Washington telegraph., 1853-10-26
| From the Little Rock Ga-r,tc 8 De,aocratl
Taxation.

9
! those who own and control it, says. ''our
people are olready orerbudencd acith
! tasntion. anil ii stould be The object Of an
iutziigent anil patriotic Lcgisiaturr 10
! reciiecc, ami nat increase them. .
! This has been the theme of the political
empires who have misruled Arkansas, from
her earliest existence, until the present day.
/ The whole burden of their song has been,
''the people arc CrcybuToicncd qcah td.ra-
lion" When one has wanted to ride into
Office by the popular vote, this pitiful howl
of high taxes has been set up.
! What are the facts in regard to this =
BY reference to the laws of the different
States, it will be seen that great majority
of them are taxed higher, and but few Of
them lower, than the State of Arkansas
Still our political quacks cry ont, the people
are over-taxed. The State of Ohio has for
Internal Improvements alone. a larger al
ralOrcn tax. than Is paid by the citizens
of Arkansas, for all State purposes. She
has, besides, taxes for the support Of her
State government, and for other purposes.
/ The tax in some of the States for the single
object of education, is almost as large, ad
raIOrcn, as the whole State tax of Arkan-
sas. These States also have taxes for the
purpose Of supporting the Government, In
ternal Improvements, and other purposes.
In this cry of high taxation in Arkansas
there has been "a cal unclcr hc mcak''-
Some whc are the greatest praters about
economy, and profess he greatest regard for
the people,, have fattened off Of their very
blood t1..-
In controlling the revenue laws of Ar
kansas, ELIAS n. CONWAY has cut a greater
figure. and had more influence than any
| other one man in the State He has, also,
for many years. been constant dealer in
| State Scrip. If by use of his official posi-
tion, he could under the plea of love of the
people, control the law-making power. and
! have enacted such revenue laws as would
suit him. his object was gained. Being a
large land agent and owner. and having
| large amounts to pay into the Treasury as
/ State tax, If taxes could be reduced and
scrip put below par, he always reaped a
rich harvest What mattered it to him, if
the paper of the State was 80 cents on the
dollar, and every thing purchased by her
had to be paid for at that rate ? While the
State lost money he made it. The owners
of lands furnished par funds to pay their
taxes Their agent was able to purchase
1 scrip at discount. and save the difference
between par funds and deprecated State
Scrip. This has been ono Of the largest
sources of profit to land agents in Arkansas
Hence their interest to keep the price of
scrip down below par.
Not only has the speculation been car
ricd on in State Scrip; but, for fear Coun-
ty Scrip would get up to par, and specula-
tion in tha. be prevented. a positive law
is on the statute book, forbidding the coun-
ties to tax themselves beyond certain
amount. This has tended to keep the scrip,
in most of the counties, at ruinous dis
count Our cwn county Of Pulaski is a
| notable Illustration Of the ruinous policy Of
forbidding counties to levy taxes sufficiently
high to meet their current expenses. No
contract can be made, for the liabilities Of
the county. at their par value They are
! all made at riIinous discount. Yet the
land speculator can buy the scrip at its de-
prcciated value, and pay his taxes at par =
While the county loses, he makes money
Gov. Conway is still large land agent
! and owner. 1t is not to be wondered that
his organ should be 50 well in tune, on the
subiect Of taxation, as 10 raise howl at the
mention of raising taxes lie is opposed
to the raising of faxes. That's fiat.
But how is it with the people ? How
many of our counties have, by their votes,
declared in favor Of raising large sums, by
taxation, for Internal Improvements, during
the present year. That several have done
so is fresh in the minds of all. No county
has declared against it. The question has
always been trinmphantly carried. This is
because the people are intelligent, under
stand their own interest, and are willing to
make the small sacrifice necessary to ad-
vance it, The croaker against high taxes
finds no favor with them. His tricks are
too transparent
This cry of heavy taxes, has, in all times
past, been the curse Of Arkansas. 1t has
done more TO injure her, than almost any
other one of the many humbugs which have
been so successfully practiced upon the peo-
ple: and, from it, many of the political
auacks who have raised it, have reaped
rich harvests in speculations in deprecated
scrip. ~
1t is too late in the day, for this cry OF
high taxes to frightcn the people, They
are too intelligent, and know their interests
too well, to be deceived by it. When they
! hear it raised, they know that it is by fool
who does not know the truth, or by dem
agogue. who, knowing the truth, i too dis
5 honest to speak IT,