The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1899-08-26

property, such as land, houses. fac
tories, livestock, implements, etc.,
cannot evade the assessor. while those
whose wealth consists largely OF
money or evidences of debt can escape,
for no law was ever framed whereby
the assessor could ascertain to any de-
gree of certainty the exact amount OF
INVISIBLE property any individual may
own. And under an income tax there
would be some who would escape
taxation, still the instances would be
fewer than under other systems.
AS to the justice of such tax there
can be no question. No body will
deny that the property OF man whose
income is 100000 year derives more
protection from the government than
one whose income is $1,000. He has
more need of laws, civil authorities
and armies than the one whose income
is less, therefore should of right pay
greater portion toward the burden
of matn tanning them.
For nearly ten years during and af-
ter the civil war we had an income tax
and it was borne with less complaint
than almost any other tax ever impos-
ed. In the discussion of its repeal in
the senate John Sherman, of Ohio,
said:
1.-THE senator from New York and
the senator from Massachusetts have
led off in dec claring against the income
tax. They have declared il to be in
yidious. Well, sir all taxes are invidi-
ious. They think it is inqulsitoriai.
Well, sir, there never was a tax in the
world that was not inquistorial. The
least inquistorial of all is the income
tax. There never was so just tax
levied as the income tax. There is 40
objection that can be urged against
the income tax that l cannot point to
in every tax. Writers on political
economy, as well as our own senti-
ments of what is just and right, teach
us that a man ought to pay taxes ac-
cording to his income and in no other
way" Senator Sherman pointed out
that at that time only twenty millions
were collected upon incomes, while
the food and clothing of the people
were taxed three hundred millions.
Senator Morton, of Indiana, also
opposed the repeal of the income tax
law, and said while the measure was
! 50
of all others, the most equitable, be-
cause it is the truest measure that has
yet been found of the productive
property of the country
Despite such protests as these by
men of marked ability the law was re-
pealed and since then, with one excep
ton, it has been impossible to get law
through congress taxing incomes, ant
that was declared unconstitutional by
the supreme court. But now the natioua
government is confronted with con.
dition that may make the enactmen,
of an income tax necessary, or at least
will force all parties to favor an
amendment to the constitution au
thorizing its enforcement. With in.
creased tariff taxes and heavy war
revenue tax. the government is unable
to meet ordinary expenses and carry
on the war in the Philippines. II
must have more revenue from some
source. OF course bonds might be is
sued, but that is unpopular with the
peoale and would meet with general
disfavor among the masses. And
it is hardly possible to squeeze more
more money out on q tariff TAX. or by a
stamp Tax, it seems that an income
! tax is about the only resort. 1t would
not be surprising if the next congress
were TO inaugurate measures for its
enactment. If not demand for it
will be prominent issue in the next
national campaign.