The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1895-04-12
THE INCOME TAX.
csssss That Have Placed IL ON the stat.
ute Books.


10 object TO IL because OF the lack Of
any necessity for such an impost
They attribute II to the democratic
party, and they blame that party for
cratuitous levying OF taxation which
might have been spared those who are
20 pay IL. 1t Is true that the demo
cratic party is responsible for the law,
but IL is not Mt all so plain either that
II is unnecessary, or that this party Is
responsible for the state of facts that
led up to II. That state Of facts may
be concisely said to be increased ex-
penditurcs of the government and
sources of revenue. Con-
sciously or unconsciously, those who
have controlled public affairs for the
last twenty-five years have been SO
them as TO make an income
tax logical, If not an inevitable, out
come of their action. To charge the
responsibility Cor the lcvying of the in
come tax upon those who have been
the immediate agents in bringing it
into law is TO take but a superficial
view of the situation. We must go
further back to account for its appear
ance. 1t must be traced in the policy
Of the government for long period.
There are those now living who can
remember when the expenditures OF
the American government amounted
to but $4,000, cooper annum. This was
the annual outlay during John Quincy
Adams administration, and one Of the
charges made against his administra-
ton was that il was extravagant. In
less than twenty years this sum had
trebled in amount. 1t steadily rose
thereafter till the days OF the war OF
the rebellion. The expenditures Of
that period and the war debt that re-
suited gave it enormous additional pro-
portions. The country had increased
greatly at the same time in area, and
more in wealth. We had imposed a
heavy taxation which enabled us to
pay off much of the debt, and brought
q surplus into the treasury. A surplus
did, what surplus always does, it in
duced habits Of extravaganza. There
was period under 1t when it seemed
as il our legislators sought to devise
means for spending money. This habit
had its inevitable effect II sent the
national expenditures constantly high
er, until they reached the enormous
amount Of 100000. 900 year. We had
begun with $4,000, 900; we ended with
$500, 10000
Our national Legislators, If they had
stopped TO reflect, would have realized
that no nation in the world had ever
spent any thing like the sum Of $780,
600, 600 per year without resorting toan
income tax TO meet the outlay But it
may he said, and with some truth, that
our nation is not like most other ma
tions OF the world in the extent OF its
resources for taxation. Admitting
this, and the fact still remained that it
was necessary to prudently employ the
resources for taxation aside from in
comes, If income taxation was to be
avoided. This is exactly what we
failed TO do. We had tremendous
mint to draw upon in our customs du-
ties, and, IL we had used this in busi-
ness spirit for purposes OF revenue, II
might have been that we could have
postponed, IL not have avoided, the
levy OF an income tax. But we entered
upon the policy of fixing our rate OF
duties primarily with view to what
was called protection rather than for
revenue. Long ago this was begun by
q repeal of the duties on tea and cot
fee, which cut of many millions from
our national income. The friends OF
protection, on the one hand, thought
that the repeal would give more room
for protective duties on other articles,
and Others who were not in agreement
with them feared the charge that they
were taxing the poor mans breakfast
table. So these duties were abolished
This was followed later by the taking
Of duties from sugar. In this way
500, 600, 900, If not more, was removed
from our revenue. 1t is not difficult
to find the genesis OF the income Ia,
right there.
Take the two togethcr-the unthink
ing and INSCRIPTIONS increase of gov
eminent expenditures and the failure
70 adopt ordinary prudent methods fol
the raising Of revenuc-and we nc
count fully for the income tax. 1t wa
inevitable il that policy was To be pur
sued. II must come sooner or later
The republicans, when they went t
the extent of running up the expcndi
lures OF the government to $500. 100000
year and at the same time took $50,
600, 900 from the revenue by the repca
of the sugar duties, besides paying on
elO,OOO,O00 Of bounty to sugar pro
ducers, FASTENED the time of its appear
ance. They we're more responsible TO
II than we're the democrats, who wer
the immediate agents to place IL on tn
statute book. The former created tn
necessity for revenue TO meet defcien
cies, and this, coming just at the tim
when the populist feeling OF the coun
try was aroused against the possession
Of great wealth in comparatively few
hands, was provocative to the passag
Of the measure, which only blindnes
could fail to see was sure to result as
has resulted.
We have not discussed above the RICH
or the wrong Of this measure. We hav
only brought to mind the causes tina
have placed it on the statute book
They are much too plain to be mi'
taken or STANDARDIZATION Herald