The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-15
sE4rrrE. MONDAY. JAN IS.


CLASS LEGI4LATfOS.
twenty-five years ago tho national plat
form Of the Democratic party. referring 20
the income tax Law at that time still in
force as war measure, demanded "sifn-
plifscaiion Of the system and discontinu-
sncs OF inqnisisorial modes Of assessing
ard collecting internal revenue"
ssmuel j. Tilden. the great Democratic
statesman, argued that in time of peace
no political party could impose an income
tar and live. There was no recommends
ton Of al income tar in the Chicago plat
form OF 1899. but il was included in the
platform of the Populiss and Socialist
party. Nevertheless today We find the
Democratic majority OF the committee OF
Ways and means voting for an income tax
from a mixture of motives. Some of the
committee have favored II as a sectional tax.
because the Northeast win pay most OF il.
snd some OF them voted for IL
a. bone thrown TO the hun
cry dog of The Poruiis. party. OF
course the moment that the committee
decided TO repudiate or evade the prin-
cipie Of the pledge OF the Chicago plat
form for tariff for revenue only IL became
necessary to and sotne object of taxation
that would help make up the loss of
$1,000. 600 of revenue consequent upon
the provisions of the Wilson tariff bill.
The income tax was class legislation
which would be popular with the South
because the North would chiefly pay It !;
would be popular with the Popuiistic por-
tions Of the West because the creditor
states of the Northeast would pay IL. An
Income tar viii raise $50 000, 900; David A.
Wells proposed tar on beer of 81 barrel
would raise $32.oo. 900. yet the Demo
cratic committee of ways and means pre-
ferred the odious inquisitorial tax on In
comes to levy on a trade, the published
reports OF whose big brewerics show a
clean profit OF from si.7o to s. barrel.
Nothing that has been done by the Dem
oeratic leaders In congress has excited so
vigorous protest from the Northern De-
mocraey as this proposition of Federal
income tar. Tho New York Erenin9 Pest
tDem. denounces II as class legislation OF
the most vicious sort; as socialistic iegis-
iation worse than any evil that can be
fairly laid to the door of Republican pro-
teetlve legislation. The Post fairly asks:
"ff the people having an ineome above
5000 can be spoliated to the extent of .
Per cent, Why not or 10 or 50g"
The effect OF such UNJUST. discriminate
Ing legislation would be to drive all the
property owners of the country into poll
tics in order TO protect themselves from
spoliation. Politics would lie utterly cor
fup,ed IL monsyed classes were forced TO
buy votes and purchase legislatures to pro-
tect themselves from this insane policy OF
class spoliation. Ii the moneyed classes
were singled out for special and onerous
taxes ths stream of public benefeence
would he dried up. Even Chief Croker, OF
Tsmmany Hall. has hard sense enough 20
see and frankness enough to say that the
imposition OF a Federal income tax would
hurt the poor. since every landlord who
paid an income tar would get it back in
Increased rent exacted from his tenants.
In England incomes below $500 are Ell.
emrt. because to touch an income of thi,
s.ae is TO trench on a mans means of sab
ssstenee, and incomes of over 500 and un.
der 1000 receive sn statement of $50 on
the assessment The exemption reaches
only the very poor, and the tax in Fog.
land is regarded aud treated ss "a dsrec,
tax" In America there ought 10 hs no
class distinctions In taxation any more
than In voting; there ought TO be no pub
hc burdens borne only by enc ANAL clss.
Of citizens singled out for the purpose. In
conclusion the fass SAYS
''if a man vita $1,000 wear onrht "a
paw mere taxes than man with slnoo a
year. oaght the man With 81 coo a year 10
have as much 10 say about the manage
nsvnt Of public affstr~s Certainty not.
lie should oaiy he allowed 30 vote oncc
Tor The other MAS four times. Ii j,
absurd 20 say that the ssooo man ought q
rsy mere because he gets more protection
Than the S3.soo IMAM. lie gels sxActly ths
same protection"
The Nsw York Tsnaes, another very abl.
Democratic journal. warns its party ,ha,
after protesting for twenty years sgslns,
the continued Imposition OF wsr taxes !,
cannot Afford TO reimroSe the most odioa,
of The var taxes. The Timss warns the
majority of the WAYS and means commit
tee that the defeis lefs in the annual revs
naes by the wigsen tAriG bill can be san
piled ey tax Of cent rer pound on raw
and refined sugar. while the Nsw York
Sws. another able nemoerasie journal,
biuntiy saws.
Levy sn import duty Of IS psr cent. Al
saioFefa a.san tea. coffee and sugar. ans.
there will be no deficiency ia the revenue
and 50 far a. those articles are esnee.ns.,
the promise ~ the Democratic platform,
wsll be fulfilled"
The income tsxis nothing bet snotAe.
sxhshitsoa Of ;hat fopuli.t doctrine sha,
the snany who ara nos rich can and ouxA,
to compel the few wao are rich 10 pAy all
the expenses Of The government These
fepaiists who wanted Tat raeney in share
81 an unlimited issue Of greenhaeks in
iSsi, Sho woald IKE free coinage Of ss-esn,
silver dollars today Ia order 10 cheat ,hegr
creditors and sslnass the American PEG
PIE by making the government hay all
saslr silver ~ The price Of sNeuty years
sso and sasfassss . market fer farm