The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1894-01-26
AN ONSLAUGHT By Mr.. SPERRY
OF CONNECTICUT.
Many OBJECTIONS POINTED OUT.
He Declares That the Proposed Law Is
Manifest Injustice = CongresSmaD
Hall of aIissoarI Defends the
Measure Very Emerge tIcaIIy
and Expla Its PrOvis-
ions Quite Fully.

WASHINGTON. Jan. 22.-Congrcssman
Sperry, Democrat of Connecticut, who
is one of the most active opponents of
the income tax idea, declares that the
committee has in no way overcome
the objection that an income tax is in
quisitorial. They do not pry into the
incomes of citizens, but leave it for
the citizen having an income of over
$4,000 to voluntarily mako a report as
to whether his income exceeds S., 600.
This voluntary proposition gives no
protection to the citizen. The gov
ernment assessors will select such
citizens as have not made voluntary
statement and will pry into their af-
fairs. The voluntary system also
''puts a premium on liars
Mr.. Sperry points out that it will be
absolutely impossible for business men
to make voluntary statement as to
the amount of their income. He cites
an actual case which has come to his
attention of a man who has used a
large stock of raw wool to make WOOL
en- hose without expecting to sell the
goods and merely for the purpose of
keeping his men employed. The trans
action resulted in a net loss of $40, 600.
He also says that large commercial
concerns will never be able to make
an estimate of their incomes, They
are in the habit of giving credit at
from four to six months and their book
accounts seldom or new show what
their income is. If the book accounts
are paid t represents income, other:
wise it represents loss. There is no
practical means of obviating this diff
ficulty.
In the plan to have the discussing
officer of firms or corporations pay the
tax on salaries of employees. Mr.,
Sperry said that the proposed law
shows its manifest injustice. A salary
is a scertainable and it Is not like the
uncertain profits of business firm.
And yet the employer is compelled to
do the bookkeeping and assume the
burden of looking after the taxes on
all the salaries of his employees.
Mr.. Hall of Missouri, on whose bill
the income tax measure was based,
said to-day: II find there is much
apprehension as to the amount of in
come which will be subject to tax.
If, for instance, man receives a
salary OF $4,000 a year, the opinion
seems to prevail that this entire
salary is subjected to a two per
cent tax. AS matter of fact, how
ever, all classes of incomes have an
exemption of 81, 600 SO that the man
receiving a salary of 1000 would
pay a tax on only $1,000. One of
the most inexplicable things to me is
the opposition to this income tax bill,
as passed by the ways and means COM
mittee, from the wealthy classes of
the United States. This bill should
have been entitled "a bill to suppress
demagoguery and the growth of an
archy and socialism"
One of the objections urged against
the income tax is that it is
inquisitorial in its character. So
is the custom house inquisitorial.
The danger arising from an investiga-
ton of the operation and methods of
business men is entirely destroyed by
the first part of section 10 of the bill
which Furnishes severely any collector
or deputy collector who divulges any
information regarding a persons finan-
cial condition. / asked the members
of the ways and means committee if
they could even theoretically frame a
tariff bill without an income tax that
would yield sufficient revenue for
the years of 1895 and 1896 and not
have a deficit of So, 600, 600 for 1897 and
1898. They said it could not be done"