New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-05-04
INCOME TAXES.
list. NEEDLESS. IMPOLITIC.

FACTS AND FIGUREs-wHO BEAR TIE BURDEN
DISCRIMINATION AND INQUIsTION.
To the EditOr Of The Tribune.
SIR: Ny attention has been called to the
subject Of taxes incomes as enacted in tAis country
under the late internal Revenue laws. find on
animation OF the internal Revenue reports, that A. T.
Stewart paid income tax his income return for
1865 than was paid by ten States and four Territories
and that of the 500 1875 - Of taxes paid incomes
in 500. the state Of NcwYoIi paid s1s,4l7sGl 81 and
of this the City of NewYorl paid SlO3lS0lO. aud the
Eighth District in this city paid of this the sum Of
4O3 The City Of Brooklyn paid S2,30792i OF all
the tax paid incomes in the State in lsG5, the cities
Of New-YorI and Brooklyn paid within fraction OF
20 per cent The Eighth District Of tie City of NewYork
with a population of 1886 paid nearly 80 per cent
of all the income tax Of the State and more than one
twelfth of all the tax Of the whole country.
The number Of persons i'll the United States who paid
tax on income in 1870 was 27GG6l; o; this number
ll2s74 paid OF 500 on less and only 9,3l6 persons
paid tax of over $500. Maine IN 1865 had over $780,
600 inhabitants and has the reputation OF containing
people and yet the late 4. T. stewart paid income
tax for year 1862 larger by $4,000 than paid
considered by any member OF Congress who proposes 10
gt % S s the % f NAT RoT m Se o hS
the Seventh District t. Looking after tue interest OF he
Baltimore speech In 500 the income tax paid IN the
Thiriysccond District OF NewYork was $l,2G ,2s5 o.
Kentucky for the same year. On incomes assessed IN
1868, only rtyhye districts in the United states paid
as much Mr. Stewart. Only district IN Kentucky,
California one IN Illinois. none in Indiana one In
Maryland and ole IN Missouri, paid as much as Mr..
II seems to me that the income tax was unjust. I'm.
polite. If not unconstitutional because OF ~ gross Ia;
among the several states according TO their respective
nnmbers" II Disseminated against the few and In
favor OF the many 1t was tax upon thrift, energy
enterprise, industry; upon ability TO work aud earn
money for ones self family In many directions il
pancs, etc. to withhold taxes dividends and bonds
person might hold bonds ana stocks ana yet during
year have incurred large losses in legitimate bus,
ness but the his income from stocks and bonds
e had 10 paw the banks and railroads withheld them
for the Government.
The income tax was an inquisitoria one aud was die.
liked by people, because II put II in the power OF
.tranScIs who were assessors and sometimes enemies
Laras- ard pellaX them. The authorization OF the
publication Of the income returns agIHu
AID the causc Of much mischief II made men dis
honest Many persons returned more income than they
ad to salc .net cte4 ana nahg mac snort drlni
with little o. 10 conscience, would take the fisk OF
fraudulent returns to assessors or refu.c to make any
at court would them through" aJd gct tbcm of
mat the assessor would a 20 assess the fun amounts OF
that way. do not believe 1t good policy for
Congress or for any State Legislature to en-
act laws that Will tend 10 dcmOraze The people, put
strong temptations In their way violate the law One
dencc 10 aw Is the duty OF every citizen bat If the ci
believes laws 10 De unjust. discriminating for the
benefit Of one class as against another then nc viii study
way TO disregard them and satisfy his conscience
that he is doing right The report Of Her Nacsiy's Com
mssiOncrs OF Internal Revenue shows this fact,
garlg income returns IN England that OF all the
examined - per cent fraudulent for the year for
which have the report before The income tax
should be again imposed upon small fraction of
nearly 0CO 900 people. because il Is unnecessary
well as unjust. WITH economy In our National cXpendi-
lures, the duties upon mpOriaiOns. under udiciOus
revision of revenue laws with the tax upon spirits,
wine, fCrnented liquors tobacco and cigars will yield
all the necessary or the proper expenditures OF
the Government. oppose income tax, because be-
lcyo II only wa tax, levied IN time Of great mili
tary necessity. aud is ncalled for, well unjust III
time OF peace II II denOra!lNng us influence, aud
entirely contrary to the spirit and genius Of insttu
tons aud Government National rs well as local be-
cause iuQuisitOIia in It's character and gives officials
opportunity "pry into" the private business and
affairs OF the ctZsn.
commend II careful examination Of the reports OF the
Commissioners OF Internal Revenue ana the secretaries
The Treasury from 500 to 1873 10 any Rcpresenta
tive Senator Congress who proposes to feract
law taxing the incomes OF portion Of the people n this
country. II members Of Congress will study the reports
Of the Commissioner Of internal Revenue. each for
his State and for his district they will easily
satisfy themselves that the law would be impOc and
unjust, such law IL is not the part OF wisdom
stItCsmanshp 10 enact. TAXPAYER
Brooklyn, April 90 1873.