Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-09-21
John H. Reagan Writes a Letter
on the Subject.
POOR MEN WILL BE EXEMPT
From This Tariff u a Law Is Passed by
Congress Quotations From the Old
Alcalde Explanation Of The
Hog1 Platform.

suggest tnht tnerD IS cOuSlueFdDle
criticism Of the graduated income
plank in the Democratic state platform,
and on which you express desire for
my views. | will quote a passage or
two from lecture delivered by Gov. o.
NJ Roberts, as law professor in the
state university in December, 1889, as
follows;
'In some countries governments are
organized 10 confer special privileges,
advantages, benefits and protection
upon the favored few by imposing bur
dens upon themany. The disparity be-
tween the two classes may become so
great that the only consideration given
by the government to the mass of in
diyiduals for their contributors in the
shape OF taxes is the right 10 lave and
10 work. They are protected in that
right as necessary instruments Ia sGs-
tanning the government, so administ-
cred TO promote the prosperity, grand
eur and happiness OF its fayorites. The
necessary result Of this Is, when the
population becomes dense and the ay-
enues Of employment are all crowded,
that the rich become richer and the
poor become poorer, until the very
poor must run the gauntlet through
80. ~ ."NS' VIZ b''' 'AO'SS "AAu bAO
prison
And he adds:
MAY not the vast Accommodations Of
wealth here recently acquired in the
hands of the few and the widespread
murmurings and discomfort OF the
many give warning to us that even in
this free country there may be malign
influences at work strongly attending
ia prp1ugp tlp gATnp rp4ultyu
Do not these words Of wisdom point
10 an existing condition OF things in
this country in this respect which APP
peal to Its statesmenship for remedy
Or shall we allow the power Of accumu-
lated wealth, aided by class legislation,
to run Unrestricted its reulurseless
course, with an accelerated increase Of
millionalres on the one hand, and Of
trumps and paupcrs on the Othery
The most eiicctual remedies are the
repeal Of all class legislation, the sub
ordination OF corporate power TO legal
control and, for Federal purposes, pro-
vision for tax on incomes.
some OF the reasons for graduated
tax on incomes may BE- stated as fol-
lows:
You understand the platform refers
to Federal tax only, not to a state tax.
And the tax now paid by the citizen is
the amount OF duty on imported mer-
chaudise which he uses. Hence Il citizen
having 1900 worth Of property may
pay rs much tax to support the federal
government as one who owns 500, 000,-
900 worth Tho principle on which
taxes are or should be levied Is that
the clifton should pay in proportion to
the amount OF his property which is
under the protection OF the law Under
this principle you will see Just how un-
just IL Is TO make the man with the
$1,000 pny as much tax as the one with
SlOOOOO,00O. A tax by which the citi-
zen would DO required TO pay accord
Ing to the amount Of property pro-
tccted would be much more equitable,
such us tax on incomes.
Objection has been made that a grad
uated income tax is unjust because I'M
equal. The United States had grad
uated income tax laws in force for ten
or fifteen years. You understand this
is not u tax on tho amount of property
owned by the citizen, but on his not IN
come, his annual savings, after deduct
ing all expenses The graduated in
come taxes heretofore In existence
exempted say incomes Of s., 600 and less
from tax. and then impose a small tax
On sums between 81, 900 and some lurger
sum, say 10000, increasing moderately
the tax on sums over 10000, and say
under S6OOOO with still further in
crease on sums over $4,000 and under
100000, ana so on to higher amounts.
IL is n tax which would not be levied
on the poor, or oven on what we con-
slider the middle class Of our people.
y citizen with q net income OF 5000
mter deducting all expenses would be-
u rich man.
-Four reasons have boon assigned for
layoring a graduated tax ON incomes.
First Because 1t is q more equitable
method OF collecting revenue than by a
tariff ON Imports, Us 1t would come nearer
tonaktng each citizen pay incorporation
To his property protected by the gov
crnment IL Is not expected, Of course,
that such tax will Obviute the ueces-
siiy for the collection OF q large part
OF the revenue by n tax on imports 1t
~ only contemplated that II win DO
auxiliary to reduced tariff in supply
ing the revenue for the support OF the
government,
Second 1t would be tax on surplus
cummings and not tax on the actual
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ment OF which would produce no dis
tress.
Third-Under tho class legislation
OF the last twenty-five or thirty years
and by operation Of unjust laws, great
fortunes have grown up in individual
hands, in some instances OF from $780,
100000 to $500, 100000. An history
proves that the concentration Of the
property Of the country in the hands of
u fcw persons is dangerous 10 popular
liberty, A graduated income tax would
tcnd, In small degree at least, to re.
duco these dangerous accommodations.
Fourth; We now have In tho United
states q pension list OF one hundred and
lifty million a year This monshuslty
is the foster child OF quasi military
organization which Is dominating
congress and levying, TO largo do
gree, unjust tribute ON the American
people, Wrong as it Is, politicians are
afraid to attack aud expose it and APP
ply the correction, \ tax ON incomes
would place the proportionate share Of
this mousrOus expenditure ON the
wealth OF the country, and would enlist
the influence OF that wealth 10 help cor
rect this pension outrage,
These are some considerations which
have caused thoughtful mon 10 demand
graduated income tax for federal pur-
Noses And tbta v.nlf.e, a upu,,.,ts..H La.