The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-03-28
INCOME AND SUCCESSION TAXES.

INCOME AND SUCCESSION TAXES.
The New York legislature is discussing |
two bills, both of which it would be as
we'll to drop. One provides for imposing
tax on incomes, and the other proposes to
tax inherited property. The first proposes
to tax all incomes over $3.50 year, the tax
on incomes below $500 to be nominal
above that sum the rate is to be gradually
increased, until incomes of $50, 900 and up
ward shall pay per cent. The other bill
proposes to tax inherited property at the
rate of 81 on each hundred in the case of
direct heirs and S. on each hundred in the
case of other heirs The ostensible object
of both these bills is to readjust taxation in
such way as to relieve the poor and put
the burden upon the rich; the real purpose
is TO prevent the accumulation of vast
fortunes which become a menace and an
oppression.
We say that both these bills should be
killed, because they are wrong in principle
and would prove vicious in application,
while the occasion for such laws
does not exist in this country. 1t
is communistic sentiment which
suggests and advocates this kind of legisla-
ton, and that sentiment ought to be
frowned upon more severely in this coun-
try than elsewhere, the theory of the re-
public being the most generous plan of gov
eminent on the face of the globe.
| Of all the statutes which ever appeared
in the American books. it is believed that
the income tax act was the most earnestly
hated. There was never law which was
more generally violated; never law more
productive of perjury. The poor fellows
who attempted to enforce it were heartily
hated, and if they were especially earnest
in their efforts to compel obedience to the
statute, they injured beyond restoration
their reputation and standing in the COM
munity, being regarded i'll about the same
light as the public regards the dog tax col
lector to-day. The income tax was endured
because the people felt that the nation
was in dire distress, and needed every
dollar that it could beg, borrow or squeeze
from The masses. As soon as CLEAN of
daylight appeared and it was discovered
that it would be possible for the govern
ment to get along without the tax, the law
was repealed and sigh of relief went up
from one end OF the republic to the other.
Men felt that it was no longer necessary 10
falsify their books and commit perjury to
avoid robbery, for as robbery they re
garded the income tax law. The PROPOSE
ton to enact that statute would not en-
list corporars guard in Congress, so in.
tensely hated is the very principle of ar
income tax.
AS to tax on inheritances, what else il
it than direct confiscation! 1t is true, tn,
state, by reason of its laws, sees that pro
? perJy is conveyed to the heirs, but for thi
: guardianship, this protection and direction
it is paid in the form OF fees to its Official
who perform the work and apply tn
statutes. Further than this the state ough
7 not to go in this country where the right o
, the Individual to dispose of his property a
: he pleases is recognized by the laws an
e by the public. If the state has the RICH
to confsc2te a certain percentage of
: mans property after his death it has bel
e ter right to confscate that property befor
d the mans death, and it would be less vici
g Gus. less cruel TO make the seizure Will
: the man is living, robbing him instead {
|. his orphans.
The argument that the state should inte
t fere to prevent the accumulation of va:
# fortunes which are menaces to society
e weak for the reason that the evil to /
It feared is not likely to come. There al
/. very few fortunes in this country so gre;
e as to be threatening; there are none
n fact Furthermore, while the accumuls
tons are not restricted, distribute
takes place at the close of each life; I'll
fortune being divided aud weakened. TT
AsToRs, as a family, are immensely ric
and their combined wealth, if employt
= viciously, might be dangerous and demar
= action by the state for the protection of s.
:. ciety. But the AsToR wealth is being g
~ the time divided in the community as mer
bers of the family die and others con
into the world. So also the VA
DERBILT possessions, vast as they d
in the aggregate, are owned
II many and the ownership is spreadin
BE JAY GOULD is one of Americas wealthie
"A men, but one Of these days the millio
IL which he has accumulated will be divld,
q and scattered among his heirs. If the tin
le shall ever come when a few men own
d. much of the property of state tn at tn
lie are real menace to the community, it w
be proper for the state to take heroic
le ton and overcome the danger by breaki
70 the power one way or another; but I'm
10 that time comes what justification can
10 found for confscatiug the rich mans pre-
10 ertys Furthermore, it is fact that t
T. wealthy men of America employ the
g money in ways to benefit the public viii
enriching themselves. The rich underta
Y, the great enterprises and employ t
IN laborers. Their money is as active as the
Vi brains.
X. Inequalities of fortune always have
SO listed and always will exist, and legis
IL, lures ought not to undertake the va
a. thing of trying to prevent what natu
th seems to have intended when it gave
different individuals different qualities
IS brain.
as
Tr ieha