, 1870-04-25

The whole number of persons having
tarnble incomes Of $4,o0n and over is only
9.4G4, and, 10 catch these few, oe0, 600 per-
sons, with ta1able incomes ranging from
S4oO to $1,000, arc taroa from $50 to 800
each. In the case of the persons having
incomes above S4,o00, it may be assumed
that tho tax falls mcas,rably upon sur-
plus; but, in all the other cases, it falls
upon what man has spent for rent, food,
clothing, fuel. household furniture, school
ing Of his children, physicians bills, medi-
cines, insurance, servants wagea, and other
ordinary and necessary expenditures for his
family Tbs collection Of tar On each
mans grocery and butchers bills, tho wood
and coal bills, servants wages, md
the clothing for himself and the
members of his family, Is ta1
which cannot be justified with a
Treasury holding sloo, 900 Of an
nual surplus besides receiving the
ta1 to pay the interest On debt
already paid. Members Of Congress may
say that this tar is collected from less than
quarter Of million Of families; but
it is not Just nor wise to select quarter Of
million Of families, and levy upon them
tax Of per cent on the amount they &C.
tuhlly e1pend for the necessities of life.
This income tar IL collected from two
classes Of persons: The first class is COM
posed Of individuals enumerated in the
table we have given. These aro mainly
merchants, and tradera, and professional
men, and persons who arc paid for their la
hor by fixed salaries Tho physician whose
wen-ea1ned fees reach, in the course of
year 81, 500 and who owns the house he
lives In, has to pay tax on $500,
| or Sl.5. Can it be said TINT he has any
su1plus7 He hns to pay the expenses Of
his household, to keep horse, 10 nay
g1ocers' and butchers bills, 10 educate two
or three boys and girls. aud to live with
that deeency and responsibility becoming q
member of his profession. How much has
he left over at tho end Of tho year2 Il he
were taxed only on what WAS left, it would
he one thing: but he has to pay tax on the
money he has expended for the essential
support OF himself and family. If he
purchase for himself clothing to the valuo
Of $50, he has to pay N "income" tar Of
$50; Il he buy new buggy for $500,
he has to pay an "ineome" ta1
thereon of els. If he expend for coal
md wood $50, he pays an "income" ta1
thereon OF $50 II his butchers bill is
3to0 in the year, he is taxed $50 for in
come; If his g1ocer,s bills are 600 in the
year, ha has TO pay tar Of se5 for In
come, and thus, On every item Of food and
clothing he buys and pays for, whether for
himself or children, he pays = tax thereon
as so much aincome" This case covers nj
least a5o, 600 OF tho e7e, 900 persons who
nay an income ta1, and ve question vheth.
er such an Oppressive tax WIS ever levied
by any government
The othes class who pay an income tai
are those who have surplus capital invested
in stocks, bonds, mortgages, and other se-
curities. In this case the tax is not upon
necessary expenditure, but is upon invested
capital. In many casea, this capital is all
that the owner has, and he lives upon ii
income. But the rest Of the tax is collect.
ed from the stocla and shAres Of CORPORA
tiona, who PAY the whole tax direct to The
government. This tA1 is easy to collect
and is easily ascestained, md, though tht
: 1ate Is excessive, the oppression is not &
! directly felt as when it ia collected direetl,
, Of individuals. Moreover, it is 4 tag o,
profits. It is not d tar on expenditures Th
bank whose profits arc only per cent on it
capital, only pays q tax on TINT per cent
, but in the e4se Of the individual who ha
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