The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-14
MONEY IS PEOPLES,
SAYS CARNEGIE
Tells Civic Federation He
Favors the Imposition of
a Heavy Inheritance Tax
LARGE RICHES INJURY

NEW YORK, Dec. l3.-Andrew Car
negie expressed the opinion before the
National Civic Federation today that
the country should impose an enor-
nous graduated inheritance tax upon
the wealth Of deceased men, as the
money belonged TO the community.
Such tax would produce a better dis
trtbution Of wealth. he said. Excessive
wealth left TO a child was an injury, he
declared He opposed the income tax.
Melville E. Ingalls, of Cincinna II
spoke before the federation on the
subject Of an income and inheritance
tax. He said that there had been in
the last few years three prolific
sources Of multi-millionaires which
were open 70 criticism. These, he
said. were the tariff. illegal favors and
contracts given 70 shippers by the rail-
roads and the securing by means which
were questionable OF contracts at nom
insl prices for the use of the streets of
various cities for the purpose of trans
portation and lighting. He said that IL
legal favors had been in many cases
wrung from the railways by the ship
pers and said that this form of evil
had been used in combination with the
tariff
The high tariff and railway re-
bates" said ingalls,. have in the last
few years produced more multi mil
lionsires than anyone dreamed could
exist in any country
August Belmonts position as presi-
dent of the federation on the question
Of the income and inheritance tax was
explained by him. He declared that his
remarks of yesterday had been misin-
terpreted by the newspapers. saying;
What I said was that wise and
just method OF taxation would be Of
great good, but that spoilation was
quite another matter. I don't believe
that men as a general proposition can
accumulate large fortunes dishonesty
and improperly. Those fortunes mostly
come through large corporations The
stockholders have rights. and that
these fortunes are accumulated IN an
improper manner all over this country
and, therefore. must be reduced in a
punitive spirit was what 1 meant TO
deny Not that a tax on inheritance
should not be passed. but that it should
be done from the point Of view OF just
and wise taxation and on some eco
nomic grounds.
Andrew Carnegie said: i think an
income tax would penetrate business
TO the core. I think this country would
never regret anything so much as 10
impose such a tax. I differ from the
President strongly on the subject of
the income tax. But / am in Pc
culiar position on the Inheritance tax;
advocating that is something like get
ting e better distribution Of wealth
The subject Of wealth distribution Will
not down.
Our country fails in its duty if it
does not exact a share. tremendous
share. Of the estate of the enormously
wealthy man when he dies. The money
belongs 10 the community. Don't mis-
take me- don't advocate making a
man pauper OF the p6uperizing of his
children But 1T is not the millionaire
who made the wealth. He did not make
the ore, or the coal. or the gold that
he dug from the ground.
The Montana copper mine owner did
not make his wealth II belongs in the
abstract TO the people who use it and
who produce the use which makes 1t
valuable.
7 am with the President. then, TO
70 tax heavily by graduated taxation
every man who dies, leaving behind
him his millions, for ! think that eX-
cessive wealth TO a child is an injury.