The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-26

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tax levy may commence at any point
on the ~thousandth scale OF rate, as the
laws of each local government may
provide.
Then I would have the remainder Of
the bill conform TO these sections. /
am aware that it is thought this will
require an amendment to the constitu
ton of the Uaited Sta9es as they think
the graduated income tax requires.
I beg space TO give a Synopsis OF one
of many important letters received
which ably discuss graduated taxa.
ton. It is from General Percy Dan
iels, ex Lieut.. Governor and Congress.
man of Kansas. / select it because Of
its eminent author and because he di-
verges somewhat from supporting the
principles as I give them at this time,
but fu ly supports the bill. not because
it ia more sound, but on the plea Of ex
pediency:
"GIRARD KANSAS.
"MarcD 81 1898,
lion Samuel Archer. Mica, " Q.
DEAR SIR /" In receipt of your
interesting letter of the % b uIt and
have since sent IF two papers / was
then at work on. = = One purpose
of the graduated AK is to enable all to
live without borrowing If we
start q stream of money amounting
to 2 600 million dollars q year from
the multi millIonaires vaults into the
peoples pockets, in five years money
would 60 begging at 2 per cent. That
is what the bill before Congress pro
poses and provides for. My idea with
reference to graduated taxation has
been to prove It's utility and feasibility
without at once reaching the line Of
e~quiCabIlity. The process once started
would certainly be extended. I5 Is
only the a~narchistic apostles OF greed
VIC attempt TO defraud the Govern.
ment by shrinking taxation. No pro-
cess Will save Ehe Republic Chatdoes not
force them TO disgorge and give them
a new revelation. The PluGocrats OBJ
ject to a tax even on their stealings, so
1t is proposed totsx hem land let them
sque6D TO Al to confer ON the masses the
profits Of their industry, distributing
IL through the medium of needed pub
lie works and the pensions. A tax Of
this nature will scatter che millions of
those who W the great corporations.
go. Another advantage . is the
fact that q bill for thus purpose is now
before Congress for the SIN time with
the official endorsement of one of the
States. We should rather re
claim them (corporations) as servants
OF the public than to seek to wipe
them out. The revenue Of the
Government are now largely q per
capita tax and while the South bears
her share In supplying the funds, she
gets but q small amount of the vast
sums expended for these two purposes.
pensions and public improvements }
This is an onerous burden on the
Southern people Of which the bill in
question would relieve them.
North Carolina pays abous "a 600, 600
in wsr charges and her cItrz n draw
in pensions less than $500. 600. Under
this bill she would draw about $50 600,
600 for pensions aud improvements in
the State. Don't you see the impor
tant point to your StsEe9 . /
agree with you fully in Kidding the
Of the curse Of usury .
Would it not be better for you in dis
cussing the project of graduated tax
to support a measure now before
the country . . that would Ger.
do much toward correcting the
evils we all recognize, even knowing
would not fully meet the exac5ions
equity 1t is possible, too,
that the less these experiments dis
turb the present methods of support
ing the government the more readily
IA gather the strength to make
them. II in this way the availability
of graduated taxation can be demon
strated, it can then be readily pushed
forward till it reaches the line of abso.
lutte equity. Hoping that in your dis,
cussion Of the proposition you will
give these suggestions a hearing, l am,
Yours very truly,
"PERCY DANIELS"
Like Gen. Daniels, / speak and write
in support of the pending bill, but
were I member of Congress I would
first amend it as above stated if 1
could. When I sm writing as now in
The PROGRESSIVE FARMER on princi.
pies to be advocated by a great in
dustrial organization-the Farmers
Alliance and perhaps the PeopIe's re.