The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-03-28
THE PROPOSED INCOME TAX

The Washington correspondent of
the New York Tribune sends out the
information that the Democrats are
determined upon the imposition of an
income tax. This, as we have pointed
out heretofore, is a complete departure
from the Democratic protestatiou Of
economy and the promise Of reduc-
tion of the expenses of the Govern
ment. Indeed, the Democratic pre-.
tense for such economy was thrown
to the wind by the recent Democratic
House, which, while dcnonncing the
extravaganza Of the previous Repub-
lican sessions, actually rolled up ap.
preparations amounting to nearly $780,.
100000 larger than ary other session
Of Congress had appropriated
BY reason Of tie Democratic com.
plants against Republican extrava-
gance and Democratic promises of
economy if that party were given
power, we had reason to expect that
even after such reductions in the tariff
schedules as the Democrats might pro-
pose, there would still be ample money
left to run the Government without
the imposition of additional taxes. But
all at once we find as an undoubted
and determined purpose on the part
of the Democrats for an imposition of
an income tax at the very first Congress
succeeding the Constitutional amend
| Dlent which allows Of the imposition
of that tax. This is an inconsistent
proposition altogether on the part of
| the Democrats, aud is a tax burden
which the country had no reason to
expect that the Democrats would i'm.
pose upon it,
The correspondent referred to gives
a consistent idea Of what ii is that
| the Democrats propose. He SAYS that
the bill that will be reported by the
Democrats will tax all incomes in ex-
cess OF $4,000. Representative Hull of
the House Ways and Means Commit
! tee, who is called the income tax ex
pert of the House, is quoted as fa
voring tax Of one per cent on all
earned incomes in excess of $500 and
tax Of one and one-half per cent on
unearnod incomes, and graduated
higher tax as the amount of the in.
| come increases. Right here Represen.
tative Hull would raise question as
to the validity of the tax which he
proposes, for even under the income
tax amendment it is doubtful if Con.
gress would have the power 10 make
a discrimination in the rate of taxa.
| ton as between earned income and
income received from inherited estates
or invested principal. The intent eyi.
IDENTIFY is to make a distinction be.
tween the wage.earner who may earn
more than $500 year and the one
who gets above $500 a year from
investment that he has not himself
earned Whether the Supreme Court
would affirm a distinction like this ;s
a question; but it can generally he az.
sumed that legislative body will be
pretty sure to raise questions for the
courts to settle.
The rate Of taxation proposed. one
per cent. say Up 10 $4,000. is not Sc.
we're. But As we have clearly shown
and the fact evidently is, the country
had no reason to expect that the Demo
crals would impose any additional tax
IL all, either by way of income fax
or otherwise: for the Democrats have
been blatant in insisting that the Gov.
erGment' revenues were far above
the needs of the public: that the
Republicans were extravagaut and
wasteful In making appropriations that
they did; and have been loud IN their
promises that if the Democrats were
given power there would be such econ
omy in the Governmental expenditures
as would relieve the people from large
burdens % taxation, And 10. at the
very FIRST opportunity the Democrats
get. they propose 10 impose an income
tax, form Of taxation that ought not
10 he resortcd TO except in some Gov
erumental crisis like the Civil War;
and the imposition Of it clearly gives
the lie 10 ell Of their promises of
economy. and 10 their indignant ar
raigsmcnts of the Republican partv for |
extrsvaganec and waste.