Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-08-11
INCOME TAX.

We reproduce entire from the New
Fork World the following sharp discus
ion Of the ~expediency Of . national
tax:
"The sound and just principle Of taxa
ion is to distribute the public burdens
,ouitably over all citizens Of . State in
proportion to their ability to bear them
md to the value Of the protection they
from the mach inery Of the Gov
srnment. Indirect taxes, duties on arti-
imported into the country from
abroad and excise on manufactures and
business at home, seem at first sight to
be equitable because they are uniform
throughout the United States and the
bears the burden in proportion
to the quantity he Yet the
equity is more apparent than real.
'Indirect taxes in the shape Of duties
on imports and excise are paid chiefly by
the industrial classes by reason Of their
preponderance in the population. OF
the gross amount Of revenue thus COL
lected the wealthy contribute . dispro.
portionate share-grossly disproportion-
ate, taking into consideration their better
capacity to bear the burden and the value
of the protection they receive from the
Government.
IAN income tax, on the other hand,
reaches the wealthy GLASSES and does not
affect the working classes. A tax on in
comes above q stated amount falls on
those who can we'll bear the burden and
thus compensates for the unequal work
ing Of our present indirect taxation.
Unjust exemption from taxation is OF
the most odious features Of class govern
ment. It is doubly odious when it allows
those to escape who have the largest
pecuniary stake in the efficiency Of the
Government and who can best afford to
pay.
ssIt is notorious that under our present
system Of taxation wealth alone evadea
it's proper share of the public burdens.
We have for the purposes Of local taxa
tion in New York q tax on personal
property. It fails to reach a 1.-THE OF the
property enjoyed by the rich, who thus
secure unjust exemption from taxation.
In 10 years the valuation of real estate
in the city increased from $797, OOO, OOC
in 1872 to 81, OBS, 600, 600 in 1882. Mean.
while the valuation of personal property
decreased from 1907. 600, 900 in 1872 to
$l9S, 900, 900 in 1882. Yet it is well
known that the value Of personal property
in New York has increased in the past
decade threefold more thar the value oil
real estate.
can income tax would reach those
who now escape their due proportion Of
taxation, and would be an instrument oil
justice and equity and not of injustice
and oppression. as some stupid people
pretend. A man with an income o.
$40, 600 or 500. 900, as the case ma,
be, arising from salary or speculative
business, may not use as much coffee
sugar, tobacco or whisky probably as
laboring man who earns So or 81
day. In that ease he contributes less
of the indirect taxes levied on those
articles of consumption than the la
borer. Is a tax unjust and oppressive
which reaches him /?
"Another silly pretense is that in
come tax is unconstitutional. This OBJ
lection is confined to q limited mum
Der Of idiots. 1t is sufficient to say
that in 10 years during which an in
come tax was levied in the United
States it wal not pronounced unconsti
t~utional by any United States Court
1t may be answered that no issue as t.
its constitutionality was ever tried. W.
do not now recall any such test. Bnt
as it is insisted that the tax is odiou,
and unjust, it is fair to conclude thai
some one out Of the many affected BY
it would have been certain to appea
to the courts if there had been any Sc
rious question Of its unconstitutional
ity. It is as constitutional as the tai
on tobacco or whisky, or any othel
item included now or ~heretobefore II
the internal revenue system.
.An income tax is essentially . dem
ocratic tax. It is the only tax thai
reaches the wealthy and exempts thu
poor, while our entire present system
bears upon the poor as against the
wealthy. The cry that the party ia
voring an income tax would be de
stroyed ia simply nonsense. Such .
tax, exempting incomes below 5000.
would reach less than 100000 people.
while our customs duties and internal
revenue taxes reach $4,000. 900. Let
the Democratic party inscribe on its
banners: IAN Income Tax and . Tax
on IEheritance,' and ii will materially
increase its present strength and popu.
larity."
The Charleston News and Courier &C.
knowledges the receipt Of 1861 "a