Telegram-herald., 1890-03-11
OFFICIAL PAPER Or THE CITY,


Fred Wheeler, OF $50 East-st., writes
the TELgGRAN HERALD q letter, critl-
olziDg an editorial which appeared in
this paper February IS, on the subject
of the Direct Tax Refunding bll. He
has been 20 long IN getting around with
his criticism, that the rELEoRAN-HER-
AID does not feel under the most
urgent obligation 10 notice it, but will
stElve % be little moro courteous to-
ward Mr. Wheeler than some OF his
Insnuations are toward Us. We will
take his letter bv paragraphs and notice
them IA turn. He says first:
"Will you please explain why the
Direct Tax Refundmg bill IS right and
tusthaole IL your article some time
since you stated that 'one Of two things
should be done; either the delInquents
should % made % pay mp, or the
United states should refund the
amounts collected. rs the Government
does not need the money, but on the
contrary y ahundantly able 20 rep1y IT,,
the latter IS the better way Of correct
ing the injustice"
The TELEGRAN-uEEALD thinks the
bili rght, and hence justifabIc, because
It's oolect is TO even up between the
States certain burdens OF the war,
which were unequallv distributed. This
is SIMPLY carrying into effect the prin-
clple OF fairness between man and man,
and also the principle that taxation
shall b. equally distributed. Mr..
Wheeler, Il a tax payer, would howl
loudly about the rank injustice done
him, 4 be had TO pay bis tax and his
next door neiShbor were allowed 10 do
30 or not. The direct tax vas levied
on al tho States alike. for the United
States still considered the so-called con
federscy part of the Nation. The
Northern States paid up. The South
ern States did not, bat in some cases,
notably IN South Cardinals case, the
United States collected the tax by
seizure and sale OF property. By re-
ference 20 the table in our article OF
the 18th ult., the great inequalities OF
she burden may be seen. II strikes the
IELEGRAN-H HERALD as a very Just and
proper thing for the United States
70 equaiiEe the burden. As the United
States does not need the money that
would % necessary 70 even up the tax
~ collecting the unpaid sums. a very
sensible way Of dong exact justice is
BY refunding what wss paid or foroibly
collected. II Il does not strike Mr.
Wheeler "a just. he - entitled 10 bis
opinion. We still hold ours. Ii Is true
that the Northern states would be priu-
cipaIly benefited, but they ought 70 be.
The southern states were n rebellion.
and X the fortunes Of war bore heavily
upon them. they have only themselves
n thank. Perhaps the TIT EsRAs-HEs-
AID has more sympathy for the North,
sud less for the South, IN matters sris-
ing ont Of the shareholders rebellion,
than Mr. Wheeler has. lt must also be
borne n mind that the levy % this
'sdirect tax was not The settled policy
of the management Of the war, but a
temporary evpedient resortsd 20. under
extraordinary constitutional powers, -
raise money. Hence. beng an sxcsp-
ton. there = more resson Why the tar
should - refunded
Axain Mr Wheeler svs
"sin-p,v beoause vou tank the Gov
eminent abuudsutiy abe ~ pay. you
Clam taas 'n Eat makes right.
The IEsRAN-HEaALp never made
such a claim. Mr Wheeler simply car
not understand or can not tell the
truth. Then ne continues
"But g tns Government 50 situated
How much e tbr United -tste@ debt
r the Govsrrmsuf -sr step bsck s1d
rs~ this han without .rterest. vhv
pav interest on other oar
We 90 rot rscoilsct the iast debt
statement. ard care not - iook e %
nov. for it cuts no sgurs bsrs. The
T-rtsd Sates debt mere bsaatsils.
IN comparison vth their resources Ard
sbiftv 81 DAY. Even i if sere naush
greater. s vas created ~ the southern
States rebellion il ths interests CT
human slavery. sad never should r.
cted. rv one II theiT svm7staizsrs. as
a. argument szsaust doiae i-sstsos 70
tae Northern sssies. Es ssvs further
awhat knd ~ =, fusisce : e, - c---
-ected rv rsvinz % re 7ecuie Il GER
zin Srates money tast pss taxsE from