, 1870-07-12
THE INCOME TAX.

] The st. Louis Democrat asks us to ar
plain why we are in favor of repeal Of
the income ta1, or, rather, why we oppose
a re-enactment Of that tax, it having c,.
PRED on the 2oth day of april last.
we DO not oppose the re-enactmeut of
the income tax because it is olions or in
qu1sltoIaal, or because a portion Of il Is
charged over by the capitalist to the labor-
es' We hage pointed out those features as
Objectionable, but we understand M vell
as the Democrat, that all taxes are liable
10 me same objections. We oppose the in
come tax because it is, in practice, an un-
eqnal assessment upon honesty; because
it is paid exclusively by the conscientious
and honorable portion Of the community,
and is evaded by the knavish and dishonest
portion; because it is a constant and in
eroaslng source of decentralization, and
perpetual Indictment to perjury. Upon
these grounds it is condemned by the
highest authorities in economical science.
among whom may be mentioned Mr.. Mill,
who says:
Notwithstanding what Is called the tnnutsto-
t1al nature Of the tax, no amount Of innutstnria}
power, which would hc t0leruted by Deopie Tn
most disposed TO submit to 1t, could enable, ihe
knowledge Of the circumstances of contrthntors
can be exactly ascertained But the var1apls
business, Which the person Interested cannot al
ways himself exactly ascertatn can still less be es-
1,a uinated win H. any approach to fairness BY tag
collector. The main reliance must be placed 1uI
always has betn placed, Oh tic returns made BY tie
pets9n himself. No production OF accounts i Of
aSs auea g ayn Except against tue morc
check is very Imperfect for, Ii 1faud Is Intended,
ia!se accounts cau GENERALLY be Trained which viii
nn ns sanS f q qa By s revs
ting entries on the credit siie being often sui
acaent, without the aid Of fictitious debts or dis
principles Of cqunIity it may be Imposed, Is, IN
practice, unequal ia one OF the worst ways,
iallng heayiess on the most conscientious. The
unsclupulons succeed n eyadIng great proper
ZION Of what they should pay; even pcople OF in
tegrity in their ordinary transactions arc tempted
70 pal:er with their conscences at least to the e1
tent or deciding in their OWL favor all points on
which the smallest doubt or discussion could
arise while The strictly yeracious may be made TO
s lii necesss4 escessaa u she pores q
oncers as the last defence agtlTst the tax-naYers
power OF concealmcut"
As regards the political aspect Of the
income tax, We believe that its 1e-enact-
ment will cost the Republican party more
votes than all the other acts Of omission or
commission Of the present Congress put
together; for the simple reason that those
who pay the tax believe that its re-enact-
ment Was unnecessary and unjust, while
those who do not pay it, care nothing
about ii. Not one vote will besgained OF
saved by the re-enactment of tho tax, while
moro than hundred Thousand will be either
lost or put in serious jeopardy. Those
members of Congress who fanoied they
were cutrying favor with the uon-tax- payers
by continuing the tax, will find that not
one solitary vote has been secured to them
BY the sct. But they viii find that many
have been lost among those who know
that the re-enactment is unnecessary as TO-
CARDS revenue, and that it is violation of
an oft-repeated promise.