The Portland daily press., 1895-04-24
THE GENESIS OF THE INCOME TAX
A Democratic Journals View About Il.
brooklyn Eagle. J

- 1'sSASst
The concerted effort of the South to
fasten an income tax on the government
had its motive in Southern resentment
against national pensions for Northern
soldiers, who put down Southern rebels
The South is where these soldiers won
their pensions. The North is where the
property is which an income tax would
reach. The scheme to tax the section
which furnished the beneiciaries of
patriotism was agreeable to the section
against which those benefciaries con-
tended The North took it out in pen
sions. The South would retaliate on
property. The South had few or no fed
eral pensioners. The North had nearly
all; but the South had little or no prop
erty subject to income tax, while the
even or more than even was attractive
1t was improved by making the exemp-
ton rate just high enough to let the
South effectually out.
Alone, the sectional reprisal and poiiti-
cal retaliation marking the Southern
initiative of the income tax on the North
could not have passed. There were not
votes enough. The South had to be re-
inforced by the West. The ghost OF
slavery had to strike hands with the
specter of socialism. The UNPUBLISHED
survivors and undated eulogists of the
lost cause had to clasp palms with the
represent atives of populism. The section
that owed the North hate joined the Sec
ton that owe the North money. Malevo-
lence and mendicancy met together. Re-
sentiment and Republication kissed one
another. On the thirtieth anniversary
of Lees surrender is published the news
that the supreme court of the United
States has evenly divided OH the question
of The constitutiouality of an income tax
that praise of the decision being a
victory of confederate and socialistic
ideas over Northern ideas at the sole ex-
pense OF Northern property. Appomattox
is revenged and reversed in part-and it
is only thirty years since Appomattox.
The Eagle" has been well niQh alone
in this estimate Of the motive of this in
come tax to which it has uniformly held.
The papers that do not advance it reserve
it from policy, not from conviction.
When they combat it, they fail to deceive
even themselves. The income tax was
the star achievement for the punish
ment of Northern valor through North
ern thrift by the South and of Northern
adhesion to honest money by the scalers
and repudiationists Of the West. 1t WAS
of piece with the policy that degraded
and handicapped Northern democrats in
Congress and made the roster of the de-
partments sound like the rolls of the
armies Of Lee, of johnson and of Kirby
Smith. The Northern Democrats could
elect Southern speakers, and Southern
clerks and tail committees in Congress.
They could consent to the gripping of
Northern industries and vote for the
confirmation of Southern and Western
nominees. They could complete quorum
and eat the leek-and have the income
tax forced on their people. Now that
the tax has been saved by the vote of
the Louisiana man who succeeded
Samuel Blatchord, the Northern Demo-
Gratis will be further permitted to support
western doughface for President on a
platform of SO cents on the dollar and
the devil is to pay.
The Eagle" sees in the confiscation
theory of an unequal and discriminating
income tax and in the reputation theory
of free silver a sectionalism more intense
and more bitter and not less dividing
than that which there hellion illustrated.
To punish property and to outlaw hon
esty from money is to make the fact OF
government a tyranny and fraud, and
the form of government minor matter.
To unite those who idle and those who
would loot or cheat over those who
would work, save and pay is to put the
bottom On top and to nullify morality
and civilization in the.name of law. The
magnanimity of the North in magnify
ing clemency, patriotism, aid, trust and
nationhood receives sorry return from
once conquered Southern re bells and often
accommodated Western creditors. We
take it that the Northern Democrats are
through, and will accept their chances
under the federal government of their
traditional adversaries until their sradi-
tional allies learn that the laws of JUS
tice and of morals will not change either
to suit the acts of Congress or the decis-
ions of courts