Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-03-31
Speech Of TFr. Goet,e,
OF ECKLENEuRG,
Or THE TAX HJTJ.

the discussion as it has been conducted bv m,
friends, l find myself disposed to permit the oues
ton to be taken now; and if | do not Weld ia tli
disposition, it is because ] am animated by, n,
earnest desire to satisfy the members and the peo
pie OF the West OF the justice of the policy of thi
Dill. have wish that this policy may be sus
tanned, but a far more anxious wish that the hi
may be sustained by the vote of the West Sir
appear not before them in spirit of controvc,.
sy. enter not the ampitheatre an armed ola
diator. defying them to mortal conflict | aspire
to higher glory. | seek to convince and tn ner
suade. ''''' " P0i
Inc proposition to exempt live stock from take.
Is urged by gentlemen from the West. ms mea.
sure OF justice to their constituents as an eouiva
lent for the exemption of agricultural nrndnc.
lions, winch they regard an advantage to the
iaS'. ana as In TACT originating iii spirit of ia.
Vouritlsm to the East Entertaining this nm;
mon, cherishing strong feeling of resentment
gentlemen indulge in violent expressions of con.
domination. L cannot complain. If | believed n
great and gross wrong to be designed my const;
tuents, should not withhold the expression of n
strong resentment. But if can demoastrate tbat
the exemption OF agricultural productions did not
originate III any spirit of favouritism or sectional
sn that, III Its effects, 1t does operate any be-
cullar or sectional advantage to the East, bus
that the entire benefit is proportionatelv extended
to the West may indulge hope that | shall
have achieved somewhat to conquer preudices
and remove objections to the policy of the bill
imposing taxes upon live stock.
lhe first step In the process of my argument
will be to disabuse the West as to the extent of
their Interest in the exemption of agricultural pro-
auctions and maintain it is equal to the inte
rest of the East
Property and capital furnish the subjects and
criterion OF taxation. Property and capital must,
fI1rt,Ic l,
exemptions. Taxation is not measured bv indi
vlduas Or population. Exemptions, therefore,
should not be measured by individuals or popula
ton. Agricultural productions are obviously the
result OF capital; and will show, that the aglicul
tural productions of the West bear to the aericul
tural capital of the West proportion as large as
the agricultural productions of the East bear to
the agricultural capital of the East
The aggregate value Of the lands of the East
IS Sl55, 751,050; of the West $118, 929,174.-
We have no authentic account of the aoricul
tural productions later than 1910, but by the CEN
sus tables Of that year the product of cereal grains
IN the East was, 33,G55,953 bushels; which may
give the measure of Eastern exemption. Now.
II Sl5o,O00,000 Eastern capital give 33OOO,OO0
bushelsof Eastern exemption, what should Sll9.-
100000 Western capital give? The quotient
will give the answer, and will be found to be about
25,000,O00 bushels But the tables show the pro-
duct OF cereal grains in the West to have been
"a 4o2,5l6 bushels, actual exemption, little short
OF the arithmetlca answer and should be satisfac-
tory to the West, even if these were the only ele
ments of calculation. But it is obvious there
are other items to be taken into the estimate
Labor is essential to successful agriculture Cap
ltal Is invested III labour and that labour is per
formed by slaves The slaves of the East are es-
tlnated at the aggregate value of 81 1873 600 600
and fraction which, added to 81 $4,000 600 in
land, gives an aggregate of $279, GOO 900 Eastern
capital enjoying exemption of $4,000, 600
bushels Of cereal grains The slaves of the West
are estimated at the aggregate value of $4,000.
900, which, added to the $119,0OO,OOO in land.
furnishes an aggregate capital Of 1913, 0OOO 900.
which, according to the proportion which Eastern
exemption bears to Eastern capital. would entitle
the West to an exemption less than 7,OOO. 900
bushels! But it has been shown, the actual ex-
emption of the West is 24,482,5l6 bushels. ex
ceeding the fair proportionate exemption by about
7,482,516 bushels! Yet the West clanors on ac
count of the hardship of Agricultural exemp
tions
1t it be objected that tobacco is large Eastern
product, and should be charged against the East,
will give to the West the full benefit of that article
The crop OF Virginia in 1850, was estimated in
the census tables at 56,516,492 pounds [ con-
cede that to have been short crop, and will give
to the Western argument the full benefit of an
average crop. In 1910 it was estimated to exceed
100000 pounds. On careful examination
of the best evidence within my reach, estimate
the average tobacco crop of Virginia. for a term
OF ten years. at about 48, 900 hogsheads, of H. 900
pounds each, OF the average value of $40 per hogs
head, making an aggregate of $500, 00O live |
imagine this sum to be converted into cereal |
grain, it could not be estimated at more than T.
100000 bushels. Add this to the Eastern ex-
emption OF S33, 100000, and we have total |
Eastern exemption OF 40 1000, 900 bushels. Now
II S278,000,000 Eastern capital enjoy an exemp-
ton of 100000 bushels, the same proportion
will give to the 1913, 100000 Western capital an
less than 20O0O,OOO bushels, or about
100000 bushels less than their actual exemp-
ion . Thus it is shown, that the West enjoys
greater advantage than the East, from the exemp-
ion of agricultural productions, which is made
he foundation of their argument in favor of the
of live stock.
Mr.. PRICE of Greenbrier, rose to inquire of the
Chairman of the Committee of Finance, where
le located the dividing line between the Eastand |
West
Mr.. GooDE-It is obvious from the statistics
ldduced, that l locate that line on the top of the
Blue Ridge. 1t is equally obvious from the inter-
'ogatory OF the gentleman, that he does not re-
;ognise the Blue Ridge the true dividing line
between the East and West. That keen, saga
'louo anu oooiuoiatc SeHIenltil, eSpleSa diversity
If interest on this question: in the tract of coun
ny West of the Blue Ridge, and the instinct of
elf interest, true and strong The instinct of hun
yer, locates that diversity of interest on the sum-
nit of the Allegheny. Icheerfuy and promptly
espond to the suggestion and invite the represen-
atives of the Valley to examine into the policy of
live stock from taxation, thereby Great
ng the necessity of throwing an increased tax
lpon land. Of the cattle tax, Trans Allegheny
must pay her just proportion, and more than
Ter just proportion. The Valley and the East,
With Trans-Alleghany, will each bear its ratable
)art of the cattle tax. But if live stock be ex-
smpted aud the sum of that tax thrown on land,
hen the Valley will contribute at the rate of the
.verage value of her land which is So IL per
,cre, whilst Trans-Alleghany will contribute at
he rate of So 08 per acre, the average value of