The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-05-10
GIVE US INCOME TAX.
WEALTHY MEN DON'T NOW PAY
THEIR SHARE.
1'ers.,,s Who Prate About q Double Tax
Some Interesting Figur@S-Mexican Coin
Old Parties are Alike-NOtes from Our
Exchanges.


Every day reminds us of the past.
1T was so in the days of Noah" it was
said in the time of Christ. 1t was so
in the days of revolutionary agitation.
~Iou must not antagOniZe the King,
said the tories. 1t was SO in the days
of anti slavery agitation. "lou must
hot free our negroes. said the poverty
stricken white man who never owned
q slave and never expected to.
The millionaire party bosses now
say, don't tax our incomes. and the
little PARTY strikers all over the coun
try, who cannot for the life of them
figure up q cent of income from one
years end to another. echo. Don't tax
our incomes!" Senator Hill shouts
An income tax is double tax and
double tax" quivers upon the lips of
every party henchman.
But an income tax is not a double
tax. People must not confOund prop
erty and income. The assessor lists
the property, real and personal, with
out any reference to income; the in
come tax levies q tribute upon the in
come, the profit, of the year, without
any reference to the property. And
it comedies that the citizen should be
allowed, free of taxation. an income,
u clear profit sufficient to meet the
necessaries of life and the reasonable
support of an ordinary family. hence Il
net income of $4,000 is exempted by
the bill thus attacked. Therefore it is
only the surplus, or excessive income,
that is taxed. 1t is urged that the in
come of one year is taxed as property
the next year, we say no unless the IN
come becomes an additional accumula-
ton. and in that case it is no more Il
double tax tn It it is to tax the farm
er's horse this year and the next also.
But these income milliOnaires that
are SO fearful of being double taxed do
not pay one tax even. Take N few of
Chicago's wealthy men, for instance.
Potter Palmer, Il many times million
airc, and whose annual net income is
itself II fortune, gets his personal prop
crty listed ut $4,000. There are sim
gle rooms, perhaps. in the Palmer
House whose furnishings cost that
much, and yet $4,000 is all the per-
sonal property Potter Palmer pays
taxes upon.
Ii. ii. kohlsaat, another member of
the great income class. pays on ii 500
only. &. L. Ierkes pays on -, 900:
he is worth more than u million. j.
". Doane, another millionaire, Is taxed
on $4,000. George Nj. Pullman owns
city, is taxed on $4,000. =. d.
Armour, head of the great beef and
pork combine. is taxed on $4,000.
Marshall Field, the merchant prince.
whose stock of goods would any day
fill all the stores in any of our country
towns, is taxed ON only 10000, while
his princely son groans beneath Il bur
den of $1,000 taxable property.
Are not these men, and men like
them. in Il pretty condition to pirate
about IL double tax? And what shall
be thought Of the farmer or laborer,
who is taxed npon every pig and COW,
and upon the very bed upon which he
sleeps, and yet who takes up this cry
Vt the millionaire tax dodSer and in
Weighs against the income tax rs
double tax?" We are almost tempted
to say things Of such people, but what
is the use?
Again taking the cue from Senator
Hill and other millionaires aud mil
ionaire apologists, some argue that in
come tax is = class tax, and that such
Il law is class legislation, because it
taxes only the large income classes.
Does that make it class? Not bit
more SO than the personal property
tax, for that taxes only the classes who
own property. Not Il bit more than
the land tax. for that taxes only the
class of land owners. The property
<.x ~v1, =
land tax taxes those who own land:
the income tax taxes those who have
incomes. One is no more class than
the other.
We are ashamed Of men who Sroan
under burdens. and yet will not con-
sent to the shifting Of those burdens
upon stronger shoulders where every
dictate of reason and justice says they
belong. simply because those who
ought justly to bear them object TO do
ing SO. and the party. managed nv mil
lionairc leaders. takes sides against it.
Progressive Farmer.
Some Figures.
According to Mr.. Walker, \ Repub-
lican member Of Congress from Nassa-
,husetts. the people of the United
States owe debts, public and private.
amounting 10 $4,000. 900. 200. We
take Mr.. Walker as authority, because.
coming from New England. and being
Il Republican, he will not he accused
OF placing the figures too high.
1t IS claimed by some that the rate
of interest on this indebtedness will
average per cent. per annun. Bat
20 be entirely safe and conservative for
the purpose Of this article. we will
place the rate at q per cent.