Elements of Taxation, by X. + y (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1853 edition. Excerpt: ...per annum, are already doubly, trebly taxed, in proportion to those who enjoy the larger incomes. We must, therefore, at once protest against this attempt to sacrifice justice for the sake of uniformity in name, or for the other reason assigned, namely, official convenience. Sir Robert Peel well knew, when he fixed the limit of income at 150 a year, that the class of incomes exempted had much more than their proper share of the State burdens to sustain already; and he, therefore, most wisely and most justly made that amount his point of departure. We can quite understand that a disposition would readily be shown by interested legislators to abolish exemptions; but the country must take care that Protection is not permitted to raise its head under that new cloak. If exemptions are to be abolished, or it the present limit is shifted to any extent downward, it will be for the public to see that these changes are only allowed as a condition of the abolition of those taxes which press upon industry, such as those on tea, coffee, sugar, beer, &c. We are quite assured, that if this point be lost sight of, we shall again be cursed with what has been, most mistakingly, called Protection. in a different and not less predatory form. We, therefore, would offer our most earnest advice, that no such change as that suggested respecting the Income Tax should be for one moment listened to, but as a part of the compact we have indicated. On this point, we are glad to find we are entirely in accord with Mr. Mill and Mr. Jeffery, the former of whom says, " If I were laying on an income tax to supply the whole of the National Expenditure, I would tax all incomes that yield more than the necessaries of life, aud tax them on the surplus above...