New-York tribune., 1894-02-10
CONNECTfCET PRICE LINT

An,icipating the passage Of the Wilson bill
with It's incometaX attachment. by which The
principle Of taxation Of incomes becomes car
dinol Democratic doctrine the Democratic state
Central Committee Of Connecticut have issued
circular taxing for party purposes the III
comes Of all persons holding ofiir" under the
National and State governments. This. when
the incomc-tax provision of The Wilson bill
comes to be- enforced. will amount Ia double
tax on the high snlarlci Ollie" holders; bur Con
nectlcut Democrats are 50 enamoiir'T OF the
principlc that they will doubtless ioyfully bear
the increased bunlcn for the sake of seeing IL
established. II is not likely. q, any rate. that
any Democrat holding office Ia IN" stat" VIII
resign or l,a' any applicant for oiiic" will with
draw on account Of ii. The scale ~ assess
mcnts. or. as it might perhaps more properly
be called the price lis; II the various offices. m
established by the state Committee. seems not
unreasonable. For appointments yielding ai
income of from 500 10 500 per annnm the
prjcc fixed hy The committee il SO: Oh incomes
# from 800 10 $1,000 ~. per cent Is charged:
ON appnintmcns which yield more than $1,000
per annum the assessment is ! per cent. These
sums are payahlc 10 the treasurer "f the Stat"
Committee scmannuay Under the pro-
visions Of me W llSon UIl lI'ol'~ H'' 'N'''"IH~
81 600 escape taxation As the number Of offices
i'm Connecticut the salaries Of which are In cx-
ccs. Of that figure is not large very few patriots
serving their country in official positions In That
State will be- subjected 10 the double tax. The
extension Of The principle 10 Incomes rs small
as 500 scoops into the net all the smaller fry
of office holders. giving them the privilege Of
contributing TO the expense of carrying on the
Government. or. IL not tile Government. the
Democratic party. which IS much the same Thing
in the minds of all good Democrats.
II occurs 10 iis. however. that prior 10 the
last Presidential election there was II very pro-
nolinccd opposition in Democratic circles 10 the
assessment OF Federal otiice-holders for party
PURPOSES II was carried 10 the extent even
of indignant dcnunciation Of Il circular ISSUED
by the York Republican State Committee
asking for contributions TO the campaign funds
which happened To bc sent To Federal Office
holders. If We rightly remember, 1t was de
noilnc,d as Il high crime and mlsdemcanor.
This to be- sure. wa, when the Federal Office
holders were for the most part tepublicans,
ami that undoubtedly makes difference. Con-
,riluions To Republican committees by Federal
office holders at that time were for lh" purpose
Of hndcrlng the progress of Reform and pre-
venting the apoilcosis Of the High Muckamuck.
and were consequently prejndcial 10 gool gov
crnncni and of evil effect and example. Things
are different now. The Connecticut Democratic
State Committee are quick Ia perceive 'hc
difference and act upon II. 1t was Il crime Tor
the holder Of S4UO Office under President
Harrison TO pay Si0 toward the laiter's re-
election. 1t WAS Il corrupt usc of ohclal patron
nge. Many Democratic newspapers got hot
about it. and used Il great deal OF severe Ian
guage I'm large type in discussing the subject.
Several learned persons who had Il vague no
tjou that political campaigns ran themselves ana
cost nothing. and that II was wicked for Il
man WHO held office 10 appear To be doing any
thing 10 keep his place, experienced sadness
over the way things were going under an Ad-
ministratlon that permitted olfceholdcrs TO
contribute 10 election expenses. ana on Election
Day went out and deposited their unique ana
dclicaic votes for the High MuclamlIck OF
Civil Service Reform. who had made the rc-
morkablc original statement that Public office
is a public trust" They helped elect him.
We are now enjoying in consequence the ad-
mlpistralion Of public Office as a public trust.
II seems 10 be. according 10 the Connecticut
circuIor n trust with scale of fixed prices.
varying from an assessment Of so for Il 500
,r,st to :, per cent on all trusts that bring In
nvor g, ooO The Connecticut Democratic State
cnmmittc. are entitled to the credit Of de
,nonstrotinr The courage OF their convictions.
For Il must be confessed that at first blush
tho circul,r they have issued seems to be slight
L. ~ variance with the Civil Service Reform
nrofcssons hy means Of whicl.they secured the
support Of several persons OF great intellectual
o,tonmcn,s. But the committee are evidently
satisfied in their own ni'hhs 'lia'. whle 'oh-
,ribuiion to election funds by R"pnbIicah
holder of $500 office Is corrupt ana cr'iniiai'
Dcmocra, who holds Il 5000 public trust ought
10 pay SO for II or ge; out. In this conviction
they have boldly swung out their price nst.