The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-02-01
MT. McNILLAN's PROPOSITION TO
(ONFISCATE

CONFIsCATE.
On Monday last Mr. Mcmillan opened
the debate with an explanation Of and
defence Of the income tax bill reported by
the Committee OF Ways and Means. Of
which he is the author. After claiming
that the revenue which the government
collects takes IS from each man, woman,
and child in the country. he continued
thus;
II ask Of any reasonable person whether
| II is unjust 10 expect that a small per
cent. Of this enormous revenue shall be
| placed upon the accumulated wealth Of
| the country instead Of placing all upon
the consumption Of the country Is it
not time that great estates. which are
| protected 10y our army, which are de-
| Tended by cur navy. which are benefited
| by the various operations Of government,
| should cOnirbIte In some greater de-
| gree to carry on that government through
! which alone they could have been accu-
INFLATED or by which they are TO be pro-
tectedy The people Of the United States
do not ask that all of It shall be placed
on accumulated wealth. IL is not unreal
sOnablc unjust that q small part
from twenty-five 10 thirty milions-of
this money should be collected from this
accumulation. 1 know. sir. of no argu-
nent that is at all conclusive or rational
that can be urged against this form Of
taxation. | believe that once II IS inau-
surated il will not only be source OF
revenue. but will be lauded by our peo-
pie as a very just source from which 10
draw some OF the vast revenue that we
need"
Mr. Mcmillan reaches his conclusion
that each individual pays IS to the gov
crnmont by dividing the whole amount Of
revenue collected by the number of our
population. We have not made the divis-
ion though we assume his figures TO be
correct But what a non sequitur TO sup
pose that because the whole amount of |
revenue collected when divided by the |
entire population leaves s as the result
that. therefore. every person in the Unit |
ed States pays IS!
Mr.. Mcmillan may not consider us a
reasonable person." but we say in an
swer to his inquiry that 1t is unjust 10
expect the Accumulated wealth of the
country" to pay any per cent. whatever
of the enormous revenue of the govern
ment that is not q per cent. paid by all
owners of property. equally and ratably.
We say that it is not time that great es-
tates which are protected by our army
and navy should pay one cent more in
to their value than small es-
tates pay, and it is nothing but the rank
est demagogy, only one remove from COM
munsm and its twin sister anarchy, to
claim that it is time they should. This
is a republic of equal laws bearing equal
ly upon all, under which it is the part
Of the rich to pay the same rate of taxa
ton upon the true and real value Of their
property as the poor pay, and it is rob-
berry and plumber and nothing else 10 re-
luire them to pay more pro rata than
the poor pay and that is all there is in
this case. turn and twist it how you may,
and cloud duh minds with specious soph-
SINS as much as you have opportunity
for
Mr.. Mcmillan. in justification of his
'ommunistic ideas, urged that the a1luent
we're more interested in good govern
nent than any others They had, he
said, more wealth to defend. while lib
'rty was just as sweet to them as TO
he people i'm the humber walks of life
Whilst liberty is. no doubt just as
sweet to the rich as 1T is to those whom
'lr. Mcmillan considers people in the
number walks Of life" because they hap
zen TO be poor. we deny that it is any
weeter to them.
Liberty is a priceless boon which IS
ust as precious to the poor man as TO
he rich one and the poor man is as
eeply interested in preserving il as the !
ich man is. And an indispensable pre- ,
equisite 70 his preserving his liberty Is !
n honorable self-consciousness that he
erforms his due share as a citizen. and :,
ontributes his ratable proportion TO what
costs his government to protect and
efend him. Deprive him of this source
self-esteem and encourage him to 8
'an upon some one else and expect that l
Their to bear the,part Of the burden that "
roperly belongs to him and he will not
ing value liberty nor have any of It 81
, value. "
On Tuesday, Populst LATE Pence de- q
Jared in the House that he was in favor Il
imposing an income tax of per h
snt. on incomes of $500. and running NJ
p to per cent. as the income increases.
ERE is one Of the boldest forms Of class =
glslation. When Mr. Mcmillan was dis T
riding the Democratic doctrine of equal
Y and justice, and adopting Populist
eories. why did he not "go the whole (
*" and take Fences confscating II
heme. IL is not whit worse in prin- Ct
pie than McMilan's and will rob out Of :,
ore money. "
We are not now discussing the merits Of
any income tax. but we simply declare p'
at the exemption of $1,000 Of income "
ON taxation is undemocratic and class :
sislation. All should pay alike-if any
paid at all 20