The sun., 1893-05-27
INCOME TAXATION m cross IryUsz1os
AND INEQUITy.
Ths Views or Ce-e~essn M. wsns- 81
Ha~eeeh ueetss.

AND LNEQUTTT.
Ths Views or Ce,eress ns. wesher ei
Massachusetts.
To THE Eprron or TIE sur-sfr. Notiein your
editorial article OF yesterday on the neome tax,
wish to make the following sueRestion: TAX
ing all property In the country. productive and
uuproduetive. the income derived from H. sepa-
rated from personal skill In business. which
may properly be ciassed as natural income,
the owners are able to keep but two-thirds Of
It The Government Of the country. State,
county. town. and school district now take
from them In taxation fully one-third OF this
natural income.
All taxes are income taxes. and are and must
be paid from incomes. and nothing else. II is
recognized principle that the same thing
shall pay but one annual tax. II man has
received 500. or 500. 1000. either he has It or
he has spent It. II he has Il. he 10 taxed for IL
as property: II he has spent It. II is not de-
stroyed. Some one else has II. and 10 taxed
for II as property. II he has Il still IL is both
income and property. and he IL doubly taxed.
Attempting to tax a man because he has had
thing. but has II not now. Is one OF those ex-
ercises OF arbitrary power clearly prohibited
By the Constitution. and repugnant to every
sense OF right Again. attempting to do 90 10
one OF those acts which are the most corruptine
to public and private morality that the Gov
eminent can DO.
Tho very existence OF . mans business. In q
large number OF cases. depends on his security
In the possession OF the secrets Of his methods
which are as much his invention and property
as those OF the author. which are secured to
him by copyright or the ideas OF the me-
chanic. which are secured to him By patent:
and man will fight for them as for his life
The bread for his own mouth. and for his chill
dren's. depends upon them. In defending
himself he defends the best interest Of all
other mon from the attempt Of the Govern.
msnt to violate q natural right secured By the
letter and spirit Of tha Constitution.
AL taxes on persons who are strictly capital
ists-that is. men who only draw interest on
rents and do no business and Of whom there
10 not one In this country where there are hun
dreds In England-is purely and simply double
taxation: taxes being collected fret on their
property out OF the income derived from It;
and then another tax 10 collected on the total
income. ons-third Of which the Government
has already taken in taxeA
Again. has not Smith IS good right to have
$4,000 as his nsighbor Jones. and shall the
Government put clogs upon. and hindrancss
In the way Of. Smiths honest effort to get what
It protects Jones in havinef
Taxing Smith. who has not 90 much prop-
erty as Jones. In excess OF Jones. is putting
the money Smith earns into the hands OF Jones.
When the Government puts two taxes on
Smiths $4,000 because he has earned It this
year and saved 1t this year. and taxes but
once the 5000 Jones has. because he
earned It ten years ago. It actually takes ex-
actly ave-sevenths OF Rmith's tax and gives It
to Jones to add to his $1,000 which he already
has in excess Of Smiths capital
Again. every well-informed person under
stands that the income per thousand derived
By capitalist from his property. gen orally de-
creases as the volume OF his property in
creases- Mon having the care OF. and invest.
Ing. only $50.o00. usually average to get from
their creditors nearly double the income on
zach $1,000 that the man will average to get
who has $5O0OOO to care for. Tho rate Of
taxation per thousand being the Same on the
property Of both. the rate OF taxation on the
income Of one II nearly double that on tho
other. Furthermore. $4,000 ID much moro
easily concealed from the tax gstherer.
But the great injustice Of the income tax Il
q ost clearly seen In It's eject upon the labor.
ing classes. In discouraging enterprise Il 10
Tor the interest Of the wage class to have -
many different industries and ~ many en-
plog ers as possible competing for their labor.
To . new industry or . young man Begin |
ning in business. secrecy a. to profits 10 sbso. |
utely necessary to success. 4 revelation to |
he public Of his profits upon his small or
borrowed capital turns the eyes Of all mon
upon bis enterprise. enabling those stronger
N capital and credit to rob him Of the result |
II his skill In discovering and supplying the
wants Of the consumer. By taking the bust
hess he has Just built ND. after ysars Of strus.
gle and sacrifice. out OF his hands. Just a. II |
begins to be profitable. and. In many cases,
he bread from the mouths OF bis children.
From my experiences in business, and ny |
knowledge OF tho practical working OF the In |
'ome tax OF war times. do not hesitate to SAY |
hat the damage done to the business Of the
country by the attempt to enforce such Q tar |
would be q hundred fold more in amount than |
he Government could possibly collect by II.
]. Il. WALKER