The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-12

manded q graduated income tax" and
the st. Louis platform explaining
further, demanding a graduated in
come tax, to the end that aggregated
wealth shall bear it's just proportion
OF taxation" Here are two principles
clearly advocated:
LIST. Direct taxation as against indi.
rect, for the income tax is on that
principle. and OF this ground the Su
preme court decided in u~nconstitu-
tional, and it really does involve an
amendment to the constitution.
9nd. Graduated tex whereby Tag
gregated wealth shall bear its just pro
portion" according to its ability to
bear it; thus emphasizing the fact
that aggregated wealth Ito illustrate),
say $40, 600 in the hands~of one family
there are only five people to support
and protect, can and should in justice
and with less burden, pay more tax,
than the same amount of wealth dis
tributed in the hands Of forty families
where there are two hundred people to
support and protect.
These principles are right, just and
honest before God and man, and it is
clearly expressed ~populistic principle
and the Peoples party neither fears
nor hesitates to state them boldly, no
matter how political tricksters may re
gard them.
Is the american" that boldly pro-
CLAIM itself, truthful, fearless and ag
g~ressive," with the Peoples party in
this issue9 I hope so and that it will
not ignore it, but give due prominence
to the issues, because, as the Americans
article admits, and every n knows,
they extend over and involves finance,
transportation-in fact, over all com
MERGE, and all revenue for National,
State, county, municipal and public
school purposes.
These issues involve not only the
wealth Of the millionaire, but the few
dollars that his poor neighbor has in
dustriously earned and saved. They
also involve the present iniquitously
oppressive poll tax" IN which the vital
energies of the persons body and soul,
that are needed every day to produce
q little income for the family are taxed
to create a revenue that should most
largely be paid from the aggregations
of wealth that these same industrial
people have produced for others, no
matter in whose hands that accumula-
ted wealth is found.
Yes, we believe with the American
that these great issues must be pre-
sented in as simple and clear a way as
possible"
So important is this matter that sew.
eral Of the States have taken it up,
most prominent among them being
Kansas and Minnesota, where direct
graduated taxation is likely to be
adopted by legislation.
The direct graduated property tax
bill introduced by Hon. e B. R,dgely,
in Congress, will be ably advocated
and strongly urged by the Populists in
the coming sessions of Congress. Mo
nopoly, of course, will fight it bitterly,
but, but the people will be looking on.
Some who are not posted may think
it is an intricate ii sue that the working
classes especially do not understand.
In this they are mistaken, for I have
heard them in their diff rent orders,
night after night and week after week,
discussing taxation and referendum
with such ability as would open the
eyes and ears of some Legislators.
The Alliance may be better posted
on the financial question, but on the
taxation issue the other great indus
trial orders will excel.
By these discussions among them.
selves q very large majority of them
have been led to favor direct graduated
taxation as against the Henry George
theory Of single tax.
The direct graduated tax principle
constitute a plank and principle in
the platforms from the first with an
honest, just and fearless purpose. Some
may have been running so fast after
the gauzy winged butterfly of free
silver, that they did not notice it, but
it was there and is yet. / do not hest
tate to say that il politicians and legis
lators do not display diversity of brains
enough to discuss it strongly to the
front with other issues where it prop
erly belongs, the industrial people can
and will do it, and their sovereign
votes will count. With this in view,
and so as to make it all as "simple and
clear as possible" I will again quote
some sections relating to it from the