Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1893-06-01
AN INTERESTING SUBJECT.
John Dewitt Warmers Views on the
Income Tax.

There is perhaps no other subject
of possible national legislation which
commands from the masses of the
entire country such deep and univer-
sal interest as that of the proposed in
come tax, as a means of raising reve-
nue. wherewith to meet the enormous
burden of fixed charges which rest
upon the government of this nation.
In view of this fact the press of the
whole country have been and still are
devoting liberal space in their col
umns to discussion of this subject.
A majority of these discussions have
been conducted by southern men from
a southern standpoint. 1t will there
fore be with unusual interest that the
public will read the utterances on this
subject of one of the most prominent
of eastern Democrats, Hon. John
| Dewitt Warner, who has always been
a staunch supporter of President
Cleveland. In recent interview on
this subject with a prominent news
paper man Mr.. Warner spoke as
follows:
"The East appreciates the disadvan.
tages of an income tax much more
than the West, because the West prac-
tically knows nothing about it. The
great West has been developed and
built up since income taxes were in
existence. do not see anything Sc
rious ID the way of income tax. | do
not say | am for it, but under certain
conditions | might favor it as a means
of raising revenue, Any kind of a
tax is Objectionable and in changing
from one system to another there
must be a great deal of complaint and
dissatisfaction. An income tax would
no doubt be better than to revive the
tax on the tea and coffee as between
the two the people would favor the
income taxes rather than the revival
of these taxes or even a revival Of the
sugar tax, although the present tariff
on refined sugar is sufficient to allow
the importation of raw sugar and the
refining in this country at profit. 1t
would be easier to return to the tariff
on sugar than on tea and coffee and |
think that an income tax would be
better than either.
'If | was autocrat of this country |
would reduce the tariff on lines advo-
Gated by the Democratic party and to
supply the revenue L would issue short
date bonds. 1t is apparent that no
close estimate of the amount of money
that will be received from tariff duties
after the tariff has been reformed can
be made, and | would have revenue
supplied by the issue of bonds until
that point could be settled. | do not
know that an income tax will be ad-
vocated by the administration or that
Congress would adopt 1t. Its disad-
vantages are not so great and are
more fancied than real. The greatest
disadvantage and greatest criticism
passed on the income tax is the claim
that it allows the government and
public access to information of mems
private business which is not desirable
and which is very Objectionable. !
think it is overestimated, because no
man who is conducting a legitimate
business can be injured by his affairs
becoming public / do not believe
there will be any great amount Of eva
sion under an income tax any more
than there is under other modes of
taxation because there is an evasion
always practiced as everybody knows.
OF course, this is matter that will be
discussed previous to the assembling
of Congress and it would no doubt
be the cause of considerable discussion
before it was adopted"
"WheD do you expect Congress will
convene, and is there anything upon
which to base the report that the ses-
sion will be called early in August in
stead of September"
81 do not know anything about
what has happened in the last few
weeks" replied Mr.. Warner, "but l
do know that If the question of when
an extra session will be called had to
be decided three weeks ago it would
have been set for the first week In
September. / do know that arrange
ments and preparations relative 10 the
special session were beng made with
reference to q meeting at that time.
/ do not think anything has happened
TO change these plans"
Southern Railway Building.
70 a., lha ,,,oa,,,i o,,, dtiinn NJ aflaira