accumulated wealth, our
opportunities, and our lifelong effort to
securo and to amass, singulnrly small.
The fortunate posscssors OF incomes
above Sl0, 900 a yeai are a very small
minority (; while those who earn over
ESQ, 900 a year are a small section even
of that minority. II, however, we turn
to the United States, wo lind nat in'
comes which with us are considered tue
glorious appanage Of half.a-dozen NIL
iiouaires, are there earned by many who
rank far below the aristocracy Of
wealth; While tho representative men OF
any particular industry, fashion, creed
or habit are, in proportion, much more
richly rewarded thar in England,
Where, for instance, i'll this country
cnn we find q draper or a Manchester
warehouseman " o nets ESQ, 600 4
year, or q dry goods merchant Wit
clears go, 900? Which Of our shipping
merchants can boast M annual incom
Of eco 900? Have we many gunmaker'
who earn f300, 900 a year, or paten'
medicine manufacturers who make ESQ,
900? We have had prosperous railwa!
shareholders, who, by judicious specn
lation, hove "made II good thing OF it
when times were prosperous aud human
credulity most rampant, but how man!
owners of such property cleared E3o, oo'
or FAC, 900 in such II year MS last, %scarcel.
less disastrous in America than here
We have amazingly popular preachers
the talk Of the town and the world, tn
admired Of multitudes, the pets of en-
: thusiastic communions; but have W
v ever had q Dissenting minister VIII
, revealed in q stipend OF $4,000 a year
Yet incomes such rs these seem to b
common in the United States; mn
whether we take the learned profession
and literature, or the walks OF com
merce in the widest a%cceptation of tn
word, we find that effort of every KIM
{ them obtains II reward more munilicen
I than falls to the lot of even the h"pp.
. exceptions among ourselves
, If the publication of such article
helps the emigration of capitalists 1t i
very well to furnish the material thu
your income returns supply. Onl.
do not wish the poor dissenting minis
c tor, here to think they have only Il
: leave their $50 a year in England to &c
Q $4,000 in the United States. | thinl
we have enough Of mediocre preacher
in America, aud | believe there is onl.,
one Hcnry Ward Beecher in the world