The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-07
REGULAR SOCIETY BOMB
Is THE REV. DIR. TRANSFORMS At
TACK on NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. BALL
Widens tho Gulf Between Rich and
Poor-He Knows al millionaire Who
Pays Taxes ON Only $4,000.
New York Herald.


the arguments which Mr.. Roberts has just
put forward in his annual report TO the
New York Legislature.
With Mr.. Roberts. the reverend doctor
holds that the poverty stricken many are in
state of rampant discomfort with present
conditions He believes that This discomfort
is aggravated by the spectacle of enormous
fortunes laid out in lavish display at the
very time when thousands are crying for
bread He claims that the rich should bear
larger proportion OF the burden of taxa
ton than they now do. In order to attain
this end il is his opinion. it is Mr..
Robertss, that the inheritance tax laws
should be materially amended so as TO pro-
vide a graded scale that will make large
estates yield much more To the government
than they do at present, Nay, he goes even
further than Mr. Roberts. He has the
courage to maintain that a similarly
graded income tax Is neither socialistic nor
anarchistic. but absolutely just.
called on the rector OF St. Georges at
his house in Stuyvesant square. and found
him quite willing TO express his views for
the New York Herald.
1T seems TO me-" said the doctor, that
there is a great deal of nonsense talked
about the evil of class taxation. Much or
this talk is cant-a mere form OF words. II
Is like the mud that certain fish are sup
posed to stir up TO hide their movements.
There must ultimately be distinction in tax
alton. IL is not so very long ago that the
cry was heard I'm England against class
taxation. Glass taxation in itself was de-
nounced as an intolerable thing. Men who
talk this way now cannot find an Intelligent
audience. People there have realized that
In imposing taxes the aim, II possible,
should be To- impose them so that they will
not hurt II possible. say
DIR. Rainsford- placed special emphasis
upon the word hurt.
Now" he continued, I'VE all know that
any change in taxation has invariably been
met In the fiTst instance by the cry OF
impossible. We also know that the i'm
possibilities of one age are the accomplish
mentS OF the next. So ii Will be in the
question of taxation: ENGLAND has an In
lieve that such tax Is soclahsuc. she
now has, in addition. a graded Inheritance
that it is only a question OF time when
shall have both. Whatever objections can
be raised to either land numerous objec-
lions can, Of course, be raised), think
many thoughtful men believe that no
method of domestic taxation can possibly
be as bad as our present one-a tax on per-
eonality that Is not paid
lis that assertion based on observation or
on reading?" L queried.
INADEQUATE TAXES ON RICH.
Both" said DIR. Rainsford. Let me
mention two instances which 1 personally
know 70 be true One gentleman worth
several millions told me himself that he
was assessed on only s3O,OO0. He added that
a friend of his, worth ten times much as
he. was assessed on 100000. Assessments
on these estates (and they are not estate,
In which there Is much realty). may have
been slightly raised since then. for this
conversation occurred two or three years
ago. But the evil principle remains
And how Is that principle to be altered
Tor the better?
by substituting the principle of graded
tax A word upon this subject. 1 believe
that men with common sense and common
feeling are rapidly coming 10 favor such a
tax. Why shouldn't they? Let me put the
IF In order to pay my way, If in order 10
warm. to feed and TO educate my family.
must spend the last cent 1 can make. every
penny OF tax that you lay upon me Is i'm
portant. 1t hurts
Whereas. if j can perform all these
duties and over and above my consequent
outlay save 500 year. the question of tax
alton isn't quite so vital. If can save
S. 900, $1,000 or $500.00 a year. il Is proper
tionately of less and less Importance. If,
moreover. i can gratify any whim and
make any luxury mine and still have an
Immense margin, what right have 1 to
grudge, what right have TO resent sys-
tenn of taxation which makes me give out
OF these vast resources of mine even large
sum TO pay for my protection in my enjoy
ments and luxuries?"
pie may leave America if their fortunes are
subjected TO progressive taxi
mo. they won't. They would be fools TO
do They Will face conditions more I'M
favorable to them elsewhere. There is no
civilized country to-day where poor people
pay so large proportion Of the taxes "a.
cept Austria and Italy. but I am not sure
Why. in England the workingman only
pays taxes on his beer, tobacco and tea,
and thinks himself wronged in paying taxes
for tea Large fortunes are saving money
by staying here. And by the time their
owners are ready to move. graded income
taxes and graded Inheritance taxes Will
greet them everywhere abroad. The world
moves, and we may be sure of this, that the
enlightened instinct OF mankind is at work
TO rearrange taxes everywhere, SO that if
possible they shall not hurt
And now, Mr.. Rainsford." i said ''you
have read the various criticisms made on
your utterances in regard TO ostentatlous
display on the part of the rich. Will you
give me your answers to these criticisms?'-
BRADLEY-MARTIN INCIDENT.
Briefly. yes. L must say in the first
place that the plea that society is to in
dulse its luxurious tastes for the sake OF
the poor is one of the silliest and certainly
one OF the newest OF excuses. made. I
fancy. to its own conscience. And yet, like
most new things, it Is simply a recrudes.
cence of an old and exploded fallacy That
fallacy was first exploited in the eighteenth
most forgotten book. The Fable of the
Bees, which has been a laughing stock for
political economists these many years The
Herald cannot expect me seriously to dis
cusS the ACCESSIBILITY OF large expenditures
on social pleasures from an economic point
or view, because every one who has taken
even al preliminary course i'm any university
knows IL Is automatic that the most waste
full and least hopeful of all possible ways of
spending money Is to spend money on lIlxu-
rtes- 1t IS not necessary to dwell on this
side OF the question further because all
who know anything about ii are agreed
But, after ALL L urged. ''the great mass
or the public have not taken such a pre-
Iminary course. and have little acquaint-
ance with theoretical economies
Then can only refer you To such great
authorities as Bastiat in France and John
Stuart Mill and Walter Bagehot i'm Eng
land You Will find the whole matter
summed up in a lucid way by Mill But
enough of this. which is the mere u {, of
the science of political economy Taking n
know that differences of condition I'm the
community form no valid ground of griev-
ance for the poor. Such differences are
both healthful and necessary. An expendl-
IS reasonably right All I commended for
and still contend for is that this is not :,
time in which IL is wise To make great dis
plays Display now is most untimely
am very sure the vast mass of SELF
respecting wage-earning people I'm this
country do not envy the rich. Rather they
respect the rich men who make their rnones,
honestly end whose daily toll is emnloved
In wisely looking after the various enter
prfseS In which the money is emha rkefy
II goes without saying tao. that the vas,
majority or rich men I'm this country belonc
to this class Taking them as a class OllT
rich men are public spirited. Most of then,
avoid all unnecessary display and mora-
them tt.,,,