The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-10

The opposition 10 Federal income tax
IL not confined to the Republican party.
II 10 opposed by leading Democratic jour-
mails, like the New York Times. New York
SuH, View York ErcHing Post, Philadelphia
Record and Springfield Rspsbiiean- Bourke
Cochran, the eblest Democratic represen-
.ative in congress. aud Democratic Con-
gresham Stevens, OF Massachusetts,, Wig
orousiy opposed its adoption in committee
and viii oppose il on the floor of the house.
SIR. Cochran insisted that if an income
tax vas TO be laid ~ all il should De laid
upon all incomes. whether large or small.
Mr.. Cochran took the sound position that
tAe proposed income tax is class legisla-
tion, and Of the worst kind; that the large
exemption proposed Is equivalent to put
ting the poor on a different footing from
the rich, FIRST excluding them from their
share in the common burdens of govern
ment, and then laying the foundation for
excluding them from their share in its
common privileges; that IL is pleasing 10
the Populisis, and that whenever the
Democratic party goes hunting with the
Populists Ii is apt to be- left"
Dir. Cochran argued that IL was bad for
both rich and poor TO inculcate the, idea
that the amount of mans possessions
ought TO have any influence on his re-
iations with the government He pointed
out that IL the weli-to-do are made to pay
an undue proportion OF the expenses of
the government then the well-to-do will
seek to run" the government in order to
recoup themselves. Mr.. Cochran further
argued that class legislation expressed in
the present income tar filled the poor with
the pernicious notion that they had less
responsibility for the government than the
rich. and prom pted them to lean on it at
every opportunity. instead of doing their
fall duty TO support 1t, which Is the popu-
list. socialistic idea of government. The
true American idea of government, as
expressed under our Federal constitution
and laws. IL that the poor have the same
share in both the advantages and the
burdens of the government.
The machinery for the collection of this
income tax is costly, as it would probably
increase the force Of the internal revenue
bureau by very considerable number of
employees. The only income tax ever be-
fore imposed in the United States was a
war tax. forced by the enormous expcndi-
lures Of our government engaged in great
military aud naval operations: ii was an
obnoxious revenue expedient, justified
only by the same military necessity which
forced IN 10 suspend the writ of haheas
corpus, pass the legal tender act and order
a draft. Ii was repealed as soon as the
war was over; IL was an adious tax because
taxable citizens we're compelled TO expose
their private affairs and because public
| officers we're given a dangerous power over
| private citizens. As revcn ue measure it
| Was not n success. Ii is demagogue
| effort to lay the entire burden of tax
| alton on the wealthy and to graduate the
tax so that the Weather man is the
more revenue he viii contribute TO
| the support OF the government; this
| is practically a discrimination against in.
| dustry. economy and enterprise and pre-
| MUM on Incidence and on perjury. Ii is
a sectional device framed by the Southern
| northeast or creditor section of the coun-
try. New England, New York, New Jer.
sey aud Pennsylvania have furnished the
| capital by which the West aud South have
been eobSehbed With railroads. developed
and peopled. The impending income tax
/ is class legislation levied upon the capital
ists. bankers, manufacturers, merchants OF
| the Northeast whose wealth, accumulated
| by thrift, enterprise and sagaeity. has been
the arterial current Of Western commercial
and agricultural life Under the proposed
| scheme She great bulk OF the tax will be
| paid on Northeastern incomes.
This impending income tax was adopted
| by this vote: Congressman McMilin ot
| Tennessee, Turner OF Georgia, Whiting Of
! Michigan. Bynum Of Indiana. Tarsney o,
! Missouri and Bryan of Nebraska. Ry .
majority Of one the Democratic majority
OF the committee ratified this odious torn
OF taxation by which one section is taxes
ard another escapes. 1t this impendin.
income tax becomes a law then citizen,
earning <Iono annually will escape the
| proposed income tax.
Citizens earning siooi will be callej
anon 90 contribute : PER cent. annually
uader the proposed income tax.
The population OF the United States i
divided into TWO classes by the proposed
income tax: The numerous class tina
earns siec1 or less. aad the small class tina
saras Ss,0ol or more.