The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-08-05

the several benefciaries the incomes
OF each should be taxed without
Fegzrd whence derived, by graduated
scale affixed by law, in order that each
and all recipients might pay taxes equal
TO their ability. The head of this
family q few years ago had $50, OOO, 900
invested in government bonds. This
immense fortune was merely q surplus
salted away in the United States treas
ury, guarded from robbers and tax col
lectors by Uncle Sam, drawing per
cent interest and waiting for favor
able opportunity to gobble up more
railroads This SUM and all similar
sggregations OF money were not only
exempt from tax but the income de-
rived from them was also exempt be-
cause of their being no law to tax in
comes. Let us examine what the in
come from this $50, 600, 900 of United
States bonds amounts to at 4 per
cent per annum. $4,000, 900, pay
able semi-annually; 81, ZOO, 900 every
six months. An income tax on
that would have, at 20 per cent, bene-
6ted the treasury 100000. In the alb
sence OF an income tax not one cent was
derived from it in the way of tax.
These brief illustrations will serve for
all others and there are thousands
OF similar ones aggregating lesser
amounts
Carnegie's income in 1890 was 81, $780,
900, which he invested in Cluny castles
in the highlands of Scotland and similar
enterprises. His last pet is an immense
library in Pittsburgh, into which he has
put s2,6OO,Ooo, which can benefit but
comparatively few persons.
Rockefeller, the Standard oil trust
king, is, by virtue of our monopoly class
law system, enabled TO- build great
university in Chicago, of little or no
benefit to the public at large, from
whom all the money was drawn All
of these colossal incomes should be
taxed and taxed heavily, and the pub
lie, out of whose creations of wealth
they are acquired, should receive back
at least a portion of that wealth to de-
fray the expenses of government
Millionaire fortunes and incomes
should be taxed by an income tax com
hlensurate to their amount, with the
percentage rising with the increase of
income, as income increases with the
aggregation of capital.
These unnatural aggregations of
wealth in single hands or owned by cor
poratfons are menace to the liberties
Of the people, breeders of vice and pow
erty, corrupters of courts of justice,
legislatures and morals of society, and
public interest and justice demand they
should be taxed as the people are taxed
by railroad companies, all they will
bear
A graduated income tax is one of the
demands of the Farmers Alliance, and
it is one of not the least Importance and
appeals to every laborer and wealth
producer for earnest support. Under
our laws the rich are taxing the
poorer classes, and those least able to
bear it, to death, while the former
are escaping almost scot free. Under
the superstition of party, which has
gAWn to be almost religion with our
mn ''well to do" class, this vile OPP
preston and injustice is perpetrated,
while the wealthy class, disregarding
party, stand together for their own
selfish interests. How long will the
people continue to be deceived and offer
their. best gifts on the altar of party
moloch for the benefit of those who rob
them? A graduated income tax is the
most just of all taxes upon personal
property, but the rich kick against it
and the subservient middle class meek
Ly bow their necks and bear the load
that incomes should pay.-Rising Sun
md Midland Journal.