The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-10
STAND FAST.


Surdeps w WI, css,iIsnship and property. or for
mtssy.. .nart frOLl revenue. or ior considefa-
isrs other r- itss with local knowledge and
~. sw',iSh.care Tor any exceptional PURPOSE
toseT Ne
." .yr uov7r yrasvs -HE SENATE.
~. Finnncs Committec. In their effort 70
Ies, ,, he House ill so as to realize sun
poun', sibcr than A dCiCitH'V OF revenue Sc
eeny i.assr rs one Of such articles deemed
sToesr ior toriF toHatiop' nnd provided LOT
ncdei.s, Of tGsirt resent action. But such con-
tsdou' sbouiI have teen followed by AN clint
cuslou IN. ipconle tax rendered doubly un-
palon %. nv y tho imposition oil a sugar duty.
teteS,in culi In reconcile the House Till with
.a,,n,t rrnciplrs of revenue reform or with
soLrssses.,'cusly expressed seutin,ents OF some
menr. sutb rs. 1ro cultured Hartman OF the
gg,rstnd Means Committee Mr.. Wilson, In his
article ppshed ~ ne h.;m A ~ a.
nSr II Janugiy asst crHlcis'hg THO Mch'nIcb
XII ssjd a. follows:
~ ga. were our chic. ..produci,R srti.
,oO ottS, uirs uron them with the petuo"s ccy
Tree breakfast table tor the workingmen' isHh
o.. =. ,.,. The tabscco tax should noi have been
Fschsd because INV VS. ,,pnysF and w.. b,r,lpn.ons
TO- NO dne The sugar Tax might very property have
s,nfsss , Fem. IN the tsr /, nrrisd the largest
ass9tlional smoun' OF what tue peOpe pa into ths
E,,uiy.
y,t tho House hill which bears Mr. Wilson's
,.roreI maine actua ~ followed ito Mckinley
Eiiniejerting duty ,upon raw sugars.
In
,,tsd a corporate income tax. but did not
s,oT an Individual income tnN. IN speaking
q he latter he admitted that 1t would lw
,nIrnud concca,msnt. AMI perjury" and its
ADMINISTRATION would DO necessarily accom-
sei nv, 6I i nome liz favored e como
incorle tax tetause slci tar could not be a
iSyHpOit ,ii ",,udl thru. eae'gp az enterprise,
Sut in the main upon the earnings OF invested
en- wilson. in his eloquent speech in the
House on Fob. last. admitted that he had
iaeome tax at this time" and expressly stated
hat he did not concur in the policy OF at
hrhIng an income tax TO- the larin Oil
and evidently sincere rro,estntions. an in
diridual income, ,.ax.whieh taxed not only
snsrcr and sntcruriss actually at
uchrd 20 this Tariff hill. and Mr.. Wilson was
pstsuaded to support II.
no CLASS SHOULD PAY ALL THE TAXES.
Ihsyc n patience with the demnGoglc rlamor
Shirh Is constantly demanding that the rich
shall pay all the taxes.
Those who thoughtlessly repeat this cry
need to be reminded that this Government Ia
noi a plutocracy but republic. Here man
hood suffrage almost universally prevails. AMI
property qualifications for political POSITIONS
othcnor and trust are nearly everywhere pro-
hbited. The highest positions in the land are
open TO the aspirations OF the poorest and
ns ss 10 9S Inn moor
man who owns no real estate or personal
prouerty pays nothing directly toward state.
ward the free schools which his children at
tend nothing toward the maintenance OF the
highways over which he travels. nothing to-
ward the expenses OF the courts where his
rights are indicated ana his wrongs re-
dressed. nothing for lighted streets. police
houses. and nothing Tor the church at which
10 worships. because here we have no estab-
lshed religion; and ~ 1t were not for Custom
House ta Standardization upon consumption
DO would DAY not u iarthiug toward tho sup
port of tho Government which protects him
,9G Under hfh he and
II il through this much-abused system OF
tariff taxAtion-much abused by its enemies.
By It's iriends-that we are enab led to caualize
somewhat the burdens OF government Ii may
DO safely asserted as an equitable principle.
Involving no hardship to anyone, that citizens
without ownrrship OF real estate or taxable
PERSONAL property. constituting the most nu-
psy Do State or local taxes. ougSt to contrbuts
som hing toward the expenses OF the gen
erai Government under which they, live
and to enforce the performance OF such pat
riOtic obligation the system OF Indirect taxa
ton based on duties upon fore ign imports af-
IL the contention that the rich should pay all
the taxes and the poor be exem OF therefrom is
se!l founded. then II may ii wei: be urged that
The very fact that every citizen is obliged
10 contribute soisething. no matter how
little. toward the expenses Of govsrnm .nt
whether he owns property or not iortifes his
night to the elective franchise and augments
his claim for political preferment. He should
regard IL as privilege conferred upon him, n
shield against political ostracism 1t increases
takes a keencr Interest in public affairs. The
true welfare Of the community is subServed by
this system Of indirect taxation which reaches
/ am opposed to any income tax which
wholly or In part proposes TO supersede this
In ha 1A7I-Iia mil III ~ m at
DISTINGUISHED and reputable Gentlsmen ap;;
sshsms II municipal GovernihenI whereby
onlT those who owned property and paid local
taxes shoult no entitled to vot. for the municl-
ment OF public funds.
II was plausihly argued that citizens who
contribute nothing to the support 81 the
be pegInittel IT, control Its improvements. to
authorize its ruh!ir works. or to spend its row.
pal taxes. II In he minority, are compelled to
Sequlesce. The argument IL carried out to its
legitimate conclusion; would favor pluto
ernmsnt, and additional weight would attach
!Nn 4 sillzrus who pay no local taxes should
Ills a sirnihesnt TACT that the roSstItntion.
With requires no property qualification and
recognizes manhood suffrage. should at the
source Of revenue which is set apart eNclu-
hNeT as as ne property or function OF tho
urnef VI huNern NJ cut. ana conveying the Idea
that such suffrage and indirect tarin taxation
we're attended to be inseparAble-one to mtti-
gaze or to Justify the other.
THE POPULATION VERSUS THE TAXPAYERS.
Tho Comptroller of the city of New York
seml,nlh"iAily Informs me that the number OF
ihaNldua. taNIAEors IN the citT OF New York
EAb0ut lGtub. Yet that city has popula-
u9l OF SJl 49,, according to the state census
ihf2. and OF l.5i1."Ol according to the
Eederal census OF 1870.
lhe dlsDroportion Letwesn taxpayers and
equation may not hc SO large in some other
cites Tut II is believed that In almost every
sU ana section of the country the population
sten times grra er tnRu the number Of indi-
ihuAl taxpayers. The fact that nine-tenths
our population pay nothing directly toward
y aIe county and local taxation adds force to
mealgument that they should continue TO be
'sseas+ Indirectly through tarin legislation.
NJ NEED OF an INCOME TAX.
me next point which desire 10 submit Is
sha lie necessities OF thH TreasurY do not re-
salfe an ipcuaIo tax. This proposition can re
slssiIi and clearly dem ION strdtsd.
ne serI staTy OF the Treasury in his annual
utSsol estimstes thig the amount needed for
s s,a rear Will le S44S.; ,OH. 1895, lie also
M. Iats thA' nD.,i me bHsiS o. er'sii"9 lars
fellows ''''NN "''
t'A iaFflfll1 ltHLhi.b q ~
IleB 49,. ALe"-s sources .........-.. =nthttAh 80