The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-12-12
DIRECT TAXES VS.. TARIFF.

DIRECT TAXES VS.. TARIFF.
Figures which Arc Worth Considersne.
John Sherman In the Long Ago.
Ihave said in former article .sthat
estimating the population of the United
States at 60, 000. 600 and the wealth Of
the nation at $44,Oo0, 600, 900, divided
equally among al the people, it would
give each $738.3a have also said that
the expenses of tho national government
have averaged $40, o0o, 600 for the last
twenty eight years, and that II per cent.
on ~, 600, COT, GOO would be required TO
raise $64o, O00, 900. Then If each psid
taxes in the proportions Of their wealth,
each having $7sS,Ss, each would have
$10.1S tax to pay. Now, what want
to show is this: Thst If each pos
sessed equal wealth our present revenue
system would not bematerially unequal
or unjust, and could be paid on con-
sumption as easily as direct tax, only
more expensivein collecting.
But when you change the condition of
eAA0 PSOPAS ~ oA9s AsVVVsVVV OWL anu
control $50, o00, OO0, 900 Of our national
wealth, leaving the other SO, O00. 900 with
only s., 000, 000, OO0-only fraction over
$135 to each Of the poor-while each of
the rich have $50, 900, and if they were
required to pay equal taxes (Which hold
they should BEL theirs would each amount
to $40, while each Of the poor, at the
same rate, would only be $2.824. It is
these facts and figures, Mr.. Editor, that
/ want to impress upon the attention of
your readers, to- show the injustice of
cur revenue system and the absolute ne
cessity of its repeal
The Hon. John Sherman q great many
years ago, when he was poor man,
and advocating. the cause of the poor
man on the floor of congress-; said:
"a few years Of further experience will
convince the whole body of our people
that a system Of national revenue that
rests the whole burden of taxation on
consumption. and not one cent on prop
erty or income is intrinsically unjust,
for while the expenses of government
are largely caused by the protection of
property, it is but just that property
should contribute to their payment. It.
will not do to say that each consumes in
proportion to his means, for this is not
true. Every one must see that the con-
sumption of the rich does not bear the
same relation to the consumption of the
poor, as the income of she one does to the
wages of the other, and as wealth &C
cumulates this injustice in the funda-
mental basis of our system will be felt and
forced upon the attention of congress-"
And, Mr.. Editor, has not the experience
Of the last twenty-five years demonstrate
ed the truth of that prophecy: ''That
few years of further experience would
convince. the whole body of our people
that a system of national revenues that
rests the whole burden Of taxation on
consumption and not one cent on prop
erty or income is intrinsically unjust?"
And having that sad experience, will we
continue that intrinsical1y unjust reve-
nue. system?
That is the question, and the question
I want to force upon the attention of
every reader of The Journal and every
union in America, and through them
upon the attention of congress. This col
Letting and expanding taxes has no just
relation whatever to any American pri-
vate enterprise or business. And this
protection scheme put upon taxation as
a rider has done mischief enough already
to damn it, and damn institutions that
permit it to ride national taxation, and
through it ride the farmers and laborers
of America to death, which if not already
done, it will soon do, as the facts and fig
ures I have already shown clearly prove.
w. B. Garoutte in The Journal of Agri-
culture.