New-York tribune., 1894-01-07
PRES. Barker IS AGAINST 1T.
lie SAYS THE INCOME TAX LAW COULD
NOT BE ENFORCED.

IT WOULD DE AN OVERWHELMING BURDEN lie
DECLARES. TO THE PEOPLE WHO COME
JUST WITHIN THE IINE-THE WEAK
NESS or SUCH LEGISLATION
IN THE LIGHT OF HIS
EXPERIENCE.
Few mon are better qualified to speak Of the prob
ahle effects OF the income tax proposed by the con-
strrctors OF the Wilson Tariff bill than president
Edward F. Barker. of the Department OF Taxes ana
Assf ssnents in this city Mr. Barker takes strong
ground against the imposition of this tax. and gives
his reasons clearly and tersey. He believes mat a
wise protection tariff law would make this measure
wholly unnecessary In reply TO questions asked
him on the subject by Tribune reporter yesterday,
President Barker said:
I am opposed to the proposed income tax-not be-
Of the burden. but because | have learned from my
experience in the Tax Department; OF the unpopu- pp
i'm the enforcement Of 1t.
The personal tax as enforced IN ory ,h,s ry
OF corporations. associations trusts nre hsula'oe @ ice,
liable for personal taxation as aSaes S g,a, ar
vlual holder: neither are United states, ooa', 0l
uayer has a chance TO breathe Under the inherit
ance for State purposes nothhS Is pT eAovp.Si 20
send along a drag net in the shape, OF govern
mental aS Which Sen% %as hs sfySy@ m of $500 OR
g. 900 and as consequence brains ana enersy, ds
well as the income from sn az rr @ must be- axed
10 support the Government
A PREMIUM PIT UpON FALSEHoop.
BY an income tax premium Is put upon perjury
as IS evidenced in the enforcement OF the personal
tax when unprincipled persons resort TO ths means
10 evsdc taxation.
Thor. js no place where the personal tax IS more
thoroughly enforced than in this city Figures nav
demonstrated that tax and collect closer IMAM
anywhere else. and still are free 70 admit ttht
the personal TAX X not an ehur. ~ b ,,ya
who are So disposed can evade II. ii 80 win tMdNd M
be for a drastic governmental tax that takes part
Of mans salary and consequently the food ana
nf nature eiflprrservation viii naturally suggest
to the ordinary taxpayer 10 cloak and dissenbls.
Win his competence lie will console himself with
,hc haiinf maj bv saving a dollar from the Govern
mont and devotlng the support Of his wiir ana
children or TO help pay of the mortgage on MS
little home he is justified in his action. lit.
Then i"t us consider the OF the widow with
her young children. who. by amt "i 'coIoi"E, ~
cnIetyoring to live the income derived from
what the har,lworkng ami frugal husband and
father invested and left for their ciuchon ana sup
port Such incomes net usually about four per cen,
Deduct the local tax. and then comes along the
Government tax ana what PRAY r Is to "g Innhe
taxation. In which this incom" tax would result
Pi-RrLY " EMERGENCY MEASURE.
This income tax dd we'll enough ~ a war or an
oxpclicncy measure. When this country ioUnI lS'''
in an internal war. lacking an army anu Il
navy with depleted treasury. nnd wanting III
credit as well as a system Of finance an Income
fax was rosortcl 70 rs an emergency remedy. The
i,' ,,i, ,te nv but ril ihcmeclves of II as soon
49, rist,nnhiv possible with our country at peace
with All the world and MANKIND with an unlimited
". ~, win th,. country rcplete with morey and
t,.ti,, n,Iv CONFIDENCE 10 warrant investing Il.
wifh too much tariff tink"rng We find ourselves
e.ill,.l To- face an emergency tax.
ioy p, The Tax Department. when the people
are swearing or their personal tax. w'uii Demon
sirate to the ordinary person what harfsnip pr P
sonnl taxation Is. Enact an income tax, ana me
collector must consequence max" hlmS"if %,
icctionablc by such an arpifrary "h'9 ''Tnvn. g.,
his duties "A thr law would Justify. II" must IN
fact make himself offensive In demandinS an @ @sucn
"a law would provli" ana r"7luIrr. re M Mw"uM "If
no power or justification 10 consider equity 10
mus, by comparison oppr"ss the honr.t man pre-
scnting himself for TAXATION p"cauS, IL - t'e Ia
ana romplacrnty witness those who have no respect
for The law. and who IN ths ansTasT 0f NE
from the tax gath"rer by sklfu evasion or rank
This country has prosp~rcd IN the past and ex-
is,el from It's revenues. and with 'arin of nat
ure 10 protec, the Industries of the country We can
!, It again without resorting to this Spe'l'S o'
offensive laws.
, PROTECTIVE TARIFF THE RThEDY.
As the rersonal-iax law e. administered in this
city. notwithstanding the many exemptions under
H. each year demonstrates its onensveneSs FOR To-
cal taxation. far as the individual taxpayer Is
concerned AMI by i,s enforcement the people are
being educated up To- a single tax idea. or modii-
cation ~ the personal tax laws ~ this state. - "a
- include only corporations AMI Joint stock COM
I1nics. ,
| am opioscd - the proposed income tax. J. IS
un- American II IS uudignihcl and oppressive, ana
it cannot b" enforced successfully under our FORM
~ government have been governed much In con-
s.lcring this proposed tax by my experience as a
tax commissioner in this city. N" great money
centre of inc United States nui naturally a
tax commissioner possesses knowl"dg" that en-
aics nm 10 speak unlers'andngiy on any sub
icoi that relates 10 personal taxation
II should he remembered that this income tax
vu br most severely felt IN certain localities. and
IN none more 50 than In this city. In a word. the
income from this tax IN the city of New-Nork
would amount - NOR" than IL would ~ least from
half a dozen States that could be named, all COM
Iiucl.
now THIS CITY WOULD RI BrHDENFD.
The total personal tax for the whole state Of New
York. as shown hv the equalization table for lN3.
amounted - l.il3 >l6 The city Of New-York con-
tributes toward this amount S252's3.2i0 and from
THIS can h. Judged how severely an income tax
would be- felt here.