The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-04-13
.stand and DclIvcr:"

The dominant party Is in serious danger
Of laundering under the weight OF the ln-
come tax, which Mr. Boutwell, persistently
demands, and for whose re-establishment in
some form Mr.. Sherman threatens to bring
in bill.
The tax is unpopular, and even odious, in
all parts OF the country. Petitions for Its
abrogatiou have been poured in from every
quarter. Our whole people agree with MIR.
Bright in his opinion of this kind OF tax-'it
s.is hateful beyond all others, because it is
"uniust beyond all others" Many man
who receives a thousand dollars per year
makes more and saves more than othors
who receive double that amount. Yet the
government wrenches from city clerk, who
can barely live and feed and clothe his faml-
ly, fifty dollars year; while q 'cannJ
f'countryman who thrives and saves IRON q
s:smaller amount goes scot free"
The income tax is odiously inquisitive. 1t
gives the assessor the right to examine, II he
sees fit, books and private papers. But it
allows him to see only one side OF those
books. It ignores the citizens necessary
expenses. 1t ignores his debts. 1t ignores
his family. 1t simply says to him: Sir, you
have had so much money in your hands
this year; the government demands such
and such proportion. You may not have
cent left OF what you received. You may
not be able to save cent, month by month
or year by year. You may have debts and
expenses upon you that are crushing out
your life. No matter The government
wants s1OO,OOO,OO OF extra capital every
year, and you must pay your part or be sold
out.
But what adds to the monstrous injustice
of this tax is the fact that it was accepted by
the people as necessity arising from
state OF war, and that the government by
the bin imposing it, pledged itself that it
should only cover the incomes OF 1869. 1t
is o breach OF the public faith to extend it
any longer. It's no longer needed. The
war is over The credit OF the government
has been re-established. The treasury Is
full. What occasion is there for war tax
now! What occasion for such ta1-the
most inquisitorial, the most unequal, the
most oppressive that can be devised?
And further, as we have had occasion to
show in previous issue OF The NEWS
the tax itself is an infraction OF the consti-
tution-the instrument from which Congress
deriyes the power OF taxation. 1t is direct
tax, and burden Of this sort must be ap-
portioned, as the income tax cannot be, ac-
cording to the population OF the States. A
direct tax must be levied upon States, not
as having so much money, but as having so
much people. That this regulation would
produce unjust discrimination sg some IN
stances is clear enough; but iSis equally
clear that it would be infinitely better than
the system that now prevails
For our part we almost consent to surren-
der our objections to the income tax when
we contemplate its result in the Connecticut
elections. The Shermans and brakes OF
Congress cannot play their mad antics for
ever. The people are willing to sustain the
government in the discharge OF its leglti-
mate functions. They have not yet recov-
cred from the sentimental extravaganza
which, ignoring statemanship and peaceful
couucis, sqaandcrel so much blood and
treasure for the maintenance Of the inteSrl-
ty of the republic. But they will not con-
sent 10 he b,mboozled anil sSinaed by the
most unscrupuloas political gamblers that
ever controlled the destinies OF great
country.
There is nota man in Congress who cam
not tec!ain about s.tho rebellion" Blu. the
peoYlo are asking something more than clo-
oaent defamation. They see pretty clearly
that the party in power want money,
whether for WAR or for peace, or for ednca-
tion whether for st. Thomas, or Alaska, or
Sun Domingo, whether according to the
law or against the law-only money, and
always money. And they begin to say, let
us have change in Our rulers, and, per-
haps, We may keep some change in our
pockets, as VIC used to do in the good old
times.