The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-06-11

the legislation OF Congress. but it is now
unequlvocally adopted in the leading civ
ilZcd nations Of the world-in, for in
stance. Great Britain France: and Ger
many. Switzerland led off with the i'm
position of high progressive rates. Great
Britain was the first Of the great ma
few years both France and Germany have
adopted the principle In Great Britain
all estates worth $4,000 or less are prac
tlcally exempt from death duties. while
the Increase Is such that when an es-
tate exceeds five millions OF dollars In
value and passes 10 a distant kinsman or
stranger in blood the Government re-
ccivcs nearly is per cent. In France
under the progressive system. so much
of an inheritance as exceeds ten millions
Of dollars pays over 20 per cent 10 the
State if il passes 10 distant relative,
and per cent II II passes to direct
heir. In Germany very small inheritances
are exempt. but the tax Is so sharply
progressive that an inheritance not in
ceeds S250.000 If ii goes 10 distant rela-
lives is taxed At the rate OF about %
per cent The German law is OF special
interest, because IL makes the inheritance
tax an imperial measure, while allotting
10 the individual States OF the Empire
a portion OF the proceeds and permitting
them 10 impose taxes In addition TO those
imposed by the Imperial Government In
the United States the National Govern
ment has more than once imposed inher-
itance taNos In addition TO those imposed
BY the States, and In the last instance
about one-half OF the States levied such
taxes concurrently with the National
Government. making 81 combined maxi
mum rate. I'm some cnscs as high as -
per cent, and. matter of fact, sew
eral States adopted Inheritance tax laws
for the first time while the national law
was still in force and unrepealed, The
French law has one feature which Is to
be heartily commended. The progressive
principle Is so applied that each higher
rate is imposed only on the excess above
the amount subject 20 the next lower
rate. The plan Is peculiarly adapted to
the working out of the theory of using
limiting the size Of iuheriiab ble fortunes.
since the progressive Increase I'm the
rates. according to this mode may he
carried TO it's logical conclusion In a max
imum rate OF nearly 100 per cent for the
amount In excess Of a specified sum,
without being conllscatory as TO the rest
Of the inheritance; Tor each increase IN
rate would apply only TO the amount
above a certain maximum. I do not be-
ieve that amy advantage comes either 10
the country as a whole or TO the individ
uals tnhertinG the money by permitting
the transmission in their entirety OF such
enormous fortunes as have been accumu-
lated I'm America. The tax could he made
to bear more heavily upon persons reSld
ing out OF the country than upon those
residing within 1t. Such a heavy pro-
gresslve tax Is Of course in no shape or
way tax on thrift or industry. for thrift
and industry have ceased to possess any
measurable Importance in the acquisition
Of the swollen fortunes of which | speak
long before the tax would in any way Sc
riously affect them. Such a tax would
he one OF the methods by which We
should try TO preserve measurable
equality OF opportunity for the people OF
the generation growing 10 manhood. AS
Lincoln pointed out. there are some re-
spects in which men are obviously not
equal: but there is no reason why there
should not be an equality OF self-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 obtains the chance
TO show the stuff that is in him when
compared with his fellows.