The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-02-14
twelve PAGES.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY II, 1894.
PASS THE INCOME TAX.


templates removing the income tax from
the Wilson bill and putting in its place
a tariff on raw sugar. coffee, tea and
coal. is one that will cause a storm of
protest from the country If It SHOULD
prove to be true. II the senate should
persist in an attempt to accomplish such
a change it would draw down on itself
condemnation hundred times more
severe and more extensive than appeared
during it's obstinate resistance to the
repeal of the Sherman law. Even in the
revenue from a tariff tax is tax on con-
sumption. and the democratic party has
fought that system Of taxation. and so
completely exposed its injustice that the
people are waiting with open arms to
welcome any move for a more equitable
substitute for it. An income tax is an
equitable substitute. In abstract morals
it is the most just tax that can possibly
be laid. At the foundation of the
science of taxation lies the question,
should we tax property or the product
of property? So far as Justice is con-
cerned IL is fairer to tax the product.
The owner is better able TO pay. To
tax Unproductive property sometimes
amounts to practical confscation. The
only reasonable objections that have ever
been made to the principle of taxing the
product are the difficulties of admins
tration.
The objections that are now being
urged to the income tax in this country
are pueriIe and absurd II is said that
it is a war tax" 1t has been a war
tax" in the United States because in
time of peace it has been impossible TO
secure any form of taxation that bears
equitable on wealth. We have been far be-
hind the rest of the world in the science
of taxation. and only in the past ten
years has the country begun TO be
aroused to the injustice of our system,
and to impose a just share of the bur-
den o public expense on those who bene-
fit most by public expenditures. BY our
new tax law Of Indiana we have made
some approach toward the equitable tax
alton of wealth. but there is stll much
to do before justice is attained. Though
the income tax is in a sense new 10 this
country il is not new to the world. 1t
is the oldest form Of taxation known. It
was the form recorded to have been
given by the Divine Being 10 his chosen
people. His tax was on the product
1.-THE firstling of the beasts" and call
of the land, or Of the fruit of the tree
1t has been used in many nations since
that time. As a distinguished writer
recently said: ut is the most scientific
the most equitable and the most prac-
ticable tax that can be imposed. The
weight OF authority of political econo-
lnists is all on it's side. It exists in all
or nearly all the civilized countries of
Europe. In England it was introduced
after a tremendous struggle with the
privileged classes. but is now so firmly
entrenched in the financial policy of that
country that no political party and no
statesman or politician of any prom
inence would dare to propose its repeal;
in England. The income tax is accepted
as a permanent fixture by everybody"
1t is said that the tax is inquisitorial.
1t is no more inquisitorial than the prop
erty tax, which is in existence in every
state in the union. Every property
owner is required TO answer under oath
as to the amount and character of the
property he owns. 1t is said that it will
cause perjury. No more 50 than the
property tax. In fact the very class of
men who evade the property tax by
perjury would be caught by the income
tax-the men who have their property
in stocks and bonds. or loaned at inter
est on personal security. or otherwise
nnent. The country has just had an in
teresting revelation Of this nature in the
case OF the Gould estate. and 1t is
matter of open comment that a large per
cent. OF the wealthy people Of the land
resort 10 fraud OF one kind and another
to avoid taxation. In so far as the in
come tax reaches them it will be an
agency Of the highest justice.
But besides these there is a large class
"a very large class-who enjoy large in
comes on account Of advantages given
them BY the laws of the land. and some
who have them by defiance Of the laws
Here are all the protection benefciarfes,
including the trusts and combines. Here
are thoee engaged in interstate COM
Ynerce. Fe~e are the owners of national
bonds and other non-taxabIe securities.
These form the largest par of the oppo-
sition TO the income tax. and it is only
natural that the greatest opposition to
that measure should come from New
York, for that city has. by policy OF
exempting personal property from gen
eraI taxation. drawn to It a very large
number Of people Of this class. The fight
for an income tax is emphaticaIIy
struggle Of the masses against the
privileged classes. and the people are as
thoroughly in earnest in support of II
as they are for tariff reform or for any
other mode Of release from Industrial
seryitude. It would not be wise for the