Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-05-17
IN FAVOR OF AN INCOME TAX.
Taxation should Rc In rroportlon TO the
EcncttS Received.


The following are extracts from Criel
S Halls article ii the March Forum:
Tbs wealthy classes of the eastern
states, who are NOW opposing us in the
enactment ot this hill, are embarrassing
the N1St friends vt n peaceful govern
meut, The principle that the wealth Of
this country should help to bear the bur
den ot national taxation is too we'll set
tlrl hy logic, by authority and by expo
ricu1N e justify extended argument
NOW, Too often already have MONITORS
ot tblS Congress been warned that when.
ever the richer class should w asked "a
share the burdens Of government they.
prnmpted ny avaricr, would deuounco
the sU2SNSUNn. II is their position, not
mine, that needs detcuSr
lna recent speech in the house ot req
rrSeutalivrS | said; "Werc called upon
~ frame y law that would keep down
deMayuSy, that would take lhc last grain
Of justice from the cou&lNmerato mass
ot PupuhstiV herrSles il would ho All in
come tax law" | sincerely feel that CIV.
cry word | SAID was true, Under our
tariff system its burdens are put upon
consumption tNr nvrrsSar,CS ut itr that
the poor must have or pernh, and n
poor man With wife and five children
is forced to pay ont Nt his small Income
a larger SUM for the support nt the gov
ernmrm than is thcaVeragc man ot great
wealth with small family.
All the greatest authorities ON taxation
say that the subjects vt n nation should
ho taxed to support that nation accord.
ing to their ability, not according tn tho
section in which they live. recognizing
that We should all I've common bearers
and common supporters ot common
country. ignoring scrUouaIism,
senator John sherman, in y speech de-
hverrd in the United States senate
March IL, 1859, used tho following Ian
guaGr;
Tho public mind ia not vet prepared
to apply tho key ot II genuine revenue re.
form. 4 few wears ot further experience
will convince the whole body of cur pco-
pie thata system of national taxes which
rests the whole burden of taxation ON
consumption aud not Il cent on property
and income Is iutrinsica)ly unjust.
"Whllc the expenses Of the national
government arc largely caused by tho
protection of property, 1t is bat right to
call property tu contribute to their pay
mcnt II VIII not 40 10 say that each
person consumes IN proportion to his
mcaus That is not true. Every ono
must see that the consumption OF the
rich does not bear the Same relation to
the consumption of the poor M the in
come Of rich does to the wages of the
poor. As wealth accumulatcs this in
Justice in the Fundamental basis Of our
system will be felt and forced upon tho
attention of congress"
Thorold Rogers says, Taxation in
proportion to benefits received il sutll-
Cicntlv near the truth for the practical
operations of government Rousseau
and the elder Miruhcuu, j. Is. Say and
GARNER have approved of this system,
while Sismondi, in laying down his can
ons Of taxation, declares that every Tux
should fall on revenue, not on capital, -
and that taxation should never touch
what Ia necessary for tho existence of the
contributors" John Stuart Min declares
that equality of taxation M maxim
of politics means equality Of sacrifice"
If tins income tax bill IL defeated one
will be passed in the near future that
will he far widerr hing and involving
far greater dang of injustice toward
wealth.