The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-15
THE INCOME TAX
The Platform On Which Frank N. Stacy
Bases His Claims for Legislative

HonorS. e.. .
Frank N. Stacy democratic candidate
for representative in the thirty ninth dis
trict, comprising the second and ninth
wards, is making his campaign on the in
come tax. He has given his reasons in the
following statement:
Minnesota i'll this campaign is committed to
income tax. The republican state platform
demands the passage Of the proposed consti.
tutional. amendment providing for the income
method of taxation. The democrats demand
state income tax and the amendment of the
stitution to that end: and populist and labor
platforms have practically always favored the
income tax.
The proposed constitutional amendment is
ideal either in scope or phraseology At the
same time, it offers entering wedge, and is
valuable as an educational and experimental
beginning.
1t will give Minnesota all income tax law
similar to that of the province of Ontario, just
above us on the north, where the tax on incomes
has been largely substituted for the general
personal property tax. The United States In
dustrial : commission through it's tax expert
George Clopperton, who made thorough exam
ination of Ontarios income tax, says in the
recent report: Tax officials and citizens gen.
correct in principle and successful in practice
In the city of Toronto in 1901 the taxable
income assessed at the general property rate
incomes assessed. the incomes running from
$4,000 down; $3.50 of each income being ex-
| 81, 900
The German states and communes, the United
Kingdom, ard practically all Europe, not to
mention Australia and Japan, make income Il
of Why should an
come OF Chas NJ. Schwab-his salary for run
ming the steel trust-and levy upon the owner
| OF home, a shop, a mill farm a tax
| that may absorb no small percentage of its an
| nual net income?
Minresot has the opportunity of its history
to give. the country an example If sound and
| tax md
| enough arising from our presnt tax condition.
Take a few examples, and note the present
faree OF our personal property tax.
| Take schedule 17-'Mlaterial and manufac.
| tured articles Of manufacturers" If the law
taxing the articles covered by this schedule were
enforced, it would destroy the manufacturing
The census value of Minnesota manufactured
products is 1862 655, 1881 and of manufacturers
materials used in 1900, $173, 1926 SIS more. max
| $436 900 OOO.- - VI ''e'
What was the assessment $50, 716,75s! One
| anu one-half per cent was assessed for taxation
ana TINS traction was robbed, while the res
If the 1886, 100000 had been assessed accord
ing to law at about Is mills, it would havs
p pfot a tax or $10,ooo,00 which is four
htths OF the total taxes collected in Minnesot,
for state county and city purposes It woul,
have destroyed Minnesota manufacturing at one
blow. ! ~ yin
In Hennepin county alone the census vain,
OF manufacturers materials and products in 19O(
was over $3.50, 600, O0U--one- half more than tn,
aggregate assessed valuation Of the city. Wha
would remain of IIennepin county manufactur
ng' II there were assessed against this valua
tlon' as contemplated by law, our present bloom
ing rate of nearly 80 mills? The sheriff woult
be conducting our manufactures
The only merit Of our personal property ia.
Is that 1t Is a dead letter. Like the traditiona
Indian 1T is good when 1t is dead. Alive
Is a DESTROYER of enterprise and dead i
should be buried. with a just income tax, moder
ate enough to be collectable, established in it
stead. ~