Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-10-01
DIRECT TAXATION.

3
duties were somewhat dogmatically counselled
TO submit with accomplishing resignation TO
the new policy of the federal government, and
in which they Were warned, ii not THREATEN
ED, that, If they should continue Testiye and
truculent, DIREcT TAXATION might be resor,ed
TO as substitute for the more equal and mild
er plan OF raising revenue by a duty on imports.
10 the abolition OF the custom house system,
indeed, at any distant day, that paper and the
clique OF foreign capitalists whose sentiments
1t IS supposed 10 speak, are now maniiesdy ca
gerry looking forward, as the consummation
OF the "tree-trade" theory. In truth the phrase
implies ono duties" instead of "Iolc duties -
and from the moment il was adopted as party
term, we were convinced that 10 this complex
ion they would ultimately come, though we
confess we We're not prepared for this prema-
ture revelation of the design. The Journal,
we doubt not, has been secretly rebuked, by
the more prudent OF its associates, for its inds-
cretion in thus lifting the curtain while the
stage was unprepared for the drama, and be
fore the prompter was ready to give the cue to
the actors. Ii ought to have taken lessons in
the art of progressing" gradually to the ca
tastrophe of the contemplated revolution in the
fiscal and commercial policy Of the govern
ment, from its neghbor Of the Evening Post
and from the Washington Union. both of
which have recently followed its example in
admonishing the friends Of the protective sys-
tenn Of the hazard they incur by insisting too
yehemently on its overthrow, but neither Of
which has been bold enough 10 THREATEN
them with the entire abolition Of the system as
the penalty Of their rebelous murmurings.-
These papers say, that if, not content with the
scale OF duties fixed by the tariff of 1876, the
FL Ie &c ehon 81 e.
peal" they may be accommodated, but that it
will be for the purpose of still more effectually
emascclating the system by FURTHER RE-
Du cTIoN of the rates upon those articles in ia
vor OF which the highest Determinations are
now made. They have. not yet progressed so
rapidly to the point of perfection which has
been reached, per sali,na, by the Journal Of
Commerce. They are content to linger upon
the confines ofprotection until public sentiment
can be ripened for the end al which they aim,
while the Journal is ready and eager al once 10
occupy the position TO which lis principles
tend, and upon which, if they be not abandon
ed, il must inevitably, sooner or later, stand.
The Journal of Commerce for examples.
says: .
"The Providence Journal ard the Richmond
Wing will have il that we threaten the manu-
facturers with direct taxation. That has ever
been the chichanery with which honest fore
warnings have been met We state the truth
about rising favor for direct taxation, and
give it as our opinion that further agitation of
the tariff question viii be likely TO result in fur
Their reductions and these papers meet the
matter with slang, and tell us we threaten
Well, we shall not stand on the defensive
Let it go so, if these papers please. Both
these papers declare direct taxation 10 be the
only mode OF raising taxas which is consistent
with free trade principles, and dare the admin
istration TO resort TO it, They talk just as we
say men are talking, and then charge US with
threatening, because we say they talk So
There is one idea which all the papers who
talk in this way seem not 10 have thought OF,
viz that there are various ways OF raising
revenue by what is ordinarily termed direct
taxation. Excuses and stamps are not tariffs
then on the South. If such tax were propo-
sed as the constitution directs shall be appor-
toned, according to representation, our i'm
preston is that the South would vote for it.
But if we must threaten, we should like 10 ask
these defers what they would think OF adop
ting the system, so successful in England, OF
an income taxa tax, say, on all incomes
greater than five hundred dollars annually; a
tax on gold watches, coaches, notes of hand,
SC. Would such plan displease the masses,
and upset the democracy2 We had all this
ia the country during the last war, except the
income tax and il that should be proposed,
we threaten that il would give the adminlstra
ton irresistiblestrength. We threaten, too, that
such tax would be much more equal than
tariff on imports. Ii is no uncommon thing to
hear il said that men who have no properly
have no stake in the government, and therefore
have nothing to do in controlling il. Yet while
our revenues are derived from a tariff I'VE threa-
ten that a great many men whose income is
not $500, pay more taxes than many others
whose incomes are $1,000, and $4,000, or
even 100000 We threaten that such state
ofthings is strangely unequal, and that prop
oslion TO change il would run like wild fire
over the country. We threaten that these
things are worth thinking Of; and there is a
good deal more which could be suggested.
which would render the future still more omi-
nous. But as we threaten, above all, TO be in
favor of the present system, and the tariff as il
is, we shall not go further in the matter, unless
we are further delied."
AS we are somewhat anxious 10 see how
much farther in the matter the Journal can go,
we feel somewhat disposed 10 give it the ode
fiance" We wish the Journal and It's friends
finally assume; for ii is unquestionably true
that direct taxation sis the only mode of rais-
ing revenue which is consistent with free trade
principles; !" and il is for this reason, and be-
cause, without pretending to any thing like I'M
common sagacity, we have all along ioteseen,
that, if those principles" were honestly carried
out, direct taxation must be the result, that we
have from the beginning opposed them as alike
deceptive in their character and oppressive in
their results. We care not upon what articles
the federal government may impose this tax
When the necessity for levying ii shall arrive,
we venture 10 hazard an opinion, in direct
conflict with that expressed BY the Journal of
Commerce in relation 10 its effect upon the
popularity of the Administration by which it
may be resorted to. Instead of deriving from
it "irresistbe strength" ii will be swept from
power as by the breath OF a tempest,
The most labored efforts have been made
and they have been unfortunately 10 a great
extent successful--to induce the people TO be- |
lieve that the tariff of 1912 has been excessive
ly burthensome and oppressve-that il has
robbed aud plundered the consuming classes, I
10 the amount OF one hundred and thirty mil |
lions Of dollars, four-hlths Of which have gone
into the pockets Of the producers Of the proicc- !
ted articles, and only one-fiith to the govern
inent "If this were so, II were indeed grie- 1