Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1916-01-20
(By Edward Heating, Cong1 essman
from the Third Colorado District.)

from the Third COLORADO Dlstrlct')
Before the people of Europe became
insane on August 1, 1914, England was
collecting through it's income and In
aeritance taxes between five and SIX
dollars per capita, per year, or total
amount of $300,000,000.
At the same date the United States
vas collecting from income and cor
rtoration taxes about 80 cents per capl
ia per year, or total of about $50,
100000. and was levying no inherit
ance tax for federal purposes Many
of our states have inheritance taxes
but the total revenue derived is less
than $2Qa90,0OO per ye2r.
The wealth of this country is est
mated at 1870 billion dollars tWic
the total claimed by England, which
next to our country, is the richest ma
ton in the world.
Distribution of Wealth.
We are assured on the very h1ghes
authority that two7p per cent of our pee
pie control sixty per cent OF ou-
wealth. Thirty-three per cent control
thirty-five per cent and sixtyfve per
cent enjoy five per cent OF the stag
gering total This unequal distribu
ton is regarded by all thoughtful men
as a very serious menace to our instl'
buttons and has caused economists to
ask: rs the wealth of the nation
bearing its just share of the cost OF
maintaining organized society,"
Aside from the comparatively small
amount from the income and corpora
ton taxes. our national revenues are
derived from tariff duties and internal
revenue taxes. These taxes, affecting
as they do, the neeessaries of life, ex
act as havy toll from the poor man
as they do from the rich man.
have told in these letters the
story of how Congressman Prouty OF
Iowa. a Republican, in urging the
adoption of the income tax, declared
on the floor of the national house Oh
representatives that a section fore
man in his district contributed as
much to the support of the national
governm lent as did John D. Rockefel
| Ter, the richest man in the world.
In other words, the section foreman
and his wife and children consumed
as much of the things taxed by Uncle
Sam as did the oil magnate and his
family, and, of course, the tariff and
the internal revenue tax were added
to the price of everything the section
J foreman and his family consumed.
An Unjust System. -
Since Prouty delivered his speech q
Democratic congress has enacted an
| income tax and now Mr.. Rockefeller
contributes each year a very large
sum to the national treasury
But does he pay enough measured
by his ability to pay and by the bene
fits he receives from organized
society?E
Judged by the English standards, he
does not
| If Mr.. Rockefeller had lived in Eng
land before the war, he would have
been required to pay at least twice
and probably three times the income
| tax he contributed to Uncle Sam. In
addition, when he died, from fifteen
to twenty-five per cent of his vast
estates would have gone to the gov
eminent.
England to Double Rates.
AS a result of the war, England will
probably double these rates.
| \ In taxing wealth, England is no
/ uIdklHS Wal OH TpClP AAcA.- II 10 ihCAOaJ
endeavoring to place the burdens o
government on the shoulders bes
j able to support them. Some of thu
rich men of England complain, bu
the majority are silent and apparent
~ satisfied.
4 Lord Northcliffe stated in recen
interview: Before this war ends
believe I will be required to contri
butte fifty per cent of my income II
! the government. After the war tn
tax, in my Judgment. will be equal,
l high. But / am not complaining.
In this country we are told that ",
must raise at least $20O,000,000 add
tional revenue each year to meet thu
cost Of national preparedness"
Plan for This Country
/ l have suggested to my colleague