New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-24
THE QUESTION or CONSISTENCY.

The very men who denounced the tax on IN
comcs when II was Judged necessary for III"
sunnort OF the Government during III" war ana
for the restoration Of Us credit afterward ar"
now insisting upon II In time OF peace wh'h
no such necessity exists. Ii plcascs mem -
ouotc in their defence the arguments made ny
Republican Senators. under very different CIR
cumstanccs. I'm justification 81 the tax then I'M
poscd A poor excuse Is better than none, ana
tho sole object IL this tax IL 10 cajOc voters TOO
ignorant or too preiudiccd 10 understand how
greatly the conditions have changed since III"
tax was repealed Entirely free from the charge
OF Inconsistency, Senator Sherman argues
against the tax now proposed rs earnestly as he
argued for the retention Of the Income tax when
the Government had S1J000OO0O ycnr 10 pay
~ interest on It's bonded debt, and when It's
currency was 90 per cent or more below par.
No such reason exists for the change OF posi-
lion by Democrats. During and after the war
they denounced the income tax as lincolnshire
tlonal under the leadership Of Mr.. Belmont. III"
American agent Of the RohSchilds. who was
tbon chairman Of the Democratic National Com
nittcc and Mr. Samuel j. Tilden. himself
millionaire and the attorney for great railway
cornoroiions who was then the chief manager
Of the party in this State and became us can
dJotc for the Presidency. II the tax was I'M
constitutional them II Is not less violation OF
constitutional duty TO impose " now. II ~ WAS
| an unjust discrimination against Invested cap
i,ol when holders ~ Government bonds were
drawing S15OOOOOO0 year from the Treasury
In return for their wise and honorable invest
mcnt I'm aid of the Nation. II is AT least rs I'M
Just to-day when comparatively insignlhcan'
mart Of the incomes Of the wealthy Is drawn
from the public Treasury. II II was men con-
! trarv 70 the sacred principle that Government
| should treat with absolute equality all classes
Of citizens whether rich or poor. 1t Is equally
offensive now on tho same ground.
| Necessity justified the use OF many forms OF
taxation during and Immediately after the war
which cannot now he excused on any prcteNt. II
WIS Of supreme importance 10 the people 'hel
70 maintain their Government, To suppress III"
Rchellion and afierward 10 restore the credit oi
| the Government and the currency upon when
the prosperity Of the whole people depended.
| Those objects were infinitely more important
for the time than others which must now De
seriously weighed In connection with any form
of taxation But no such ovcrshadowing ncceS-
sI,v now exists Experience for many years has
! demonstrated that II revenue ample for ;he cur
rcnt cxpenscs Of The Government and for the
randi cxtngmshment of lis debt long in al
vance Of any demands by creditors can he
raised by the methods employed in Republican
laws If the party in power chooses To adopt n
different form of tariff it can still raise all the
revenue required without any Income fax.
These considerations not only justify Rrpub-
leans who imposed the tax when 1t was n"ces-
sary in opposing IL now, but they exhibit he in
decent Inconsistency Of the party which opposed
1t when the salvation or the credit OF ne Gov
eminent was nt stake. but now inslst upon II "
n Socialistc attack on property and It's owners.
The truth Is that the scarcely half-disgu'seu
spirit and purpose Of the party now In power
are UNNECESSARILY more important than mo TAX
| itself, whatever It may yield. The amount OF