The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-04
The Impcnilng Sch!sm Among the Free
Traders.

Tho indications arc that tho advanced tax
rcformcrs will be mcommonly active and
propulsive in the Fifty-thrd Congress.
They arc already gathering their energies
for step forward.
BY advanced tax rcformcrs we mean tho
fearless thinkers and inventors and stu
dents Of the theory and philosophy Of taxa
ton who are for FREQ trade not az IN end.
but merclyas means toward an end. They
look upon the abolition of customs duties
ms the initial move In u larger programme
for tho regeneration of society and the
general reimbursement OF methods of raising
revenue. Mr.. HENRY GEORGE for example.
and the single tax philosophers. arc not
merely free traders: they are advanced tax
rcformers, in comparison with whom the
ordinary free trader Is n conservative. The
same thing may be said of the income tax
advocates like SCoTr WIKE and ROGER Q.
Mills. Free trade is un incident in their
plans II Is tho first stage in desired
progress toward the enactment of q scheme
of taxation aiming ut the equalization OF
human happiness. by the repression of vast
fortunes through the taxing powers OF the
Government The consideration OF revc-
nue. is secondary. The ultimate reforms
which they hope to bring about are not
merely dmipistrativc or economic. but
social and moral in tho largest sense.
1t is important to keep in mind the dis
tinction. too often ignored. between the
FREQ traders who arc FREQ traders because
they believe that protection is uncons,itu-
tional and that tho Government has no
right or power to look beyond the raising
OF revenue, and tho free traders who are
free traders because the removal Of the
Custom House rs tho main source Of tho
Governments income would render ncccs-
sary n new scheme of taxation. and thus
make room for their particular scheme of
social reform by taxation.
For 1t Is this distinction which will ncvi-
tably rend the free trade party, sooner or
later, into two antagonistic and irreconcil-
able elements. On tho one hand will stand
those FREQ traders. and THE Sun gives them
full credit for sincerity and courage, who
maintain that tho protective policy should
go because it Is paternalistic and results in
the promotion OF tho individual fortunes Of
some citizens at the expense OF others. On
the other side will stand those free traders
and graduated income tax men who want to
do exactly what the first class dcnounces as
power of the Government to make certain
citizens prosperous and happy by keeping
down the individual fortunes of certain
other citizens.
Between the pntcrnalistic and protective.
and the socialistic and protective npplica-
lions of the Governments constitutional
power to lay taxes there is not the slightest
difference in kind to tho man who believes
that revenue must DO tho sole purpose Of
taxation. Both are equally intolerable. II
the object OF q land tax scheme or OF
graduated income tax be social reform or
the equalization of private fortunes. or any
object. direct or incidental. beyond the
creation OF revenue. the honest and logical
free trader must resist 1t as strcnuousy as
he would resist a new MCKINLEY bill. 9th
erwise he swallows tho cardinal principle
OF his own creed.