The Daily Texarkanian. [volume] (Texarkana, Ark.) 1894-1906, 1894-10-20
THE INCOME TAX.

We have not seen more cogent
argument in favor of the imposi-
ton of an iucome tax, than this
from the speech of Ex-Governor D.
r, Francis, of Missouri, delivered
at Cameron, Mo-, few days
since.
A Democratic Congress, in order
to provide revenue to meet the
heavy expenditures imposed upon
the government by continuing APP
preparations passed by Republi-
can congress, made a law imposing
tax of 2 per cent, on all incomes
in excess of $4,000 In my sincere
Judgment the tax is just one,
and should be cheerfully met by
those fortunate enough to have in
comes sufficient to come within the
purview of the law; nor can agree
with those who contend that it is
unjust to make a discrimination be-
tween incomes below $4,000 and
those in excess of that amount. The
man who by faithful application to
work earns $1.25 to $40 per day
should be allowed to use all of the
fruit of his labor for the support of
his family and the education of his
children. Those who earn in excess
of $4,000 can without sacrifice or
hardship pay 2 per cent on what
they earn in excess of $4,000 toward
supporting a government from
which they enjoy the protection
that enables them to get liberal re-
turns for labor, to say nothing Of
bestowing on them all of the bless
ing of free citizenship. Senate
amendments to the house bill it is
true limited the operation of the
income tax to a period Of five years,
but in my opinion it has come to
stay. | do not believe the sense OF
equity which is deep rooted in the
hearts of American people will ever
again consent that the money re
quired to support the government
shall come from taxes imposed OF
what people eat and wear, rather
than on what they have and reap
an income from. The tax on in
comes formerly imposed to carry on
the war and to pay the interest on
the war debt, and to defray the
expenses of the government imme
diately after the war, was repealed
by the Republican party while in
power, when it was controlled by
the wealth of the country as it is
today and when drunken with the
lease of authority it felt it could
with impunity make and unmake
laws at the sweet will of its short
sighted beneficaries. Much doubt
has been expressed by honest,
patriotic men as to the wisdom and
equity of an income tax, and one Of
the most prominent Democrats in
the Senate saw fit to vote against
the tariff bill because an income tax
was incorporated therein The main
argument offered against it is thai
in its enforcement it is inquisitoria
and conducive to fale swearing on
the part of the tax payer, All tax
collections are inquistorial in their
nature, and few who pay them do
so cheerfully or otherwise than
through compulsion The most dis
tasteful and tyrannical power exer.
cised by government is that which
lays its hands upon the property Of
the citizen and appropriates 1t for
the use of the state. Government
cannot be maintained without it,
however, and if taxes are paid any
where without regret, it should be
in a government like this, where no
royal families are supported, no
titled nobility pensioned at the ex-
pense of the masses and where
every dollar of public funds is ex.
pended by public officers chosen by
the people to whom they render
strict account. The policy of the
Republican party has been, it seems
to make the poor not only defray
more than their just proportion Of
the expenses of government, but
also to pay tribute to the protected
manufacturer, who was enabled by
reason of high tariff duties to exact
advanced prices for the output Of
his factories. The specific duties
imposed by the Mckinley bill bore
much more heavily on the poor
than on the rich. Much more just
would it have been to raise revenue
for the government by taxing the
incomes Of the rich than by collect
ing a specific duty on almost every
article of necessity used by labor
inn man trvinp To snnnnrt a family