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Income Taxation

Income Taxation image
Parent Issue
Day
28
Month
June
Year
1893
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The principie that one small daas of ;he people sluill be made to bear a distinct and extraordinary burdeu of taxa;ion, solely because they are rich, of wliich the great masses of tlie people shall bear no part, is the very essence of that socialism against which civilization protests, and which good judgment and high conscience condemn. So long as iutelligently, equitably directed euergy and enterprise are the niost direct roads to wealth, or so long as wealth is the just reward of those who develop the natural wealth, and resources, the mines, the commerce, the industries, and the science of the people, wealth cannot be fairly or wisely conuemned, nor can those who so acquire it be considered public enemies aiul made by the government to pay a special class penalty or tax because of superior energy, enterprise, ability and thrift. The whole spirit of our government, which declares every citizeu equal before the law, is antagonistic to class distinctions of any and every kind, and any class tax is abhorrent to the spirit of our constitution, as it is in its very nature un-democratic and unAmerican. If incomes are to be taxed let them all, each for itself, contribute a fair share and part of the general ainouut. Under no other condition can a tax on incomes be justified. It is the first law of all equitable taxation that it shall be without discrimination, that it shall be uiiiforui. An incoine tax levied only apon a single rlass, and that clasB largely distinguished for its building acbievements in building upthe wealth, power, and dignity of the Nation, and espechtllv for provjding incomes to the inillions to whoui it gives employment, is a tax which only the most forbidding spirit of socialism can defend in a country like this, the government of which is of all the people, by all the people, and for all the people. Class legislation is native to the monarchial, not the democratie form of government. Class distinctions of any kind are not wantod here, and there can be none which is more out of sorts witli American institutious than an income tax imposed solely apon those who achieved wealth by honorable, usef ui efforts, all which are of advantage to the country. The conclusive argument agaiustsuch a tax is happily furnished by its supportera wheu they support it, as they do, upon the broadest, clearest socialistic grounds. - Philadelphia Ledger. Iu spite of the election of a free trade congress and president, the tin plate industry is flourishing. According to statistics gathered by the New York l'ress the aggregate of tin and terne plate manufacturad in this country during tho first three montlis of tliis year was 31,242,240 lbs., or more than doublé the amount manufactured during the same period for 1892. In about two yoars more this industry will be so firmly established that the people of this nation will not be obliged to pay to Welah mannfactoren $20,(X)0,000 per year for tin plate, as formerly.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Courier