Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-10-09
The Income Tax.

We have looked pretty carefully over
our exchanges to see what position they
are taking in regard to the Income tax.
now that time is fast approaching when
Congress may he called upon 10 take ac-
tion with respect TO it. With but one
or two prominent exceptions, we find
that the whole press Of the United
States, Republican and Democratic alike,
are disposed TO take ground for tho
speedy abolition Of this tax. They de
nOunc0 it as "odi aus" and ''indnisitorial. s.
as tax on honesty" as an unequal
tax. They urge various and sometimes
contradictory objections to it, hut cordi.
ally unite sin the name OF the people" in
demanding that it ne done away with
this winter, or at least suffered to eypire
by limitation in 1870.
Now we do not pretend TO assert that
the income tax is devoid of unpleasant
features. To many it is "odious.' 10
certain classes it is unjust, and TO all i. is
''inquisitorial." Not for a moment longer
than the Government necessities demand
II, DO we wish 10 see this or any other
burden retained upon the shoulders of
the people. But We do assert that As
long as we must be burdpned with taxa
ton, the Income tax is one of the best
and most just taxes the Government can
impose. We are much surprised that
the press is so nearly unanimous in de.
handing the repeal of this just tax, that
other and less just taxes, NAV be retained;
and as for the claim Of our cotemporarics
tN l,. ~ -, Il,
for its abolition they will find that the
people, if not already, sson will he on
the other side of this question. 1t is be-
ginning to ''get through the hair" of a
great many Of the poorer classes that
while other taxes such rs those on manu-.
factures and on sales, are ultimately paid
by consumers, .. e, by themselves, the
Income tax is paid by those who are
best able to bear it. The tax is
"unequal," they have been told, but
they are beginning 10 see that its very
inequality is it's best justification. 1t
"discriminates," but the dscrimina,es IL,
tdcor Of the poor! When tajrly collect.
ed, it makes such men as Asa Packer nav
hundreds Of thousands to the public
treasury, while it let's the farmer. the
workingman, the poor clerk and the
poorer preacher go free of taxation.
This is what the people are beginning to
see and the organs of the capitalists.
who wish this tax abolished. cannot
much longer assume to represent their
views on this question.
The Income tax needs notifications
certainly. The thousand dollar exemp.
tion is too low; it should be raised to
fifteen hundred. A discrimination should
be made between income derived from
fixed capital and incomes derived from
personal labor, either manual or intel
lectual. The present system of taxing
the income of the bondholder, or real
estate owner, and that of the doctor, or
lawyer, or clerk, according to the same
scale, is cruel and unjust. But with
these notifications, and few others
that experience Suggests, the Income tax
should be retained, at least until certain
other less just, and really more onerous
taxes can first be abolished Let the
worst burdens be dropped first. We
shall refur to this subject again.