Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-09-28
An Explanation that Does Not
Explain.

At last Gov. Tilden appears, to ex-
plain the Income business. We say
Gov. Tilden appears, for the letter
signed by the law clerk is evidently
dictated by the master. 1t betrays all
Gov. Tilden's dexterity, and is for
midably elaborate and precise on the
points of least consequence. The essen
tial point it slurs.
Gov. Tilden was found to have paid
tax In 1862 on a sworn income of only
about s., 900. In answer to an equity
suit long afterwsrd, he swore TO the
receipt in that year of two fees amount
ing to $40, 900, and it was reasonable to
believe that he must also have received
large sums in the same year from his
other legal business. 1t was found that
subsequently he made no returns, but
preferred to let the Government, guided
by his low return in 1862, estimate his
income, and fix its tax on that. 1t thus
came about that he paid on an income
of less than SIS, 600 per year during the
whole time the tax was levied. Ii is
known that in some of these years his
income must have been over q quarter
of million, and that throughout the
whole period it must have averaged
over 500, 900. These are the naked
facts. Gov. Tilden does not deny one
of them and on these the American
people must decide whether he will do
for Reform candidate, to collect the
taxes honestly from other people. We
say this with profound regret. The
Tribune made Mr.. Tilden the Governor
of New York, as he has himself again
and again acknowledged. He has
given us in many respects model ad-
ministratiOn, and has done all, and
more than all. that we promised for
him. We believed his character to be
spotless, and when this income charge
was first presented, we confidently ex-
pected him to make an instant and
conclusive reply. His reply has been
fatally delayed, and on the main point,
as above stated. it is fatally incon.
elusive.
On many of the points which he
does deal with, his answer appears
Needless and hot.headed
partisans have wantonly paraded sup
posed items of his income i'm the year
1862. This was q foolish thing to do.
and nobody will be surprised to find
that the Governor is able, in nearly
every case, to show that the item, as
stated, is incorrect. The trouble is that
he steps right there. He carefully
avoids stating what the items should
be. Probably no one but himself could |
give an accurate statement of what his |
income was in any year from 1862 to |
1872, and 1t would be easy for him to
trip up anybody who should attempt
it. The main point is that everybody
knows his income was much larger
than the summer on which he was
taxed. Even in 1862 no one has any idea
that Gov. Tilden's taxable income wasl
only 81 900. He admits to the receipt
Of much more, but claims his right to
deduct from it all sums earned in pre-
vi0us years. 1t would be easy on that
plan to cipher down the income of any
year. Some of the work which went
10 the earning of it was certainly done
m previous years. 1t could not have
been earned, for instance, unless he had
studied law. Why not charge off a
part of 1t against the years he was at
he law school
We have never charged Gov. Tilden
With committing perjury about his in
'ome. We have never been held that
here could be no plausible explana-
ion of the meager return for 1862. We !
lave insisted that the circumstances 4
demanded an explanation, and that, i'll
t were easy to make, 1t would not
lave been so long in coming. We think /
o still. The explanation as to 1862 is i
echnical and hard strained, but if it 9
TODD alone, perhaps it might pass.
When that return comes to be used
teadily, for ten years, as the basis for
scaping taxation on everything over :
fifteen thousand dollars at time when
lis income was steadily a hundred
housand or more, per year, the situa- I
ion becomes mOnstrous. Gov. Tilden 3
nay indeed have kept himself within o
he letter Of the law, but it is plain g
hat he evaded its spirit. He could not =
'e sent to the penitentiary, as he Is 1
rying to send Jarvis Lord, for de-
rauding the Government, but he con- q
rived to keep the Government from n
citing out of him the money to which b
was entitled. He did not tell the q
orse-car conductor he had paid his /.
ire, but he kept his hands in his pock- u
Is and looked unconcernedly at the VI
)nductOr, as if he had /; and the effect a
'as the same. When the conductor .
elects such passenger, he generaliy
ants to put him off the car. When
le American people find him running
Reform candidate for the Presi.
ancy, they are going to vote for the
her man.-[N. Y. Hi5mne. Ieo
liz
EVERY member of the Ku Klux or
'r, every Northern bounty jumper,
'ery ex member of the Knights ofthe >
oIden Circle, and every whining.