The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-12-04


to buy IN automobile no invites disaster,
ard when wealthy men, or men who
pose ns such, Or are unscrupulously or
foolishly eager TO become such, indulge
In reckless speculation- especially II III
IA accompanied by dishonesty jeo.
pafdize not only their own future but
the future Of all their Innocent fellow
citizens. for they expose the whole busI.
ness community 10 panic and distress
Income Tax and Inheritance Tax.
When our tax laws arc revised the
question Of an income tax and an In
hefitance tax should receive the careful
attention Of our legislators, In my
judgment both Of these taxes should bel
part Of our system Of Federal taxation,
speak diilidcntly about the Income tax
because one scheme for an Income tax
was declared unconstitutional by the
Supreme Court, while In addition II Ia
difficult tax TO administer IN Its practi'
cal working, and great care would have
TO be exercised 10 see that II was not
eyadrd by the very men whom " sas
most desirable to have taxed, for II 80
cyaded II would. OF course. bo worse
than no tax At ALI a. tho least desir'
able of all taxes II the tax which bears
heavily upon the honest ~ compared
with the dishonest man. Nevertheless,
a graduated Income tax Of the proper
type would be desirable feature ot
Federal taxation aud II is 10 be hoped
that one may be devised which the Sup
RENE Court win declare constitutional.
The inheritance tax, however. IL both
far better method OF taxation, and far
more important for the purpose Of hay
Ing the fortunes OF the country bear In
proportion 10 their increase In sixs a
corresponding Increase and burden Of
taxation, The Government has the alb.
sola.e right TO decide as TO the terms
upon which man shall receive d bequcst
or devise from another. and this point
In the lovolntion of property II especial
" appropriate for the imposition Of a
tax. Laws Imposing such taxes have
repeatedly been placed upon the National
statute books and as repeatedly eonstl
tutloual by the courts. and these laws
contained the progressive principle, that
IN. after certain amount IN reached
the bequest or gift. In life or death. Il
increasingly burdcncd and the rate OF
taxation Is increased Ia proportion 10
the remoteness OF blood Of the man re-.
reivlng tho beqncst, These principles
are freogalzed already IN The leading
civilized nations OF the world. In Great
Britain all the estates worth 5000 or
less are practically exempt from death
duties. while the increase il such that
kykAs, IA, Rtuts Nt4a sstitIta.s nj
dollars in value and passes 10 distant
klnsmcn or stianger In blood the Govern.
ment receives all told an amount equi.
yalent to nearly ifth of the whole
estate. In France no much of an inheri.
tance "a exceeds si0.000.000 pays over
a iiith to the State II Il passes to u dis
tant relative. The German law Is es.
pcoially intefestin 10 us because II
makes the inheritance tax an imperial
measure while allotting to the indiyid.
aal State OF the Empire portion OF the
proceeds and permitting them to Inn
pose taxes In addition TO those imposed
By the Imperial Government. Small In.
heritanees are exempt, but the tax Ia so
sharply progressive that when the inher.
itancc II still not very large, provided
II Is not an agricultural OF forest
land. II IA taxed at the rate OF 25 per
cent II II goes TO distant relatives. There
" not reason why in the United States the
Government should not impose inheri.
tance taxes In addition to those impos.
cd BY the State and when We last had
an inheritance tax about one.half OF the
State levied such taxes concurrcntly
with the National Government, making
combined maximum rate. In some
cases as high as 25 per cent. The French |
law has one feature which Ia to be heart, |
ily commended, The progressive prin.
ciple is No applied that each higher rate
10 imposed only on the excess above the
amount subject TO the next lower rate;
50 that each increase OF rate will apply
only to certain amount above Ger.
tain maximum. The tax should II pos
sible be made TO bear more heavily upon
those residing without the country than
within 1t. A heavy progressive tax upon
very large fortune ii In no way sucn
tax upon thrift or industry as like
Y tax would be Oh small fortune. mol
Advantage comes either to the country
as a whole or to the individuals inherit.
ing the money By permitting the trans
mission in their entirety Of the enor
nous fortune which would be affected
by such q tax; and as an incident to
its function Of revenue raising such
tax would help TO preserve q measurable
equality Of opportunity for the people
Of the generations growing to manhood,
We have not the slightest sympathy
with that socialistic idea which would
try to put lazinesS, thriftlcness and in.
efficiency on par with industry, thrift
and efficiency; which would strive to
break up not merely private property,
but what Is far more important, the
home, the chief prop upon which our
whole civilization stands. Such the
ory, II ever adopted. would mean the
ruin OF the entire country--a ruin which
would bear heaviest upon the weakest,
upon those least able to shift for them.
selves. But proposals for legislation
such as this herein advocated are direct
IL opposed to this class Of socialistic
theories. Our aim Is to recognize what
Lincoln pointed out The fact that
there are some respects in which men
are obviously not equal; but also to
insist that there should be- an equality
OF sclf,respect and of mutual respect,
an equality OF rights before the law, and
at least an approximate equality in the
conditions under which each man oh