Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-12-02
Merchants Taxes.

|. INC SuDJCCt Oh IdAdeIUh 10 0o ifi1
of intricacy, and so nicely balanced,
that it, to be properly understood,
REQUIRES all the skill and ability of
Ith9 most oxperie need legislator
Upon it, even the wise$t heads may
Ierr. It has engaged, and will proba-
bly, continue to engage, the attention
of every welI-reguIated legislativeI
assembly, having the good Of those
for whom they legfslate' at heart. |
In this article, We do not propose
lengthy dissertation upon the null
tiarious branches of taxation. We
do not design ahalyzing even the
SIN plest form Of driff that may have
bee n fixed by our government.
Equal taxation, as far can be con-
sistent with justid E, and the gre atest
good to the create It number, are safe
premises for the legislator to occupy
upon the subject. In free govern
ment like ours, it is to be expected
that the burdens of government
shq uld as far as prA cticable, be equal
5ly borne by the recipients of its
blessings. Republican principles
know no exclusive privileges-mo-
nopolies and istocracy are alike
scdrned with contempt by them
Neither will republicanism tolerate
oppression. The Fefore, under our
for m of goverhm ent, those who de-
sire to enjoy its fd STEERING care, must
pay for it; and such as are classed
oppressed should n ot be found among
us. In word, We are, with we think
largo number Of the citizens o.
Tennessee, in favd Of the burdens
Of government being borne equally
by all classes, in proportion to theil
privileges and md ans. With this
ide "a of right and i rong prevalent, il
is not surprising To find the leading
presses of Tennesd leo engaged in en-
deavors to call the attention Of oul
Legislature to the present onerous
and, in our estimat ZION, unjust taxa
ton imposed ufoA the mercantile
portion Of OUR com munity. we arr
free to admit the Justice of requiring
them to pay what i ould be right f9l
the privilege Of ' binding. But The
present rates are c Prtainly too higf
they discriminate against this class
of our citizens too h rshly- Itseems
to US that to reqh a merchant
who has, by dint Of close application
and correct judipiohs habits, secured
the confidence Of friends, thus ena-
6lihg him to enter upon a fair busi.
nes with but little actual capital, tc
pay tax as though he was actually
worth that amount, is, to that extent
poo r encouragement to the industri-
Gus and entcrprising young man who
is dependent upon his business ca
padity, for start in the pursuit ol
his dhoice; and partakes but slightly
of the adj yqJoreo4 principle, which
designs levying tax according #
what one is worth AS the law now
is, the merchant is required to pay
double the tax Of the farmer, me-
chanic, or professional man, on the
same amount. The merchant is not
only, unlike other men, taxed for
being blessed with good credit, but
he is actually required to pay 50
Gel lis more on each s10O he controls
than other men. He pays IS cents
on every 500 worth of goods he
purchases, while the farmer pays only
% cents upon each 500 worth Of
land and negroes; and some of the
latter are not subject to any tax
whatever.
Without attempting to run the
analogy fur her, it is clear that mer-
chants bear more than their proper
ton of the taxes; and for this they
have just clause Of complaint They
should arise, ,ca masse, and demand
suitable redress at the hands of the
Legislature, in the shape of a reason