Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-04-26

ways needing annual repairs, should be less
than that on land. that derived from labor
less than that upon real property; that from
silver mines less than that from more stable
coal mines; and that from professional men,
wholly dependent Oh their health less than
that upon brewers and distillers. To make
things equal, some discrimination must be
made.
Pitt introduced the income tax during the
Napoleonic war After the peace it was re-
pealed on the ground that it ought to be ex
clusively reserved for times OF war; and
when reimposed in 1912 it was promised
that it should be only temporary. Sir John
Lubbock, in the North American Review,
quotes Mr. Gladstone as having stated,
though the tax was IAN engine of gigantic
power for great national purposes" there
were circumstances attending its operation
which make it difficult, perhaps impossible,
or at any rate not desirable, to maintain it
as portion of the permanent and ordinary
finance"
Tho poor excuse for an income tax now is
that precedent has been found for it in
that first enforced here in 1863, the prodi-
gal extremes of which were copied then, as
now, from the British statutes, but then
only tolerated by us in consequence of the ex
The measure now resurrected, with its grave
clothes still adhering to it, is to be imposed
upon our people as a redemption of the
latest democratic national pledge to diminish
taxation. Yet the party which thus prom
ised reform and was pledged to remove war
taxes by "a tariff for revenue only now
proposes to revive the most obnoxious of all
the war taxes, and still expects to be trusted
for its political honesty. We can hardly
fail to be reminded of the reply made to
Gil Bias when he told the horse dealer that
HE would trust to his honesty and was
answered back by the horse dealer, "When
you appeal to my honesty you touch my
weak point Were we to appeal to the
honesty Of fanatical tariff reformers, it is tc
be feared
We Might Touch Their Werk Point.
Thirty years ago our country was afflicted
by all the miseries of the greatest of civil
wars and there can be none worse. The
rebellion had its supporters in the largest
half of the territory of the United States
with some aid and comfort elsewhere from
those who were willing to "let the waywarC
sisters go in peace, and the full sympathy
of the whig and tory party leaders in Great
Britain, as well as French fellow conspira
tor in Louis Napoleon. Millions of mer
had been summoned to the bloody conflict
already 1nlntuated by many battles, and in
volving a daily expenditure OF millions OF
dollars which it was then impossible to Dor
row. In this grim crisis the patriotic
North eager for victory and impatient o
!, delay, cried out 'On TO Richmond anC
l louder yet 10 Congress. "If more money il
wanted, put on the taxes!n Thus it was
! with cannon resembling within earshot o
the capitol, that the war income tax had it
melancholy birth, and what was then tn
extreme medicine required amidst mos
formidable rebellion is now to be offered
; during profoundest peace, as our perpetual
and regular diet. Can it be that our South
. ern brethren are ready, instead of repeating
u war taxes, to make the remembrance of tn
late war immortal by perpetuating one o
its notable grievances?
" In 1862 the income tax was reported in
g general revenue bill by the committee o
u ways and means vet with reluctance, and
Il was then admitted to be less defensble tina
!, any other portion of the bill, but being fo
q the maintenance of the Union it was SUI
u ported by a rousing loyal majority, althoug
U IA negative votes were recorded, and anon
. them the names of such distinguished demo
o Gratis as Mr.. Valaudigham, Mr.. Noorhet
and Mr.. Pendleton.
IT The income tax now proposed in the den
J. ocratic tariff bill includes the dividends
u banks insurance, railroad manufacturer
l, and gas companies, together with all bu
II mess institutions, whether incorporated
u not, which issue stock upon which intere
u or dividends shall be paid or accrue, wheth,
paid or not. No owner of stock. little
m lch, in these institutions is to escape ia
J. thereon. The men, women and children
is who by rubbing and scrubbing industl
/ have become the owners of any shares
l. corporations by which n possible semi ann