Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-31

modest home Of the producing laborer-
with his few pictures, parlor rug, enam-
elled beds and meagre comforts-would
be Tree, on the other, the ornate furnish
lhss or the rich man would yield an an
nual income to the Government
On the $4,000 rug from Persia in MS
library, the silken-soft carpets and hang
lngS throughout his house: on the golden
brocaded furniture in his drawing room.
the spacious, yielding chairs of luxurious
ease in his den; on the priceless Gobelin
tapestries, the paintings OF Millet and
Corot, the treasured antiuues-even 10
the wall paper from Japan, the mural
decorations and glttering chandeliers
the rich man would pay annually a tax Of
= per cent. For say the economists,
money thus spent ceases TO earn wealth
and employ labor Why not tax II so
long as the rich man enjoys the product?
Art treasures bought for the public
benefit would, of course, be exempt from
lax. But the millionaire who gamers
world treasures in his own gallery. such
as Senator Clark, OF Montana. would be
taxed on the purchase price CT each
painting. IL he buys Rembrandt for
SlOo,0o0 he would pay tax annually OF
5000 for the pleasure Of exhibiting and
gazing upon this cherished treasure For
the esthetic JOY derived by him and his
plethoric friends after dinner in an
evening, while they smoke rich, velvet
HaVahas and the owner extols his pos
session and tells how he came by it, the
Government would reap n fair income.
John Rockefeller for instance, under
the new plan would pay an annual tax
upon the $4,000 Venus which he recent
~ bought TO adorn the pergola on his
estate at Pocantico Hills, n. Y. ]. Pier.
pont Morgan would pay q tax upon the
rare manuscripts in his possession.
Nothing would escape.
Tribute to Caesar on
the Prize Chef.
Not the least important item of such
taxation would he on the servants en-.
ployed. For that impeccable chef, that
wizard OF tile kitchen, that Edison of
the culinary science, that treasure found
in Paris and exported to the United
states, the rich man would pay a tax.
Say the chef receives "A salary OF $4,000,
the man who enjoys those palate-teasin2
sauces, those exquisite entrees and per-
lectly roasted not too high" birds would
pay the Government $4,000 annually. Ho
would pay q tax also on the food Law
lshiy served and prodigally wasted; on
his cellar Of wines, his picked cigars
Such Il tax. it is suggested would be reg
Waited much as the Federal tax on LIQUOR
ana tobacco; that is, by the use OF
stamps.
iHiS lAA WOuiu cover all the servants
and would be based on the salaries paid
each. For The obsequfous butler-paid
according to his manners-and The foot.
man badecked IN gold lace n tax would
be paid. This would apply to the valet
the srooms and coachmcn. 1t would OK.
tend to the rich mans horses, carriages
and stables.
Horses would not be the only animals
on which tax would be gathered. how
ever. On the priZownring Poinmeran.
ian owned By his wife. worth, lei us say
$1,000 tho rich mhn would pay an an.
nnal tax OF SEQ. There would be tax
also Oh the aristrocratic angora, golden
IN hue. purrng coEtentedly in madamo's
bOuGoir
All that gratihes the vanity of the
woman Of wealth would yield a rich in
come to the Government. On an aver.
age rich woman possesses from TWEEN.
~ to thirty evening gowns, each worth
probably from $500 to $1,000, and on
each tax OF per cont Of the cost
would be assessed She will have, in ali
likelihood, a hundred pairs of shoes. es
pecially made, matching her dresses,
worth in all $2.5O0--these would be
taxed. She would be assessed for the