American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-01-23
For the American Republican,
CONCERNING TAXATION.

Il is admitted that the legislature must lay
additional taxes for payment Of the interest of
, the debt of this State The Governor, in his
late inaugural address, has, with boldness, Civ
! en- a genera! outline Of what can be done on
the subject; and it is for every citizen to con-
tribute something to the suggestions Of good
Governor.
The Federalist says correctly, that "the abili-
" Of country TO pay tareS, must aitUays be pre-
porttoaed, IN great degree, 10 the quantity Of
n,oney IN circulation, and to The celerity ,oith
,ohich 1t circuiates. Commerce, contributing to
both These objects, mast, Of necessity, render the
payment Of taxes easier, and facilitate the requi-
size supplies TO The treasury"
have long held the opinion that the system
/ of taxation in Maryland could be amended
with benefit to fair traders. Cash taxes OPP
press trade, they diminish the amount of mo-
ney in circulation. Persons in circumstances
humble-a class very numerous-from which
comes The greatest part of revenue-cannot
traihc, without first expanding capital for IL
cence TO 90 so. But if traders, and all Others
required to take out a licence excepting, al
ways the licence TO get married, } were allow
ed to receive their permission to commence bu-
sness, as soon as they shall confess judgment for
me amount Of money equivalent TO the price OF
hcence, and produce good securify bu ,cay of
spercedeaS, fer stay Ct eSccu.ic:, for sir ,ncn.hs
as TO ole halt thereof aud 70, t,ceipe months as to
the other half thereof; venture to say, that the
number OF traders would materially augment
that tile flow OF money into the treasury would
increase; that thus the Legislature might, with
property, raise the price Of every kind of IL
cence to trade, that there would be small COM
plant amchg those who are taxed, and there
would be scarcely person indicted for trading
without licence.
We recollect when the United States govern
ment adopted the tariff of 1926, when there
were long credits, Oil good security, for the nav
ment of duties on imports-when in this way.
the citizen was allowed to trade on the money,
as It were, OF government-when trade was
not seltlshiy confined to men of wealth; how
happy ana prosperous were all orders of men,
arising from the consequent activity of COM
merce; the consequent quantity of money in
circulation; ana the consequent CELEBRITY with
which it circulated all the effect of wise 30
vernment! And now, it seems to me, that the
State Of Maryland, for the benefit of her inter.
nal commerce, might initiate the policy of
1925, with some success, by allowing the tau
pager liberal credit in every possible instance.
where he offers good security; and that in this
manner the weight OF additional taxation will
be borne with less reluctance?
According 10 eSlstlng laws, that class Of per-
sons who vend articles of their own manufac-
ture merely, are allowed to trade without Il,
cence; but in the present exigences of the
State, they excepting resident widows and
single fenales) might justly be included among
tax payers. Why not2
There is another class of persons that nav
not for licence to trade, to the great prejudice
of the fair trader; that is, those itinerant trad
ers-temales especially-that visit our city pc.
rlodically from New York and elsewhere
They bring with them articles Of elegant an
pare! icy famaJes-. 2illinery-hire Z loom In