Revenue Act of 1913
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The United States Revenue Act of 1913 also known as the Tariff Act or Underwood Tariff (ch. 16, 38 Stat. 116, October 3, 1913), imposed the first federal income tax following the ratification of the Sixteenth Amendment and lowered basic tariff rates from 41% to 27%, well below the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act of 1909. It was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson on October 3, 1913. It was sponsored by Alabama Representative Oscar Underwood.
The Democrats, committed to a low tariff since 1887, had to avoid the disaster that befell their 1894 tariff. The new code passed the House, 281 to 139, in May, 1913. Wilson used his patronage powers to guide it to Senate passage 44 to 37, in September, 1913. Politically it was considered a major triumph for President Woodrow Wilson.
It established the lowest rates since the Walker Tariff of 1857, and most schedules were put on an ad valorem basis (that is, X% of the dollar value of the item). The duty on woolens went to 18.5% from 56%. Steel rails, raw wool, iron ore, and agricultural implements had zero rates. The reciprocity program the Republicans had been pushing was eliminated. Congress rejected proposals for a tariff board to scientifically fix rates, but did set up a study commission.
Less than 1 % of the population paid federal income tax at the time.
[edit] Tax brackets
| Income level | Tax rate |
|---|---|
| up to $20,000 | 1% |
| $20,000 - $50,000 | 2% |
| $50,000 - $75,000 | 3% |
| $75,000 - $100,000 | 4% |
| $100,000 - $250,000 | 5% |
| $250,000 - $500,000 | 6% |
| over $500,000 | 7% |
(Exemption of $3,000 for single filers and $4,000 for married couples.)
[edit] Inflation-adjusted incomes
Corrected for inflation by CPI:
| 1913 dollars | 2005 dollars |
|---|---|
| $3,000 | $59,182 |
| $4,000 | $78,909 |
| $20,000 | $394,545 |
| $50,000 | $986,364 |
| $75,000 | $1,479,545 |
| $100,000 | $1,972,727 |
| $250,000 | $4,931,818 |
| $500,000 | $9,863,636 |
[edit] References
- Arthur H. Cole. "The Domestic and Foreign Wool Manufactures and the Tariff Problem" Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. 36, No. 1 (Nov., 1921) , pp. 102-135
- Arthur Link. Woodrow Wilson: vol 2, The New Freedom
- MJ Crucini. "Sources of Variation in Real Tariff Rates: The United States, 1900-1940" The American Economic Review, 1994 - in JSTOR
| Tax Acts of the United States |
|---|
| Internal Revenue: 1861 • 1862 • 1864 • 1913 • 1916 • 1917 • 1918 • 1921 • 1924 • 1926 • 1928 • 1932 • 1935 • 1940 • 1940 • 1941 • 1942 • 1943 • 1943 • 1944 • 1945 • 1948 • 1950 • 1950 • 1951 • 1954 • 1954 • 1962 • 1964 • 1968 • 1969 • 1971 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1981 • 1982 • 1986 • 1990 • 1993 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2006
Tariffs: 1789: Hamilton I • 1790: Hamilton II • 1792: Hamilton III • 1816: Dallas • 1824: Sectional • 1828: Abominations • 1832 • 1833: Compromise • 1842: Black • 1846: Walker • 1857 • 1861: Morrill • 1872 • 1875 • 1883: Mongrel • 1890: McKinley • 1894: Wilson-Gorman • 1897: Dingley • 1909: Payne-Aldrich • 1913: Underwood • 1921: Emergency • 1922: Fordney-McCumber • 1930: Smoot-Hawley • 1934: Reciprocal • 1948: GATT • 1962 • 1974/75 • 1979 • 1984 • 1988 • 1989: Canada FT • 1993: NAFTA • 1994: WTO • 2002: Steel |
