Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-26
IN. I,comc-Tnx and Revolution.

Considering that there are only oo'"u
marianne en- tho Union. so ~ Is estimated,
who will have to pay the Federal income
tax. the clamor which ls Kept up u" '''''
subject In the North Is rather surpiiSins'
The question as TO the consututionah'S
of that tax has been argued before 'i'o
Supreme Court OF the United States u!
several of the ablcst lawyers In the couh-
fry. and will be decided before long 'he
eunreme Court might be termed a hor'h-
orn II not a Republican tribunal Inc
nine members are Mr.. Chief-Juslce FUR
Ter. of Illinois and Associated Justice -
! Field. of California; John NJ. Harlan,
of Kentucky: Horace Gray OF Massa-
chusetts: David J. Brewer OF Kansas
Henry D. Brown. of Michigan. George
Shiras. Jr.. OF Pennsylvania; Howell r..
Jackson. of Tennessee. and EDWARD ~
White. OF Louisiana. We suppose 'ha'
tho Chief Justice and Assocate-Justces
Jackson and White are the only TWO
genuine Democrats upon the Dehch'
though some persons claim That MI Jus
,ice Field ought TO he counted az one
Mr. Justice Jackson will not sit In the
case MFR. Justice Harlan IL charged to
Kentucky. but ought not to be, seeing
that he is Republican But the only
point we wish to make In this connection
is that the opponents Of the income-tax
cannot Justly complain OF the constitu-
ton of the court--cannot find any faint
of sectlonalism or Democracy in its mem
bcrs. The friends Of the income-tax
would have better reasons for complain
ing than the other side, If. indeed, either
side has any good reasons.
But IT Is our court which is to decide
the question. and we ought all to be
ready TO acqulesce at once In whatever de-
csion 1t may render.
The Brooklyn Union talks treason"
SO to speak. when 1t undertakes TO dis-
cuss this subject. 1t charges Mr.. Olney
with being the Attorney General of the
Buzzards Bay Administration. working
off the "lntense disfavor" Of corporations
as an argument for the resumption OF
"thetmost odious of the war taxes The
same paper makes n savage attack upon
Mr.. James c. Garter. of New York, adj
ministration lawyer, charging him with
having intimatcd to the court very plain
~ that It might be mobbed If 1t did not
sustain this class legislation. The peo-
ple." so he assumed. says the Union.
were in the hour of their triumph, and
If the court put an obstacle In their way
they might accomplish their ends over
the Constitution and the courts
Doubtless those Of the southern people
who shall see such extravagant utter
ances coming from the North Will be
surprised and aroused. We in this Sec
ton are not at all alarmed at the pros
pect which some of the northern papers
seem to see before US. We are prepared
to pay whatever is our share of all
taxes. whether these be income-taxes or
other kinds Of taxes.
But the Unions article becomes ludi-
crous when it undertakes to tell what
object the Democrats have in view when
they advocate an income-tax. Here Is
the treason" which the Union has
scented out. We quote:
The speeches of Olney and Carter
seem to mean that the President and
the Secretary of the Treasury hope to
reorganize the Democratic party on the
great principle of direct taxation, in>
Guiding incomes. They assume 1t is safe
to hold that nnety-fve men who have
not incomes of $4,000 will vote TO spe-
cially tax the five men who are able 10
realize tina. amount annually. There Is
a great deal more behind this income
tax than the people at large have clearly
understood. 1t is associated with Demo-
cratic tariff reform. The purpose Il, II
the income-taX stands TO double II and
increase 1t in proportion to incomes, so
as TO confiscate so far as possible the
great fortunes. 1t is part Of II system
of legislation to nag at and tear all
who have Accommodations. 1t is class
legislation, and the purpose Is to get
Sl00.0O0,O0 out of incomes. so as TO de-
stroy root and branch the system OF
protection.
The outlook Is a return to the inter
nal-revenue war taxation for the sake
of striking down the protected interests
and avengng the South upon the north
err conquerors. We doubt whether we
are at this moment trembling on the
brink of a revolution"
And of all this the southern people
have been profoundly ignorant. Nay.
not many Of the northern people have
heard that they are to be cheated out
of all their money by the Democrats.
Seriously, we advise the Brooklyn Union
not to expect the people of either Sec
ton of the country to take up with its
wild, foolish notions. The ncome-tax
case Is an important one. but 1t will
soon be decided. and decided Alright. We
mean that the decision will be right,
whether it is for or against the tax.