The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-01-31
THE INCOME TAX AND FRENCli
SENTIMENT.

There is pOlltcldh III '"''
thoroughly imbued with the advanced
ideas of democracy in its political Du'
not in n partisan sense, than any VINO
have appeared upon the political stage
since France became republic in name
That man is NJ. Cavaignac. NJ Bour'
pcois. who is forming the cabinet OF fres
ident Faure, is radical republican III
the true sense of the term, and has de-
clared his policy to be n gradual WIN
drawal of the imposition of all other KINDS
of taxes and the introduction in thelr
stead of graduated income tax.
NJ. Bourgeois has selected NJ. CavaignaC
10 frame and present graduated scale
of income tax bill to the chamber OF depn'
ties. NJ. Cavaignac declares his bill is
only intended to begin what he terms
"the great economic revolution and is
not intended to raise Il larger revenue III
present than 50,000000 francs or SlO,'
100000. Then he says if they find IT Will
answer they will increase its scope. lie
thinks in this way a revenue Of 4OO,OOo,'
600 france or $S0000,000 could be raised
Under Cavaignac's income tax bill, al
persons having smaller income thall
1000 francs or $500, are exempt, but al
amounts over that and up to 10000 francs
or $1,000 are taxed ut 80 centimcs or 1C
cents on the 500. From the latter
amount to 10000 francs or $1,000 up to
10000 francs or $4,000 will pay per
centage three times as high-1l2 francs
or 80 cents. Persons having an income
of 10000 or $4,000 will have TO pay
francs or 60 cents; that running up tC
and over 100000 francs or $4,000 viii
have to pay francs or $l,00
The foregoing will give an idea of the
whole bill. NJ. Cayaignac says, 1--WE are
living in times when it is right that the
wealthy must do something for the work
ing classes; that the rich have II duty to
perform TO the toilcrs." lie cites the fact
that in England the succession duties are
an eloquent evidence of this fact France
is at present forming u government; it
is still in chrysalis state and it is very
well to cultivate the idea and let it run
through its organic laws that it
is the duty of the rich to
bear the heaviest burdens in order
to relieve the poor, but that is not exactly
the idea upon which we work in this
country, rs Mr.. Cavaignac intimates.
The rich do not bear any greater burden
of taxation in this country than the poor.
As n matter of fact there are many things
in which the rich are concerned that are
not taxed. Government bonds, for in
stance, but there is nothing which the
poor use or in which the poor are CON
cerned that does not come to them with
the stamp Of tax one way or another.
New York millionaircs have opposed
the income tax and base their argument
of opposition on the ground that it is n
tax against special class, the rich, and
therefore unlawful and unfair. Al
though the rich in this country make it
necessary for the government to employ
more extensive machinery for the protcc-
ton of the vast and often attacked pos
sessions of the rich, that class is up in
hihhS III ~ hlihule NuVu IL 10 luNiluuttu
to them that they must help the poor by
bearing a larger burden of taxation.
Mr.. Cavaignac says the idea of the
rich helping the poor or bearing the great
er burden of taxation for the purpose of
aiding the poor, is popular with the
wealthy classes of France. If this is
true France has a higher sentiment of
magnanimity upon which republic may
securely rest than we have in this older
republic, but we fear that will prove n
mere temporary sentiment that the rich
will finally tire of, and that class lcgis-
lation with them will turn out as obnox-
ious as il has with us. Cavagnac is
more of an enthusiast than an observer
of the practical workings of governments
founded largely on the selfshness of men.
The sentiment Of patriotism is the only
sentiment that lasts in nations, and that
requires the invasion of the peace of
homes and the interruption of the COM
merce of the country to arouse it, If
France however, can imbed such senti-
ment in the organic law we have to ad-
nit that the French people are less self
ish and more patriotic than we are of
this country.
COTTON MILLS MOVEMENT