The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-06-11
THE INCOME TAX DECISION.


Ex-CoDgressman Bryan, Cf Nebraska,
ably discusses the income tax decision
in the Omaha World Herald. He con-
sideres it one of the most important
decisions that has been rendered for
many years and believes the Supreme
Court to be subservient tools of pIute-
cracy. Mr.. Bryan says:
Justice Field in his separate opin-
ion says: The present assault upon
capital is but the beginning, 1t will
be but the stepping stone to others
larger and more sweeping until our
political con0 SITS will become war Of
poor against rich, a war constantly in
creaeing in intensity and bitterness
II is not strange that one so blinded to
justice and equity in taxation as to re-
gard an income tax as an attack upon
the rich should be willing to Overturn
the decision Of a hundred years In
order to prOte ct the class which be
supposes to be attacked. Justice Field
might as well say all taxation on pro-
perty, and those who hold the property
must pay all taxes levied against it,
All property taxes exempt those from
the tax who are without property.
Justice Fields attack upon the motives
of those who are responsible for the in
come tax law will justify an inquiry
as to his own motives in delivering the
opinion which he did
The advocates of the law were sup
ported by the fact that the suprems
court of the United States once held
the same kind of law constitutional
this was in the Springer c8s9 reported
in 1O3 U. S. page 568 Justice Field
was then a member of the court and
did not dissent, why did he not then
declare the income tex an attack upon
the rich? The advocates Of the Law
were supported by the opinions Of sucA
men as Senator Sherman, Senator
Oliver P Morton and Senator Howe.
Senator Sherman said in opposition to
the repeal of the former income tax:
There was never so just tax levied
as the income tax Senator Morton
said: The income tax Is above all
others the most equitable
The advocates Of the income tax
were supported by the fact that Eng
land, Germany, Switzerland, Italy,
Prussia and other European nations
collect a much heavier income tax
than the one recently proposed. Upon
what does Justice Field rely in de-
nouncing not only the tax, but the
authors of it7 Justice Field now de-
nounces the exemption of incomes un-
der "a, 900. Does he not know that all
income tax laws have contained exemp-
tions? Why did he not cond9mn the
exemptions contained in the incomc
tax which cana before the court in the
Springer cas89 Does Justice Field for
get that nine-tenths of our federal
taxes are collected by means Of taxes
which allow the rich to escape their
just share of the burdens OF the gov
ernment7 Why does he not reserve
some of his vehemence for the CON
demnation of those methods of taxation
which overburden the poor9 If he is
afraid of a future war against the rich,
why does he not anathematize the war
which is now being waged against the
Door, and which has resulted in max
ing the sewing women contribute by
the taxation of necessaries of life
nearly as much of the support of tho
general government, in some instances,
as the millionaire doesG The income
tax is just and must remain, unless We
are prepared to declare that equality
in taxation is unpatriotic."