The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1894-05-02
Speech Of Hon. James Capehart, in the
House Of Representatives, wednesday,
January 81. 1884.

and 1aT1ng under consideration the bill
( III. r. 1861 to reduce taxation, to pro-
vide revenue for the Government, and
far other purposes
Mr. CApEHART said:
Mr.. Chairman. The gentleman
from New York EGen. Sickles] has
asserted in a speech on this floor
within the past few days that no
matter what tax might be laid on
the rich, it would not in the end be
paid by them, but that they would
in some form recoup from the poorer
classes, who must ultimately bear
all such burdens. These, perhaps,
are not his exact words, but think
they fairly convey his idea on this
subject. Now. if it be true, as he
asserts, that the rich will pay no
taxes (and for that reason none
should be levied upon them1 what
better argument can be bronghtI
forward in favor of the repeal of
those laws which by their operation
have encouraged and made possible
the building up of enormous for
tunes whose possessors now refuse
to bear any part of the burdens of
the Government that protects them
in the possession of thoir gains?
A great outcry is raised when an
attempt is made to collect from those
who are not only above fear of want
but in affiuent circumstances mod
crate tax, such as most other civil
lied countries levy. We are told
that it is inquisitorial, unconstitu-
tional, ETC., to pry into private af-
fairs in this manner. Gentlemen
seem to forget that in most of the
States of the Union personal prop
erty is assessed and taxed in a man
ner quite as inquisitorial as is here
proposed. In my own State every
item of personal property, with its
value, must be stated under oath,
and there is quite as much tempta-
ton to perjury as there would be
here, and no doubt men do some
times swear falsely, but l have yet
to learn of anyone who proposed to
relieve the people of any State from
q personal property tax because
some one might make false return.
/ do not believe that those who have
incomes sufficient to allow them to
to live in ease are more liable to
perjury than any other class of citi-
zens. The fact is, there is de-
mand for legislation of this sort
from all parts of the country. 1t
is notorious that the wealth of the
country does not bear its share of
governmental burdens.
From figures given in recent
speech on this floor by Mr.. Talbert
it appears that twenty five thousand
of our seventy millions of people
own three fourths of the property
and probably do not pay 5per cent.
of the taxes, and it seems they do
not propose to pay any. The legis-
lation of the last thirty years has
all been in their favor and has in
trenched them SO firmly in the cas-.
ties of what they call "protection"
and s'sound finance" that they really
look upon the people of this country
in certain sense as their property,
to be taxed by them not only for
what goods they buy, but for what
money they use.
This paternal Government has
gone on protecting the industries of
the land until our farmers who
owned in 1850, 60 per cent. of the
assessed wealth, now own but about
IL per cent. Yet, though his share
of property has shrunk to such an
Insignificant figure, he pays still
one. half of the taxes to maintain
the Goveroment, while the great
capitalist who has gathered through
the aid of fostering legislation this
world of wealth all to himself, i'm
pudently tells US through his repre-
sentatives on this floor that he can
not be made to pay a tax.
Mr.. Chairman, in my opinion,
these men know not what they do;
they are sowing wind that will
some day not far distant breed a
whirlwind that will sweep from
them not only these special privil-
eyes, but possibly their i'll gotten
gains. We were sent here by the
people who are realizing at last these
wrongs, to give them such relief as
the law-making power may afford.
We were sent here to stop the pro-
cess of taking from the many who
pay the taxes, toenrich the few who
refuse to pay taxes. In the efforts
at reform in this House, we are
met at every step by these priyil-
eOed infareata who sfuhhornIv resist