Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1916-07-22
INCOME TAKE FOR ALL

Under existing law less than onehalf OF per cent OF the people
pay an income tax. OF the $4,000 persons who contributed in 1915, all
year.
This is class taxation of the most pronounced kind. 1t not only y
empts the great. body OF citizens having incomes OF $4,000. if single, and
$4,000, if married, but it makes a sorry showing in its returns from the
very prosperous. 1t might almost be called a measure to "a incomes
ranging from $1,000 to $4,000.
The revenue bill goes from the house to the senae without
change in the exemptions, although the "a itself upon all incomes be-
low $4,000 is doubled. 1t does no. eem possible that members of the
senate a consider this proposition very seriously without discovering
the weakness OF the theory involved.
AS to the comparatively small number who pay surfaces o incomes
i'll excess of $4,000, the problem is probably n of collection rather than
legislation. The evasons must be umerous and glazing. National
wealth is increasing as ever before in our history, but taN payments on
great incomes show few signs of it,
To give this levy the proper scope of a national tax it should apply
to all incomes in excess of $1,000, possibly $500 in the cases of heads
of families. Such a provision, instead OF combining the tx to a few
hundred thousands, would reach many millions. As the money is needed
for national defense, the largest possible number should be put under
contribution.
When it was proposed in the house the other day to reduce the
exemption to $1,000 and $1,000 it "a stated that by so doing nor
than a n additional $5W0O00 would be collected. This is an absurduy
on its face, but if these exemptions were cut in two there could be no
question tina. the yield in revenue would be very great
In some foreign countries the exemption is less than 500. In Great
Britain it is 5000. Our Civil war income tx placed it at 5000 and the
rate was per cent. The 2 per cent of the present law if applied to in
comes above $1,000 or $500 would carry the payments down % sums
a much-necded acquaintance with the COST of government, and 1t would
at once excite a lively interest in all parts Of the country i'll the colec-
ton OF moneys due o n big incomes o hidden.
The Internal Revenue Bureau has n figures at present o N the NUM-
Der OF Americans having incomes in excess OF $1,000 or $500, but two
recent publications throw SOM light N the subject. There are Tor
than l4IOOWU depostors IN national banks. In ade or therWis men
with net incomes OF less than $1,000 are not apt to have national bank &C
counts. According to the report OF the Wicks committee, n New York
farmer in three makes moncy-that is. acquires a surptus-and ne in
600 owners of farms in the United States. 1t is known also that there
are many small tradespeoDle, weIpaid mechanics and prosperous pro
feSional mn now exempt who should be made to pay something as a
matter Of principle and as a testo democracy.
Income taxes have come o stay. More and more they nus super
sde unequal taxation. The more widely they are distributed the greater
will be the popular interest in government and governmental RESPONSE
biity TO the people.