The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-06-24

have at least a number Of ex-soldiers aud ex-
sailors receiving public charity equal 10 that
found in the ] ,240 Counties who have furnished
the desired information thus making a total of
1884 persons dependent upon organized chart
ties of the several States and Territories who
would become benefcaries under the proposed
bill.
This does not include the inmates Of Sol
diers' Homes National or State, who may be
entitled to the benefits of the bill but the
committee thinks that these viii not exceed
5000. Grouping together other figures, the
committee arrives at the conclusion that in
all there would be about 80, los benefciaries
to be provided for, at an annual expense of
Sl44 each, or S4,767,12O for the whole
number.
Subsequently the committee decided to
incorporate with the bill another bill to in
crease the rate of pension for the loss of a
leg or an arm, and attach to the combined
bills clause imposing an income tax to
meet the expenditures involved. This clause
is modelled upon bill introduced a few years
ago, and which it was estimated then would
produce about S63,OOO,OOO of revenue year.
In almost every way we regard the Senate
bill as much preferable to the Houses SUBJ
stitute+
The first and browning objection is the
encumbrance OF the substitute with the
.,-o,oe;4;n,, a. 49, ;,oo,,,ao Nh uattar What
one may think of the rightfulness of this
form of taxation, the country is not now pre-
pared TO accept it, there is no general demand
for it, no well-digested scheme for such an
important departure in taxation has been
prepared, and the discussion which the sug-
gestion viii provoke in Congress will be so
| tedious, if the scheme is entertained at
all, that the session will be prolonged indef-
nitely.
A tax on incomes-however captivating il
appears at first Sights, reduced to practice,
as odiOus a form of taxation as can well be
conceived. 1t is especially so in this coun-
try, where people of all classes and condi-
tions resent the spying around and into their
business and domestic affairs by Govern
ment officials, which is always necessary
where an income tax is imposed.
The needlessness of such taxation will add
to the disfavor with which the scheme will
be received. A time when all the talk is
about reduction Of taxation, when the Treas
ury is receiving many more millions every
year than it is paying out, when the dispo
sition of the constantly-increasing surplus
is a serious public question, and when W.
are assured that our income will go on in
creasing rapidly time like this would
seem very inoPportune, TO put it mildly, TO
instituting a new and burdensome form o
; taxation. And when il is remembered tina
the committee calculates that only an ex
penditure of about 100000 year viii b
needed, while the scheme of income taxa
tion which it proposes will bring in any
where from S75IOOO,OOO TO S1OO,OOO,OOO, tn
incongruities become very apparent.
For a scheme TO tax incomes, considers
by itself, THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE care
little 1t would take as little interest in it
passage or defeat as it does in the oleomaI
garine BILL Our anxiety is that a measur
which is urgently needed to do justice to tn
r deserving and suffering soldiers Of the cour
try should not be hampered by rider whic
a will gravely endanger its adoption at TIA
|, session of Congress.
s Let the majority in Congress pass an il
: come-tax law if they desire to, but above a
; things do not force the broken-down an
!, needy soldiers Of the country TO wait for Ii
e relief which is their due, until some sort
{ a scheme can be engineered through omal
n the Vanderbilts, Goulds and Fields of IL
' country disgorge the money necessary to tai
N the vermont veterans from the poor-house
y particularly while the Treasury is overflow
a ing with idle money.
rs There are other grounds for preferring Il
e Senate bill, which we will discuss in
y ture number.