The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1849-12-13

the reluctance with which they are gener-
ally paid.
Taxation has distinguished into two
sorts; namely, direct and indirect. di-
rect tax is that which is levied directly on
property ard estimated according to the
value of the property for which it is paid.
When we consider that by far the great
er part of our legislative expenses is in
Cured in legslating and making laws for
the protection of property, aad comparl-
lively little for the protection of labor and
poverty, it is but reasonable TO suppose
that property should pay the expenses
which are thus incurred almost exclusively
for its own benefit. But the wisdom of
the world has long since learned to over
look these plain principles of rea son and
Justice and has contri we'd by what is
called indirect taxation to saddle the bur-
then of governmental expenses on the
shoulders of labor and productive indus
try.
A direct tax falls on the property of the
wealthy, and they being the powerful and
influential, as well, as also in most cases
the legislators and maturers of laws, self
interest impels them to oppose the levy
ing of taxes on their poperty, and their op-
position is regarded as more formidable
than that of any other class of men. 1t
therefore becomes necessary. as is sup
posed for the peace and harmony of socie-
ty, to employ an indirect mode of taxation,
by which a revenue may be eXtorted from
the laboring and industrious, whose igno-
rance, in general, it is supposed, will pre-
vent them from knowing that they pay II,
and whose want of power and influence
will render their opposition harmless II
even they do know 1t. Hence has arisen
that form of taxation known by the name
of tariff or revenue duties. Instead of as
sessing a direct tax on property for the
support of government, duty is levied
on the necessaries of life, which are i'm
ported into the country in the way of trade
and commerce. This duty is paid at the
port where the merchandise is landed,
and there goes into the public treasury, by
which the expenses of government are
paid, and the poperty of the wealthy eased
| from taxation.
| We thus see government supported by
an indirect tax and it may be legitimate
subject of inquiry, for those who have not
made politics their study, to inquire who
ultimately, and in reality pays this tax.
1t is not the importer, for he adds the
amount of the duty paid 20 the price oi
his merchandise, and charges it to the
wholesale dealer. He in turn charges a
profit on the original cost of the article and
profit on the duty he has paid on il, to
the retail merchant. The latter charges
the amount of all these put together, and q
profit on the whole, of from 25 to 80 pei
cent. TO the consumer. Thus all who
consume the merchandise (nine tenths o.
whom are productive laborers) pay the
original cost of the articles-a duty on the
same-a profit on the duty TO the whole.
sale merchant and and profit on the du.
ty and profit both to the retailer. All
these the consumer confounds together
at the retailers counter, and pays them
without ever dreaming that he pays tax
at all. And herein is considered the SUI
perior merit of this mode of taxation. since
men pay it, without knowing that they dc
so, and consequently do not complain
This is the ground taken by Judge Black
stone in its favor, and many of our Owl
statesmen support it for the same reason
But Notwithstanding all this, the principle
is In itself wrong, oppressive and unjust
and should be repudiated by every frient
of justice and common honesty.
! A part of every poor mans earnings il
taken from him in the shape of an indirec
tax, while in most cases, he is utterly ig
norant that he pays any tax, and in SO fa
the practice of this policy is species @
financial stealing, and is in truth and jus
tice as widely apart from equity ant
justice, as the depredations of the highway
robber or the midnight thief. And it i:
manifest that if the mass of our citizens
understood the nature of this contrivanc,
to rob them of their earnings without any
adequate recompense, they would neve
consent TO it; and yet our learned jurists
boast most vociferously of the justice anc
benignity of our laws, that will suffer nt
mans property 10 be taken from him with
out his consent. What a mockery o
common sense, as well as of truth anC
Justice.
JUSTICE.