The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-09-26

and contention. We hear on all hands
the dictatorial voice Of individual and
corporation wealth demanding that il
shall not be disturbed by the slightest
touch OF the tax-gatherer, whatever may
be the demands OF the government or the
oppression OF the toiling masses.
ION all the wants and necessaries of life
the man OF wealth. with a heavy income.
pays less rates OF tariff tax under exist
ing laws than the laboring man or labor
Ing woman whose wearing apparel IS OF
cOarser material, and whose household
living is supplied with cheaper goods
bearing higher rates Of duty. His bonds.
his accumulated riches OF all kinds, and
all incomes arising from them. are ex-
empt from al government burdens, re-
naming not only diminished and un-
mOlestad amidst darkened homes and
fragrant distress. but growing fatter.
stronger and more defiant as the days
and the years 90 by. He who has spent
his life in making an amusement OF
wealth looks out upon the poor, tired,
toilins world as If from fortified castle
He feels himself sumptuously prOvisioned
against all wants. and amply protected
against all contact or concern with the
labOr-stained millions who struggle from
one ocean TO the other for the means OF
/ existence.
THE commissioner Of internal revenue
In recent communication TO the ways
and means committee OF the house esti-
mates the present population OF tbs
United States az not less than Co. 900, 600,
and the wealth OF the country at $685.
| OOO,OOOOO or an average OF 81 900 per
capita, IL there was an equal distribution
| His further estimate, however, is that
| so great has been the condensation or
! capital into the ownership OF a small
| and powerful class chat the tax here
| proposed on net incomes OF ever $4,000
viii reach only about $4,000 individuals
aud en- rsrlFf
/ So 600 600 who now inhabit this land Of
Boosted liberty and equality.
| These figures may well give the coun-
! try pause. They recall the worst days
| Of Rome, and Of other governments, both
ancient and modern. whose liberties were
| lost by the accumulation and power OF
| wealth in the hands Of patrician aris-
| tocracies. How small IN number Is ths
] income class I'm the United States, yet
| how potent! How few in comparison
| with the great body OF the people, but
| little more than one IN a thousand, yet
| how aggressive and strong How pre-
! tentions, how prescriptions in dicta-
| ton to the government i'm regard 10 all
| policies, yet now unpatrOuc IN the hour
! Of peril how mean IN the face Of danger
to the country The income class. based
| upon the principal ownership OF the entire
| wealth of the country, is mainly tine IL
| legitimate offspring OF government
| p3ternalship and government support.
| -
| has ever moved it 10 respond in aid OF
! the government in an hour OF emergency
| and need. From no other class could the
| payment Of the whole pension roll be re-
| quired so justly.
| IT am 10th TO say these things. but so
| destructive to human happiness, 50 un-
| just, relentless, unsparing, insOlent and
| brutal has been the money power in
| these later days, and indeed for years
| past that rather than leave them unsaid
/ would cheerfully leave my seat on this
| floor to be occupied by someone else"
| If all other classes Of men and women
/ in the United States can submit 70 the
| laws OF their country on the subject OF
/ taxation there Is no reason 10 my mind
| why the owner OF net income OF over
| $4,000 a year should fail 10 obey.
| man with a large fortune has more
| need of protection by law than his inn
! poverished neighbor; hence, he owes
more to the support and enforcement
OF the law. 1t is pure and simple equity
| that he should pay a tax on his real
| lied wealth in return for the govern
ment care and protection against law
| lessness, which he necessarily claims
| ana which is necessarily bestowed.
| Why should such a system be stigma
| tizsd as un-American, undemocratic?
| What is there in our system Of govern
| ment, or in the democratic principles
| on which Il is founded, that exempts
| the rich from contributing to its sup
| port according 10 their means? Those
| in poverty have done this; why not
| those who have a net surplus Of wealth
at the end of the year? is justice un-
| American? Is equality before the law
and in enjoyment Of natural rights I'M
| democratic?
The first income tax known to his
| tory was Of a higher origin than
| aught assigned to earth" nor was 1t
| feather-weigiht enactment such as we
| now propose. For the support of his
| own government among the children OF
men in the beginning the Supreme Ru-
| Ter Of the universe tithed his whole
people-taxed them one-tenth Of their
/ entire possessions; nor did statesmen
and laW-givers Of the school Of Moses,
Aaron and Joshua and Of Abraham
| Isaac and Jacob denOunce its princi-
pies, or threaten IL with criminal viola
| ton. From that high and ancient day
| to the present time a tax on incomes
has been no novelty or mere experiment
! in the history of government. Such q
| tax haS always been regarded as
| measure IF relief TO the labOring class
| es, while a. the same time infiicting no
| injustice on those best able TO pay il.
| and having the greatest interest in the
! stability Of government and the SUI
But in the effort we made TO break
| down tariff duties by supplying the
| government with revenue from other
| sources we did not stop with the in
come tax. The increased taxation OF
whisky from 80 cents to a dollar and
| ten cents per gallon was a favorite
measure with all except prOtectiOnists,
| the whisky trust and other holders OF
| whisky who wanted to be let alone.
| ProtectOnists have never failed, no
| matter to which party they belong. to
| antagOnize the collection Of money for
| government support by means Of our
| internal revenue system. They do not
| want taxes paid on incomes, on whisky,
on beer, on tobacco. on playing cards
| and the like. Their system is to raise
! and to protect manufacturing monopo-
lies in plundering the people Of ilhmit-
| able millions besides. by blockading our
! ports against the trade Of the world
| by shutting out competition from
| abroad which would cheaper every
| thing to the purchaser hereby turn
| exclusive greed and by compelling con-
! sumers to pay, as the statistics show,
/ for all articles necessary TO life amongst
1 labOring people, from % to 250 per cent.
| more than they are worth, and more
/ than they could be bought for If trade
was free. Hence, the doctrine OF pro-
| lection for the rich and oppression for
| the p0Or-the republican doctrine Of
! protection which has been so Justly de-
! nouHced as a robbery and a fraud-5l-
ways shows its raven0us teeth at the
mention OF free trade and fights 10 the
death every step in that direction.
When ii was discovered that the bill,
which has recently become a law. the
/ senate bill if you choose 10 call it SO,