The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1891-04-01
WEDNESDAY, April /. 1891.
THE TAX ON WAGE-EAIsN-
Frs.


about the act of the Inst legis-
lature imposing a tax upon all
wage-earners of every kind and
description, and without refer
ence to age, sex, condition or
circumstances. Hitherto it has
been customary to exempt $1,000
of the wage-earners income so
as to fit the cases Of that large
class in our towns and cities.
where $1,000 a year barely suf-
fees to support a family. OF
course the great army Of wage
earners for a smaller sum were
exempt, the principle of taxa
ton being, that the actual
earnings of labor that go to
actual support of self and fam
lily, should be exempt. But the
last legislature reversed this,
and did it very deliberately.
The child that earns one dollar
a week in a factory will have to
pay the same rate of tax on
that income, that the pastor of
our city churches does whose
salary reaches into the tho IS
ands. The women and chill
dren working in the fields with
hoes at 10 cents to 40 cents a
day are subjected to the same
rate of taxation as the banker,
lawyer and doctor. The teach
ers of our common schools on
slender salaries, fare alike with
the well-paid professors in our
colleges. In short, every ayoca-
ton of life, however, high or
low, where pay is received for
personal service, must pay an
income tax. 1t not only in
cludes preachers, lawyers, doc
tors, dentists, and the whole
list Of what is commonly called
professions; but artisans, me-
chanics, and the common labor
ers, as well as every one at
work in a factory of any kind.
Whatever has been earned for
twelve months preceding the
first day of each June, muat be
given in for taxation, however
small the amount, for there is
no exemption.
The words of the law are too
plain TO be misunderstood. And
the law as il stands now must
remain so for two years.
Chapter 322, Laws of 1891
NOW in press is the Revenue
Act. Section 5 of Schedule 4
reads:
On the incomes and profits
derived from any property not
taxed during the year preceding
the first day of June in each
year there shall be a tax Of one
Der centum without exemption.
On incomes derived from sal,
aries or fees during the same
time there shall he a tax Of one
half Of one per centum."
This seems so plain that thert
can be no doubt about it.
The last Legislature increaset
the expenditures Of the Stats
over 100000.
Some have expressed the opin
ion that the Treasury will no
receive taxes enough 10 NEE
these increased expenditures
and that there will be a largt
difcit. We do not concur il
this view. The income tax wa
levied with the view of increas
ing the Treasury receipts, ant
twill do il. We think there j
as much probability that th
Treasury will have a surplus Il
that there will be a deficit.
Il goes without the sayinj
that THg RECORDER II opposes
70 taxing the incomes Of sm'J
wage-earners We think III
Legislature made a great mis-
take. But the law is writer
and must be obeyed and the in
come taxes must be paid.
THE BERING SEA ARBiTItA
TI0N.
II may safely be afiirmet
that the Bering sea question
and the seals fisheries viii b.
arbitrated. The young seals
up 10 a certain age are reareC
By Americans on their own soil
at a certain age they take 3,
Bering sea. Then British sail
ors capture seals that have beer
bvad and reared by American