The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-30
Az ABSURD CONCEPTION OF JUS
TIGE-

TIGE-
A correspondent who signs himself
"Your Southern Friend" writes as that
''the people viii recognize the justice And
equity OF the income tax, for IN my opin-
ION no party ever enacted more just
Law" This opinion deserves to be treated
with charity, because il comes from "a
Southern friend" Our southern
friends" IS they we're biuntly told by eI-
Democratic Congressman Hewitt not long
ago. have great many excellent qualities
Of MAD and heart. but rs whole they
have never had any business brains. On
the subjec. Of the tariff aud finance our
Southern friends" have always been
wrong since the days of John c. Calhoun
and Robert J. Walker.
Let Us see how this income tar viii en-
dure examination as "a just law" The
income tax is unequal. being collected
from certain class of the people only; il
Is sectional, since New York would pay
over 50 per cent OF the revenue, and SSew
York. New England, New Jersey and
Pennsylvania combined would pay fully
50 per cent, the South and West escaping.
Beng class tax aud sectional tax in
operation SIS well as inspiration ii is
an unjust tar. The income tax
IN exempting all annual incomes
OF $1,000 or less is unprecedented.
No such large exemption can be
paralleled In the history OF income tar in
the United States or in Europe. In Great
Britain all incomes in excess of $500 are
taxed. The amount of the exemption
under the Democratic Populiss income
tax intsnsiiies the class character Of the
proposed taxation, and therefore makes
its injustice most conspicuous. The in
come tax discriminstes in favor of gen.
eral business concerns and against all
corporate concerns, discrimination
which is totally without defense. The
income tax usurps sources of state taxa
tion-oorporats societies, corporate earn
ings, legacies. etc.-and thus enforces q
double taxation, which will lead to the
repeal Of the state taxation which con-
flicts with the national tax. and thus seri-
ously impairs the revenue systems of the
states.
The income tax is levied upon corpora
lions which are the creations of the state
and as such are proper sources of state rsye-
nue.. For the nation to usurp the prerogs-
tives of the states and appropriate to itself
for revenue purposes domestic corporations
created by the states is clearly unconstitu-
tional, as we'll as unjust and unnecessary.
The income tar by cutting off the states
from the collection of revenues from cor
porate enterprises will compel real estate
in the states to bear again many of the
burdens of taxation which had been trans
ferred TO personal property.
The income tax is class legislation. is
sectional, unjust. unconstitutional. I'M
necessary. un- Democratic and nn-Ameri-
odious of war taxes. and it was the frst of
war taxes TO be repealed and should be
last OF war taxes TO be revived in time of
profound peace, and IL means progress in
the direction Of socialism. III IL be urged
that these objections are those preferred
by Republican partisans IL is sufficient 10
say that they are those summarized by
4 h&keA EkAtet CcAAAoE hA4As OF NtN NEks
who has been Democrat without break
in bis record Of party fealty since he at
tanned his majority. and who voted
against the tariff bill because it contained
this non-Democratic, populistie income
tax.
Perhaps the reading of this abstract of
Democratic Senator Inns argument may
help our Southern Friend" 10 correct his
unique and interesting opinion" that "a
jusser tax was never enacted" His "opln-
ion" that the income tax is ''just tax"
is about as considerable as the assumption
81 the Rev. John Jasper, of Richmond,
Va, another Southern friend, OF differ
ent color bat scarcely less intelligence,
that "the sun do move" The capacity OF
the Democratic party TO eat its words By
enacting tariff which recognises the ''ah-
constitutional" principle OF protection
its readiness 90 adopt a Populistlo. com
manistie income tax. which II never sp-
proved At the polls and in the past has
always denounced from the DAYS OF Jeffer-
/ son. recalls Lowell's description Of the
ancient Democrat who confessed
THAT msre,tal Provlasncs fashioned us hol.
iow.
o purposs thai We might our principles swsl.
The billy can hold a great nany Of them. IL
Aad hflag them up ready for uss Ike peil-
can"