The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1903-03-20
OUR NATIONAL EXCHEQUER.

OUR NATIONAL EXCHEQUER.
The form of taxation adopted by
the United States Government is of
such an insidious nature that few
people realize the heavy extent to
which they are taxed in order to
support our form OF Government.
The money is collected in an indirect
manner, in the way of laying duties
on necessities of life, instead Of max
ing direct per capita assessment. 1t
would be farbetter four Government
would change to direct personal
tax so that each individual would
realize the amount he is contributing
towards the support of the many en-
travagances which are annually in
Cured by Congress. While ofcoursc,
it would bear directly OH the rich and
thepoor alike, yet the difference would
be small, as nearly all the tariff
duties are collected from the necessi-
ties of those who have Il moderate
income. The tariff question is a
matter of education and while the
Democrats have for years attempted
to show the people that they are
contributing a much larger amount
that what is necessary for the
economical administration of public
affairs, yet it seems that so tarnany
people have remained ignol@1t or
careless.
The fairest way to raise the money
is undoubtedly the tax on incomes.
This has been in vogue in England
for many centuries and works with
perfect success. 1t has been said that
the system would not work well
here, but many of us recall the time
when Congress passed an income tax,
which was afterwards declared M
constitutional by the Supreme Court
of the United States by majority
vote. Many of its workings were III
practical operation before the Court
decided this point and every one was
accepting the details in a matter of
fact manner. The Democratic party
is pledged by its national platform
to pass an income tax law, and should
it ever again come into power there
is no question of doubt but that one,
which will stand in the highest Courts
of the land, will be adopted. If the
income tax is constitutional in Eng
land, which has been the fountain
head from which all civilized
countries have drawn their common
law, it could be made constitutional
in this country.
That there is something wrong i'll
our present mode ofexpending money
no one can gainsay. The President
for example, is practically powerless
so far as the regular appropriation
bills are concerned with the excep-
ton of that of rivers and harbors.
The other appropriation bills must
be passed in order to keep the wheels
of Government going and into
those can be run almost any extrava-
gance which the President is COM
PEELED to accept or else veto the whole
bill. Under our constitution, the
President cannot pick out items such
asis allowed the governors of many
States and mayors of cities, under
modern charters. He must take it
all or none. Transportation COM
mittee Of the House Of Representa-
tives, where all general appropriation
bills are drafted, operate on the
standing together" principle, the
members agreeing to allow other APP
preparations so long as their own
pet measures receive 4 liberal supply
from the nations exchequer. 1t is
easy to understand why berth on
this committee is SO exceedingly de
sirable as a single individual can
accomplish almost anything he
desires for his local constituency,
provided he stands by his neighbors' !
wishes.
A few years ago, when we had Il
billion dollar Congress, the country
was up in arms. Theappropriations |
of the last Congress exceeded two
billions however, and we heard no
outcry. This was largely due doubt
less to the TACT that the Democrats /
had decided to accept the inevitable
as matter of course, while the
Republicans were afraid to say any
thing against their own party. The
campaign of 1904 will afford an ex-
cellent opportunity to bring to the
front the extravagances which have
been practiced since President Cleve-
land left the White House and, if, we
nominate Democratic candidate on
the right kind of Il platform, a cam
paign can be fought on this issue.
The party has seldom suffered a de-
fat when the question of tariff was