History In The Federal Income Tax

The courts have generally held that direct taxes are limited to taxes on people (variously called capitation, poll tax or head tax) and property. (Penn Mutual Indemnity Corp. v. C.I.R., 227 F.2d 16, 19-20 (3rd Cir. 1960).) All other taxes are commonly referred to as "indirect taxes," basically because they tax an event, rather than person or property by itself. (Steward Machine Co. v. Davis, 301 U.S. 548, 581-582 (1937).) What was a straightforward limitation on the power of the legislature based on the main topics the tax proved inexact and unclear when applied for income tax, that arguably viewed…