Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-01-20
UBIQUITOUS INCOME TAX
AND HOW TO DODGE It

!
| tim" of the above named law asks for
some light on the question of taxing
incomes. In his case It is a tax on his
wages. do not wish to discuss the
matter Of collections for 1901. Under
the circumstances "Nictim" ought to
be- happy in the thought that the col
lection did not take in 1900 as well.
He must be doubly victim" when
| he goes to quoting the United States
Constitution around these diggngs
"UnsophistiCated in the ways of this
part of the world is a good way to
put II. This country is being run on
| policy of "to HI with the COnstitu.
tion" and the people be ID Mark
this well and heed it.
advise Victim" not to be too pre-.
Bumptuous about ventilating such
| small matters as a little special tax
on wages: be thankful that you have
enough wages to be taxed. Others
have run up against the whole thing
before this, and to be forewarncd is to
be forearmed. II you have a job
work. don't let such crank hCresy as
your mention of constitution" would
| indicate. to get the best OF your judg.
ment, or you will regret the utteranCe
of such clap.trap, as others before you
have done. Take my advice and let
good enough alone"
Coming down to this matter of a
| tax on incomes, it is a wonder that
not Victim" alone but 90 out of every
! 100 of the remaining wage.earning
taX.paying fraternity allow themselves
TO be mulcted out of much more than
the amount Of the income tax, in a
hundred indirect ways, but yell as
! though hit with a brick when stood up
\ fol- a lump sum. Dig.
Every dollar of personal tax every
| cent of license fees. no matter for
what paid are as direct tax on the
wage-earncr as though taxed to him as
income. More than this. It frequently
happens that goods in the course of
manufacture from the raw material
aud until they reach the consumer are
exposed to tax at each stage of the
process. Take sugar as an example.
Taxed as raw material, II goes TO the
refinery and Is there taxed as stock in
warehouse: then as the refined article
Il risks another tax while in the
hands Of. first. the wholesaler, and
then the retailer; finally reaching the
consumer with these various cXpendit.
ures added to cost of manufacture.
What Is true OF sugar Is equally true OF
every kind of manufactured goods.
The laboring classes form by far the
greater percentage of consumers, and
hence the burden Of these indirect
taxes fall most heavily upon them, and
this, too, in an inyCrsely increasing
ratio. The less the wages received,
compared with the earning power oil
the individual, the greater the per.
Centage OF taxes borne,
To illustrate: The profits to capital
invested in the sugar business hold a
fixed relation to cost of production
The lower this cost can he forced the
greater the profits and vice versa. Tho
number OF individual workers is moi
changed. and where other economic
factors do not enter into consideration
the earning power OF the individual il
unchanged.
Eva plantation, with an expenditure
Of less than 100000 for labor (2O0C
men being Employed. made net prof
II of Sl.020,0O0 on its crop for 1900
and this was 20 per cent on its pres
ent capital stock. This plantation as
II stands today represents an original
investment OF not over one.fourth ri
the present capitalization. This orig
nal investmcn, would have been dead
but for the assistance OF labor to iii
the soil and make II productive, ant
every dollar OF increase in the capita
stock. together with the excess earn
ings Of capital, represent wages anC
the difference between the wage!
earned and those received by tn,
worker represents the most burden
some tax known to this iniquitOul
world. II Is this factor that inovitabl!
makes the rich riCner and the poo
poorer.
To illustrate this last point: How
many shareholders, each with hi
; Comfortable dividends, are there IL
l this plantation as an Offset to tn,
: 1000 workers therein? Each, with hi
= pittanCe of wages. has the sam,
wants" as the more fortunate share
D hOlder-a mouth to feed. a back L
Clothe and all the 'incidcntals" tina
/ go to make up the ambitions and ava
TiCes OF even his station in life: ant
that they are pampered to IS show
by the profits" declared uy the plan
v tatiOn store"
: Could the truth be known, the dali,
I expenses" OF the 1000 plantation
. hands exceed those OF the entire nun
a Der OF shareholders. Everything the
. eat. drink and wear Is loaded dow
i with indirect taxes, and as the rati
, Of expense to -nCome, so are the hul
. dcns OF this tax increased or deCrea'
ed. Less profits" on the enhance
capital and Il laircr apportionment {
J" wage would make some weary worker
think the second coming Of Christ wa
q n hand
It II labor would strike at the root {
e the evil instead Of striking at the fru
}. II has borne. there might he a day {
d emancipation for its slaves as ther
IS was for the slaves OF the SouthCr
II States.
y, Every acre Of water rights" an
." land area that Is being hartered ava
B" in this Territory Is welding MOI
v shackles for labor and increasing Il
H. number OF ~ ICtims."
p Vote 20 tax land values ana publ
70 utilities only, and you will throw Il
~ burden and yoke from labor and
"a VICTIM"
DIR, LIEBER DYING.