The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-01-06
SUNDAY. JANUARY 6. 1895.
rag INCOME TAX AGAIN.

The supremely important iee9"
the history OF the world has set oeiore
as are the facts that more IMAM '"o
,housand wears ago the world had inc
Roman civilization, which was In many
rcs,ec,s the equal. and in some, perhaps
tho superior of our own; that the homah
people through a great part OF i's uN''
tion were animated by nopie love VI
liberty and a lofty love OF country '""t
corruption In high places grew up uii-
pot,ced. and gradually spread user
amongst the people: that the age OF FAVOR
,,,sms and determinations followed, ana
that "A decay of Roman CIVILIZATION conn
menccd then which extinguisheo an '"0
lights OF civilization. and remt'eu 'he
whole world 10 u state of darkness al
most as miserable as what prevails no"
I'm the interior of Africa.
In that famous Erfurt interview, OF
which Talleyrand has given MS such
charming account. when Wieland MADE
his noble defence OF Tacitus against the
= Emperor Napoleon's attacks. he well SAID
s~your Majesty says that in reading Tacl-
t,xs Won see nothing but assassins, IN
formers and scoundrels; but. Sire. that
in exactly what the Roman Empire was
governed by the monsters fallen under
Tac,tus' pen. The genius of Tacitus traV-
el,ed the world with tho legionS OF the
Hepublic." When the spirit OF equity
fairness and justice prevailed at Rome
the greatest OF her historians had the
world for his field. and great actions
worthy of his genius and pen FOR ms
4ss1oa -Ru. when love of justice had de-
parted and corruption had entered iii'o
high places he had nothing TO write but
The sorry story Of assassins, iIaofhlers
and scoundres
After the world had enduFed unspeak-
able miseries for centuriessthe great ana
A,essed principle of Democracy began to
arlng up in mems MINDS. The root
rrouted into plant sfhat later on burst
9rth into the splyhdid foliage and flow
.rs that now ce'eer the face of the earth
But whilst sc look upon the comeiy
eight. let " never forget that the power
which Brought it all forth was the reso-
hutton kankind had come to that govern
nenLf should be an equal partnership Oh
all Citizens, In which none should have
tEors and privileges that were not com
zion TO ell. and that none should DC
p,aced at disadvantages in the contests OF
life. That Xas the underlying principe
In which ne owe all that we so cherish
4, modern life. IL we adhere TO that
foundation principle we shall retain the
blessed state of civilization mat mas
fallen to our lot. IL we forget IT and
depart from Il, We shall drift into an
other era Of Roman corruption, TO De
followed by the same dark age that FOL
lowed it.
The unequal and unfair income tax has
now been obtruded again upon the pupilc
attention, and. although 1t has passed
into a law, the reflections we have re-
corded above make the present an appro-
priate occasion for reviewing some of the
objections to 1t. =.
That great Democratic principle we
have referred to as the parent of all we
have that Is worth having, demands that
the burdens Of the land shall bear In
exactly the same way upon all men,
When this is the case we have that equal
ity which Is equity; when 1t is lost sight
of. We have those favoritisms which lie
at the bottom Of all discomfort amongst
the people.
The income tax law exempts from tax
alton the incomes of all men that are
less than $1,000. and it imposes tax on
the incomes OF all men that are above
5000. 1t is estimated that there are only
about S.oeo citizens in the United States
whose incomes exceed $1,000. so that the
entire burden OF this tax is cast upon
$500 out OF the 100000 of our population.
II this is that equality which must lie AT
the foundation of every Democracy which
hopes to retain its character of Demo-
unable TO understand the most eie-
mentary propositions. IL 1t could be main
tained that men with incomes OF S5's9S
wore unable TO pay tax, we should nave
another case to discuss. but no advocate
OF the present tax would have the efiront-
cry 10 make any such claim. They all
concede that all incomes could pay the
tax that is imposed. but In hmiths its
application TO those who have the good
fortune to have incomes above $4,000.
they imprudently admit that they intend
10 saddle the burdens OF Government
upon the rich. and TO allow the less we'll
OF to enjoy the blessings OF Government
without contributing to Its cost. Natu-
rally those who are made the victims OF
this undemocratic and unjust course re-
sent II as fragrant injustice. and just
~ certainly a. that the sun win rise to-
morrow, that great moral law which de.
mands an eye for IN eye ana tooth Tor
. tooth viii require those responsible tor
this unjust measure to account for Il.
nut e taxation v 70 b based upea