Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-12-04

his daily life and In the way he earns.
and spends his money, but it should
also be recognized by the way IL
which he pays for the protection the
state gives him. On the one hand. it
is desirable that he should assume his
full and proper share Of the burden of
taxation; on the other hand, 1t is quite
as necessary that In this kind Of taxa
tion. where the men who vote the tax
pay but little of It, there should be
clear recognition of the danger of in
augurating any such system save in a
spirit OF entire Justice and moderation.
Whenever we as a people undertake to
remodel our taxation system along the
lines suggested we must make 1t clear
beyond peradventure that our aim is to
distribute the burden Of supp orting the
government more equitably than at
present, that we intend to treat rich
man and poor man on basis Of abso-
lutte equality and that we regard 1t as
equally fatal to true democracy to do
or permit injustice to the one as to do
or permit Injustice to the other. s g.
VI j am well aware that such a subject
as this needs long and careful study in
order that the people may become ia
miliar with what is proposed to be
done, may clearly see the necessity Of
proceeding with wisdom and self re-
straint and may make up their minds
just how far they are willing to 60 in
the matter, while only trained legis-
slators can work out the project in
necessary detail. But ] feel that in the
near future our national legislators
should enact a law providing for a
graduated Inheritance tax by which a
steadily increasing rate Of duty should
be put upon all moneys or other val
uables coming by gift, bequest or de-
wise to any individual or corporation
1t may be well to make the tax heavy
/ In proportion as the Individual bene-
flied is remote of kin. In any event, In
my judgment, the pro rata Of the tax
should increase very heavily with the
increase Of the amount left to any one
Individual after certain point has
been reached. 1t Is most desirable to
encourage thrift and ambition, and a
potent source of thrift and ambition
Is the desire on the part Of the bread
winner to leave his children we'll off.
This object can be attained by making
the tax very small on mod erate amounts
of property left, because the prime OBJ
tect should be to put a constantly in
creasing burden on the inheritance of
those swollen fortunes which it is GER
tainly Of no benefit to this country to
perpetuate. ;s: rss ss5.s So
Ethical Propriety unsuestioned.
81 There can be no question Of the eth
zeal propriety Of the government thus
determining the cond lions upon which
any gift or Inheritance should be re-
1HEaftl i. haW Ter the inner
nas tunes u question 1t is not neces sarv
present to discuss. 1t ID wise III
8 progress in this direction slonld &,
+ gradual At first a permanent 4
! tional Inheritance tax, while ii MIC
be more substantial than any. s,1cl, &
a mas hitherto been. need not apnrox
y mate, either In amount or in the i,
tent OF the Increase BY graduation. II
!, what such q tax should ultimately Ia
& his species OF tax has again q 4
: agaln been imposed, although onl
TEN zen mporar1ly BY the national govern
i ment. It was first imposed by the AZ
I OF JulyS6, 1797, when the makers of til
I consfi tutien We're alive and at the hea
u q affairs. It was "a graduated ta,
81 . Enough small in amount, the rate wa
8 increased with the amount left to an
individual, exceptions being made i
q the case of certain close kin. A sim
y liar tax was again Imposed BY the &C
OF July 1867, a minimum sum o
q SLooO in personal property being ex
\ cepted from taxation. the tax then be
4 coming progressive according to th,
4 renmoteness of kin. The war revenu,
I act Of June ID, 1893, provided For al
4 inheritance tax on any sum exceedins
Tn Ihe value of $4,000, the rate Of thf
1 tax increasing both In accordance witt
tne amounts ''tlll left and in accordance
With the legatee's remoteness of kin
| Ihe supreme court has held that The
succession tax imposed at the time 81
| lne civil war was not direct tax. but
an impost or excise which was both
consti tutional and valid. More recent
~ the n court, in an opinion delivered by
~ MI. Justice White. which contained an
exceedingly able and elaborate discus
B sion Of the powers Of the congress- to
impose death duties, sustained the
const tionality of the Inheritance fax 8.
ature3 of the war revenue act Of 1898.
Earlier legislation Reviewed,
ln its incidents and apart from the
main purpose Of raising revenue an in
come tax stands on an enttiir Nv differ
emit footing from an inheritanee tax
5pecause It involves no question Of the
perpe tuation OF fortunes swollen to an
unhealthy Inn size. The question is III ia
essence - question of the proper adj
1nstment Of burdens to dement's. Az
the law now stands 1t is undoubtedly
oifficult to devise d national income tax
which shall be constitutional. But
IT ~ alb olutely impossible is
another question. and IL possible it ii
most certainly desirable. The first
miro 10