The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1893-12-09
DEMOCRAT MATTERS.


Nm income tax IS right il 80 is for
revenue and wrong if it is for conhsca-
ton
The Democratic party has never
started ont TO convert mans prop
erty TO public uses simply because he
happened TO have more property than
some other man.
If government were unnecessary.
taxes would be unnecessary Govern
ment exists because injustice exists
and requires curbing. II exists nec-
ondarily because there are some duties
which cannot be economically or elf
ciently discharged by voluntary CO.
operation of individuals. There sound
government stops.
An income tax in the United States
is required TO distribute more equit-
ably the burden of taxation necessary
TO fulfill Government obligations. 1t
would be a mighty crime If il were
used TO punish men for having worldly
goods.
Tariff taxes are paid by the families
and are an exemption of the rich.
Their inconvenience presses severely
upon the agricultural states whose
products depend upon export prices
and therefore upon trade activity.
The farms have been taxed for gov
ernment expenses and for bounties to
Eastern manufactures.
An income tax wlll cqualizc the bur
dens. 1t cannot equalize the effect OF
restriction upon trade. Ehat diSad-
vantage the farms must bear until we
can conduct our fiscal affairs without
duties on imports.
Reports from the Ways and Means
10 q ia
members have all agreed upon an in
come tax except Bourte Cochran. II it
is true that all have agreed except
him, he viii agree lie has too much
sense TO oppose unanimous majority
report.
Republican states have run up the
cost of government TO $500 600. 900 a
year. 1t is right that they should pay
"a fair proportion of this enlarged eN-
pense. The common people of the
West and South pay too much already.
They did not vote for the Republican
mortgages. The money of the big i'm
comes in the Eastern centcrs put Ben
iamin Harrison and the fifty-first con
gress in power. The big income =
should help TO pay the bills. especially
when the poorer households give mp sd
much OF their slender incomes TO the
private interests of the protected
classes.
Glaring injusticcs in the operation of
Federal tax laws have inspired income
tax propositions which boldly speak
for confiscation. Such propositions
are the individual property of crude
and incautious minds. They cannot
become the platform OF IA great party
whose object is the limitation of taxes
90 necessary public purposes.
A Democratic income tax cannot 60
further than 20 effect an equitable re-
distribution of taxes. 1t would cease
TO be Democratic and become some
thing else the moment ii crossed that
line
A tariff tax affords an exemption for
large incomes. An income tax should
specify "A limit of exemption for small
incomes. The Ways and Means com
mitteemen are quoted as in favor of a
81 900 limit and a heavier valuation
upon incomes from fixed investments
than upon those derived from active
business. 1t is estimated that per
cent. tax upon fair valuation under
that rule would, above all cost OF col
lection, produce enough revenue tC
fully meet all current deficiencies and
all decreases caused by tariff reduction
In justice TO the masses the rich can
not be allowed to longer escape d
reasonable proportion of Federal taxa
ton. The income tax W come tC
stay.-St Louis Republic.