People's Pilot, Volume 2, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1892 — FARMERS’ WANTS. [ARTICLE]

FARMERS’ WANTS.

Demands Made by the National Assembly of the F. M. B. A. Champaign, 111., Nov. 25.—At the elosing session of the national assembly of the Farmers’ Mutual Benefit association resolutions were adopted reaffirming faith~*in the principles of the order, demanding free and unlimited coinage of silver, demanding an increased circulating medium, recommending the establishment of postal savings banks in lieu of national banks, demanding that congress enact laws to prohibit dealing in futures on all agricultural or mechanical products and adulteration of foods and medicines, demanding an equitable system of graduated tax on incomes, and favoring the election of United States senators by direct vote of the people. The assembly pro vided for national and state lecturers and for resubmission of the amendment to the constitution providing for admission to membership of women and of boys and girls over 16 years of ago. »

The income tax is a favorite idea with the farmers, and it is understood a measure is now being prepared to be submitted to congress at its next session. The bill will provide for the taxing of all incomes in excess of $2,000 per annum. The amount of the tax will increase with the income, so that where the man with $2,000 a year will pay a merely nominal tax of §2 or $3, the possessor of an income of §500,000 or more will have to give up at least half of it to the support of the government The purpose of laying such a heavy tax on large incomes is to make it impossible for any man to accumulate such a fortune as that possessed by Gould, the Vanderbilts and Astors. While the inheritance tax was not formally indorsed by the assembly, ■it is not unlikely that such a measure will also be brought before congress. The idea of those who favor such a measure is to impose such a heavy tax on the transmission of large estates as to prevent the keeping of millions in one family from generation to generation.