Los Angeles herald., 1890-05-17
HOW TO LIGHTEN THE BURDENS OF
GOVERNMENT.


The Stockton EUening Mail calls at
tention to the fact that the probate tax
upon the estate of John Spencer Morgan,
which was valued at 100000 900, was
100000. In the tight little, right
little isle" every one is compelled to pay
his portion of the burdens of the gov
ernment when he is able to. The poor
are passed over, but the rich are utilized
to the last possibility. That is one
point where the English have an adj
vantage over the Americans. 1t is true
that we have no expensive civil list to
maintain, and that our freedom from
kings and queens and incubi OF that
kind is great blessing. All the
same, we might well initiate
the "bloody Henglish" in their
care for the public revenues.
The probate tax on the estate OF the de-
ceased Morgan amounted to four per
cent. of the total value of the property
left by him. If, when the late William
H. Vanderbilt died, his estate of $780,
100000 had paid four per cent. into the
treasury of the empire state, the result
ant usufruct OF 100000 would have
greatly helped out the revenues OF that
state. If it had reverted to the city of
New York it would have paid half the
expenses of the construction OF the great
Croton aqueduct. Here is ready
means of replenishing the national
%ra +1n
least onerous way. A tax on inherit
ances, reduced to practically nothing
where the estate was small, and reason
ably large where it was immense, would
be great easement to the taxpayers,
and no just complaint could be made
against it. We are not sure, besides,
that it would not be good thing to tax
unusually opulent estates of the living.
There is a sentiment gradually crystal
lizing all over the world that no single
man should be permitted to have over
certain amount of money. The limit
ought to be made large, for it is prob
ably only through large fortunes
that the arts and sciences can
be stimulated to their highest develop
ment. The Cosmos de Medicis are as
necessary in the affairs of the world as
the wage-earners. But there is a con-
viction that large fortunes have been
carried to an unjustifable extreme.
The common judgment of mankind
would probably be content to place the
maximum figure at which individual
wealth should be allowed to accumulate
at $10,000,000. Over that point should
be marked by rate of taxation that
would be practically confscation. The
redundant revenues resulting from such
a system ought to be used for the gen.
eral good. There is a tinge of COM
munism in such suggestions, but some
form of communism is as certain to rule
the world in the near future as that the
night is to succeed the day.
All large estates should be taxed
heavily when they pass by inheritance.
In nineteen cases out of twenty the per-
sons who inherit this wealth have had
nothing to do with its accumulation,
and are in the ordinances of nature not
any more entitled to it than the veriest
tramp. A probate tax administered on
principles of rigid justice would relieve
the people of nearly all the burdens of
government. These fortunes have been
accumulated through the protection of
the laws. Save for the legal safeguards
established by the communities in which
they have sprung up they could not be
maintained for day. They should,
accordingly, be made to bear their full
share Of the maintenance of the fabric
of civilized government. The same rule
of justice that taxes large estates should
allow small inheritances to pass to heirs
with but a trif1inp tax