Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1852-06-11
From the Xenia Torch Light.
Equal TaxaIiOn.

exchanges of the equality Of Burdens which
the present lax law imposes upon the people.
and OF the special eniiy with which il treats
Ihe poor man. To read their pathetic touch.
es" about these davs. one would be almost led
10 the conclusion that 'lhe rich men" Of the
State were pack Of awful Ogres. sanding with
open mou,hes. ready to devour the "pnor men"
and that nothing bot this blessed and benefeenl'
Iax law could possibly prevent them from car.
rying nU1 their ravenous purposes.
Now. we are believer in equality of taxa.
lion. and believe also, that if any variation is
made from n perfectly equal rule. tho, ia should
be made in favor Of that portion nf the people
who have the least amount Of this worlds
goods. Bun we deny ihatIhis law is either uni.
form 10 It's mode Of taxation, or that il discrim.
mates justly in favor Of the poor man. The
truth of these positions could be illustrated BY
hundred examples, but we shall content our.
selves with but one or two.
Here are two individuals. each worth $500.
the one is mechanic, and has invested all his
means in personal property. or he may have
that amount out al interest; the other has invest.
ed his in real estate. and is the owner Of a small
homestead. The first goes free of taxation; the
other is iaxed-i is only personal property
$500 worth nf which an individual is allowed
10 hold free Of Iaxation. Every man Who owns
land must psytax upon il to the utmost farming.
Is that equal taxalionl Again-he are two
young men just starting out in ffe each with a
parimony Of S200-lhr one dcslrous Of ma
king "dash" in the world, invests his means
/ in grogshop. fills up a room in some obscure
alley with $500 worth Of rum. gin. whiskeY,
I Iut ola dooapsaV= ola Gro and
commences retailing by the quart. The other
desirous only Of being a useful eilizen invests
his $500 in quarter srcIion Of wild land, for
which he runs also in debt 54OO, trusting to his
industry and to his saving aud economical hab
s, to meet his future payments. Now, how
. does the new tax law ueaI these two Individuals
Tho first is engaged in business which adds
l nothing 10 the aggregate wealth Of community,
but rather drpreciales il. Every blow Of the
sturdy arm Of the other is adding increased val.
ue to the wealth Of the State. The on >, by his
habits Of sobrielv. (rugaIy and industry, is set.
ting commendable example before his neigh.
bors and fellow men; the other spends his days
and his nights in dissipation, aud in sowing the
seeds Of drunkenness, discoId. contention. dis.
ease, misery. poverty a0d crime among his (e.
low men. How does this State Of Ohio, through
its democratic rulers and its benfcent new tax
law, treat these Two menl Alikel No! To
! The grog.seler. il says. sir. YOU are poor man
having but $500 and that invested in these ar.
. lices. which contribute So largely 10 the happ.
ness and inspiration Of my wise democratic leg.
islOlors, excuse you from bearing any portion
Of the burhens Of my government To the
farmer il saws, Sir having invested your 5000
in these dirty acres. command that you enter
not only that sum upon tho duplicate for taxa.
Iion, but the $400 Of crch: which your despi.
cable habits of industry and economy have en-
ahcc,i' you To ublain,
Practically, ibis is the very language address.
ed to these men by the great State Of Ohio, un'
der this new constitutional democratic dspenSa'
ton. The full value Of every acre Of the faith
er's and must 90 upon the duplica!e for taxation,
whhnut deduction ror what he may owe upon it,.
Is this juslicrl l. il rghll We appeal to any
man not utterly blinded by pnrly prejudice or
who has not made up his mind To shout praises
to any net which may be performed by his par.
" leaders. By what logic, bv what possible 10.
co(oco sublerfuge. can you justify the taxing OF
one mau for fhrfe times as much as he is dciu
ally wnrih whilst you permit his beighbor,
tCorih absolutely as much, To escape entirely un.
taxed, simply because the first happens to have
his meaus invested in some other forml
Take another case. Here nre two ncghhors,
the one worth $780, the other worth $500.
the fr,t has five children TO school. the other
five. tax of 50 upon The 500 Of taxable
properly is levied for school purposes. Who
I paysl The man assessed az $500 and he alone.
/ l., II
lry has accumulaled 800 more than his neigh.
bor, is compelled not only 10 bear all the bur.
lheus of government. but absolutely TO school
his neighbors' children, and to provide The house
I in which they are educated If whole dis.
Iricl is made up of families. one half Of whom
are worth 5000 ant the Other $500, the one
half will be saddcd with all burdens of Gov.
ernment aud schools, whilst the Others escape
all taxation-the one half will be literally op
pressed for the benefit OF The other half.
Such is the manner IN which this law oper
Ntes upon men of small means. will any man
dare to say that it is just aud equiIahIel Its op.
eralions upon men Of larger means is not
whit more impartial, as we think we have here.
IoIore concusively shown. Every where i.
abounds in the most absurd discrimination, for
the purpose Of injustice and oppressioa. The
just and equitable character claimed for il is a
cheat and lie. That the ninnies who were
used in incubaling it may have thought it pos.
sessed those features, we will no, pretend to de-.
ny, for facts which are daily developing Them.
selves, demonstrate that general plea of non
compos in their cases would be udmmed in any
court and on any behalf.
TERRIBLE FIRE ON THE RAILROAD. The