New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-06
CUSTOMS AND INCOME TAX

The adoption of the income TAX
amendment makes the task OF tue Dem
oeratic tariff revisers in one respect
nuch easier. They do not have 10 con
Scern themselves greatly with the ques
lion OF revenue but can go on 10 "u-
inst the duties 10 their theories, II they
can agre,e among themselves WHAT tuose
theories are. Indeed they must DO so,
for they can 10 longer attribute vl0la-
ton of their principles 10 the necessl-
ties Of the Treasury, as Mr. Underwood
did In tbe matter of taxing raw WOOL
They can give themselves TO the re-
demp,jon Of their promise TO reduce the
cost of living with the certainty oil De-
ling able to meet by this new tax any
reasonable shrlnkage I'm customs re-
ceipts.
Rut with this free hand goes danger
ous responsibility. Assuming that the
new administration will strive 10 pe
economical and that the requirements
Of the government will not greatly IN
crease. the general public must get III
relief from tariff taxation the equiva-
I lent Of ell that II pays in income TAXA
ZION. and also. if Democratic theories
he true. a vastly larger return III the
lowering Of prices. Governor wilson
desire is TO bring business down 10
more keenly competitive basis. Where
this can he done without prostratihs
business it ought 10 mean that FOR u
comparatively small reduction IN feVe-
nue-perhaps no reduction at ALL 1or
The increased importation of competing
articles might more than make No for
the lowering of rates-the price OF u
,,reat volume of domestic goods would
he lowered TO the consumer. II thaC
can be- accomplished without the sacrl-
ice Of wages and business prosperity
the resort to the income tax 10 replen-
ish the revenue will be popular. II, on
the other hand. the average citizen finds
living costs as much as ever. or. IL u
Is reduced. that his salary or other IN
come has been reduced still more. while
incomes are being subjected to an add
tional levy. the architects Of the new
scheme will face trouble.
Doubtless there are persons in tins
country whose interest in the income
tax is inspired by the wish TO penalize
wealth. They want TO bleed the mill
ionaires. and FOR that purpose would
impose The tax quite regardless or the
governments need of the money or the
possible reduction OF other taxation.
The great body OF the people, however,
we believe. look to the income tax only
as a iuster method of raising needed
revenue. and no more revenue than Is
needed, and expect 10 see those who en-
iov comfortable incomes lift the burden
from the larger number OF consumers,
whose cost OF living they think is IN
creased by the indirect tariff duties.
Bothersome az the income tax may re,
probably most Of those who pay IL
would be satisfied, 50 far as the money
contribution went. if they saw pro-
portional relief In the expenses OF them
selves aud their neighbors. Neither
they nor their poorer neighb0rs. how
ever. will be satisfied TO see the raising
of revenue In large measure transferred
from the custom house 10 the income
TAX Office while they pay az much for
living In proportion 10 their wages "a
they did when the government was
placing higher indirect taxes on their
consumption. There il the test Of the
prospective fiscal system. Is it 10 lie
a relief or 1ust a new exactiont