West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-01-17

iadt he present law is not greatly
preferable TO rs predecessor. Nor
do | mean to sly that | am not in
favor OF further reforms in the
same direction. Every step in the
line OF tarld reduction aud eouali-
zaIion Is n step IN the direction OF
individual and commercial frccdo
| heartily favor tariff reform, npon
the principle that ''half loaf is
better than no bread" Every re
fern not every ehaaye-- renders the
law less and less vicious; but my
proposition is, that it never can be
made right 1t Is hardly worth
while at this late date to waste any
woi DIS to demonstrate that the tariff
is tao. y few people might b.
found yet who would maintain the
contrary, bat think not many.
Considered then as tax, is its
burdens imposed according to the
great principle upon which taxes
are imposed, or even with any di.
rect regard to IT They are not.
There Is one species of tax. and only
one, 10 the imposition of which
tariff taxes may DC likened; and
that IS what is known rs capitution
or head tax. y system that exncts
the same amount for poor man S
head us rich ones. /: apiece. An
examination Of the facts will show
this conclusion is not far wrong. In
the purchase Of everything subject
to duty, the poor man, thou IN he
exhaust his last nickel in the pur-
chase, pays just the same amount
Of tax, or duty, to the extent of his
purchase as the millionaire. Now.
1t Is true that the rich bay more.
at least Of some things, than the
poor; but 1t is also true, that they
do not buy In the ratio OF their
wealth. Imagine u Vanderbilt or
Rockefeller purchasing nccessl-
rles-cIothing, sugar, whiskey, wine.
tobacco, WOODEN aud cotton goods
and manufactures of IRON and steel,
~, &c, in the ratio Of his wealth.
compared, net with the pinpcr. but
with thu man of moderate means,
say well-to-dofarmer, worth three
TO five, or even TEN thousand dollars.
He would not need 90 90 shopping
more than once in Il half century.
a man worth $4,000 at that rate.
ought to buy OF protected articles,
(arilcies for consumption, / mean,
snch rs the masses 5uy), ten times
rs much rs the man worth $4,000.
and the millionaires, from u hun
dred to ten thousand times as much,
to make the burdens equal. Carry
this com parison clean through the
scale, beginning with the laborer.
or man Of very moderate means.
who is compelled to lay out all his
acant earnings, or savings for nee
essarlcs for himself and family:
compare him with the man Wort IL a
a thousand net, and with the man
worth two, three, five, ten, fifteen.
twenty-fifty thousand, and see
how far their purchases Of protect
ed goods differ from the ratio o.:
their respective abilities. This is
an Investigation almost any person
can make for himself in almost any
community. Do this, and sig how
much l am wrong in saying that
the tariff tax is more like capita
ton tax, than j, is like a fotir tax,
imposed upon every man according
to bis wealth and ability TO pay.
No system OF tax tion is far. or
wise, or sound, that ~ not based
upon equality. A tax should be
laid upon the property Of a country.
and no, upon the people. Every
one should contribute 10 the Com
monweal in proportion to disability
lin proportion to bis property or
wealth. IL / were discussing tax
system for West Virginia, 10 would
certainly Doe regarded as waste Of
words IL ] were To attempt 20 cstab.
lish the truth OF The above PROPOSE
ton. Every one would agree with
me without Argument. And yet we
ure met aitb uousenuctl propo.
-itiou thvt because The one is State
aud ih. o,ler is Federal. there is %
great difference, (ao Que ctn ser or
explain ja wLy), aud tbst While &C.
would DE mimrtIy unjust and
vicious 90 30 impose State. County
or Iuaic.Du tarrl0n. ~ IS newer