The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-23
"Easy Come. Easy Go"

New York is Weakening to a realiza-
ton of the effects of indirect taxation.
Comptroller Roberts, alarmed at the
appropriation bills pouring into the leg
islature, submits a report demanding
economy, and supports his demand
with startling array of figures show
ing the immense strides in expenditure
since the state embarked extensively
on the policy of deriving its revenue
Icy indirect methods. 1t but adds an
other demonstration to the accumuIa-
ton OF evidence of the vicious tenden-
cies of this manner of obtaining public
revenue. We see it in the nation and
in every state where it has been re-
sorted to. 1t did not need the proof of
actual experiment to show what the
effect would be. That could be shown
by prior reasoning, based upon the
inherent disposition of men; for states
are but aggregations of men, sharing
with the integers their frailties. EASY
come easy co. is the proverb that en-
bodies the wisdom Of men, gathered
from experience. To the state as we'll
as the individual there comes the
temptation to spend improvidentIy that
which comes easily. There is no check
upon foolish spending like responsible
1ty to some one; and indirect taking
abolishes the healthful sense of re-
sponsibility to those who supply the
funds which the direct system carries.
Direct taxation has it's irrtations.
Payers sean the acts that make de-
mands upon their purses, to be liquid
dated by direct payment and vouched
for by tax receipt Indirect taxation
provides the money without the irrita-
ton. But it comes from the same
source, the pocket of the taxpayer. So
the legislator bankers after easy
methods of revenue getting, and the
thoughtless taxpayer applauds, think
ing his purse Will be relieved New
ork yielded to the seductive talk
about releasing the real and personal
property in the state of a portion of
its annual tax burden, and, in
1880 initiated the policy by enacting
the corporation tax, promised to super
sede in a few years all other taxatior..
BY 1890 there had been added the in
heritance tax law, the corporation or
ganization tax law and, since then, the
Raines liquor dealers tax law. The
latter was especially commended as one
that was sure to provide, with the
others, the entire state revenue In 1879.
before this policy was inaugurated, the
state levy was $3.50, 416; last year it
was $11,751,S37, and besides, the indi-
rect taxes brought in $9,7OS,524 max
Ing an aggregate Of $40, 400, 362 In eigh-
teen years the expenditures on state
account had nearly trebled The direct
taxation had increased so per cent NOT
withstanding the addition to the rev.
enUe from indirect taxation of a sum
exceeding the entire levy in 1879.
We need not go to New York to find
demonstration. Those who recall the
arguments for Tie gross earnings tax
it would, in a few years, relieve the
taxpayers of all burdens on state ac-
count. And we have seen this revenue
rise until it amounted in 1896 to more
than twice the amount levied in 1878
for state taxes, while the state levy for
the former year" exceeded the income
from gross earnings The onIv effec>
of an increased supply of money from
a source other than the pockets of the
taxpayer has been to stimulate the de-
sire of legislators to spend it, A mil
lion dollars year comes from sources
to which legislators owe no responsible
ity, and they spend it as all average
men spend money coming to them
In like manner In congress we
have seen the same effects from