Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-21
The First Response.

We have more than once had occasion 10
eay that a graded income tax would be
popular if one could be framed which
would operate equally, or rather one which
could not be evaded by INSCRIPTIONS
money-loyers. without regard TO the
difficulties that environ the subject the
Democrats of Ohio have come out boldly
for the levying Of an income tax by Con-
gress. The first response in endorsatlon
of their course comes from the Alexandra
Gazette. which says:
"The Democrats OF Ohio are wise men IN theii
generation They have declared in favor OF a
national income tax. They know that the Chief
object OF government ia tho protection Of life
and property. They also know that they can
protect their own llves, and that most Of them
have little or no property 10 protect. They lkc'
vice know TINT taxes are laid upon the necessa-
rios Of life, and that ~ there are nine'y-nine
moor 10 every one rich man, and N a rich man
cannot consume more OF such nocesSatles
thnn n poor one the Government Is practically
supported by taxes exacted OF those VINO nave
no property TO protect They don't SEQ how' uh-
der o fair and equal government, man WIN a
million dOllarssin stocks and bonde, tho value oI
which depends on the preservation Oh Ia" ana
order, should pay no more toward the support OF
the Government than one whose possessions III
ciude no more than the clothes upon his Dack :
and as nobody can give them satisfactory roa-
son for such gross injustice, they demand tha' II
10 stopped and that taxes be laid with some re-
gard 20 equity and 10 the condition OF those OF
whom they are exacted. The demand OF the
Ohio Democrats should be endorsed 10y the Ma
tional Democratic Convention
The reader will see that the Gdze'fe's ar
pument is based upon the assumption thar
the customs duties laid by Congress are
unjust. That paper would seem to be III
favor of levying such an income-tax as
would render it useless for Congress to lay
any duties upon tho necessaries OF life.
This is a radical proposition, and Will hard
" be endorsed 10y the national Democracy.
BY the way, il is said that there were
some follC wcrs of HENRY GEoRGEin the Co
lumbus Convention. Those followers ore
out-ard out free-traders, but they do not
favor the Gdl,H9spropostion. being stren-
nous advocates Of the single tax that
is, they would place all taxes upon land.
Anybody who flatters himself that he
has mastered ali these questions as to the
proper method of lsyng and collecting
taxes is self-doccivod The taxation pro-
blem appears in shapes innumerable. IL is
one which the greatest of statesmen have
studied without being able u solve II.
There are always two sides to every propo-
sitIon which Is made to adopt new mode
of raising revenue wherewith to support
the Government In this country we have
Sta.e governments Us we'll rs Federal
Governmental fact which renders the
taxation problem more difficult of solution
here than in those countries where all the
taxes that are levied are levied by one
government. II would hardly do for the
State Of Virginia or any other State to
levy tax upon the same incomes taxed
by the Federal Government. A graded IN
come tax might fall upon only afew persons
but these would growl not little If, as
PArRrcK HENRY predicted, the Federal tax
collector should follow in the steps of the
State tax-co,lector and make the tax.
payers open their pockets twice every yeal
in order to furnish money to support two
governments national and State.