The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-06
unpopular Tax.

! %
In all parts of the country prominent
| democrats as well as prominent repubH-
! cans are cOndemhing it. The democrats
/ are of the opinion that the tax would 50
/ injure the Democratic party that it is
/ doubtful whether it could carry the next
national election. The republican party
/ leaders are not saying much against it.
| They are so satisfied that il would drive
democrats TO their party that they would
be rather glad than otherwise if the dem
ocrats should make it a part of their rev.
enue system.
The chief opposition to an income tax
is its inquisitorial character. Very few
men are willing to have their private af-
fairs inquired into and spread before the
public. There are some who would say
they had a greater income than they
really possessed. This they would do to
get credit. With their creditors they
would be as dishonest, in all bability,
as they were with the revenue officers.
1t is claimed that the tax would not be
a burdensome one. 1t might not be to
the very rich, but 10 a great many it
would. In many cities di-
rect taxation Is now about
as heavy as tax payers can stand. In
this city. for instance. the state, county
and municipal taxes amount to more than
two and half per cent, and business
men who pay this tax have also to pay a
license tax.
If the programme agreed upon should
be carried into effect great many would
have to pay double income tax. Suppose
a mans whole income is derived from
corporations. A tax on the incomes of
those corporations would have to be paid
and also a tax on the income derived from
those corporations.
1t is claimed by the advocates of the
tax that it would be a popular tax, be-
cause less than 100, 600 Of the entire popula-
ton would have to pay it. But those 100, 900
are scattered all over the country, and, as
a rule, possess great deal of influence
in their respective localities. The ma
jority of them would use their influence
against the party that imposed the tax,
and they might be able to make that party
the minority party. And those who
would have TO pay the tax would not be
the only ones who would be annoyed
byit More than 100000 others would be
suspected of being liable for it, and the
revenue officers would make a thorough
inquiry into their affairs to find out their
exact incomes.
Those who remember the last income
tax do not speak of it in terms Of praise.
1t was evaded in every possible way 1t
was never satisfactorily collected, not
withstanding the very stringent laws
that were enacted for it's enforcement.
1t is certain that Mr.. Wilson, the chair
man OF the ways and means committee,
did not regard an income tax with favor
a month or so ago. In the January num-
Der of the North American Review he
has an article on "Income Tax on Corpo-
rations" in which he says: aside from
the very natural objection of those who
might have to pay such tax, its admin
istration is necessarily accompanied by
some exasperating and some demoraliz-
ing incidents. Our people have so long
and so generally been free from any pub
lie scrutiny into their personal incomes,
and even from any personal contact with
federal tax collectors, that they resent
the approach of either. Moreover, like
the personal property tax, which is so
universally evaded, personal income tax
would easily lend itself to fraud, CON
cealment and puriury, and prove, as Mr..
Mill said, tax upon conscience. And
finally, in country of the large geo.
graphical dimensions of the United
States, it would be difficult to put into
smooth and effective working order the
necessary machinery for its thorough col
lection.n
1t may be asked, from what source is
the additional revenue that is needed to
be derived Why not put tax upon in
heritances, as suggested by Senator Hill2
A tax of that kind would produce more
than the proposed tax on incomes, and
could be collected much more easily and
at much less expense A small tax on
raw sugar would not be an unpopular one.
1t would be a strictly revenue tax, and
yeti would give the sugar planters the
assistance they declare to be necessary to
keep alive their industry. Indeed, there
are several methods by which the needed
revenue could be raised without resort to
the unpopular income tax.
If the income tax provision should be
attached TO the Wilson tariff bill it might
defeat that bill. There is a prospect that
it would. a good many democratic CON
gressmen have announced that they will
not vote for an income tax under any cir
cumstances.