The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-06-02
Public Expenditures.

appended 10 recen; speech delivered by Mr..
Clingman On "Pubc Expenditures We have
always been satisfied that II the people Of the
country would give themselves to trouble to ascer-
tain the operation of the tariff and the manner it
bears upon the consumer, taxing every article that
he buys, either for the comfort of his family.
absolutely necessary for their maintenance, and
that too not for the support OF the Government or
an economical administration thereof, but for the
protection and encouragement or his biterest enc
mics, he would at once recognise the justice and
enforce the fulfIment OF the free trade doctrine.
The expenditures Of the government should be
brought down to the lowest point commensurate
with its efficiency and the tariff reduced as to &C.
cord with the reform. The nearer we approach
to free trade the better it IS for the South, who,
being the consumers, consequently pay about two
thirds of the revenue raised to support the gov
eminent, and in so doing build up monopoly in
favor OF the manufacturers of the North.
1t is to the interest of the Northern manuiactu.
and ali who favor high protective tariff, 20
oppose a modification of the present revenue laws,
and there efforts are to create necessity for an
increased tariF--hence they favor the distribution
Of the public lands.
We wave all consideration Of the constitutional
questions involved, or the changes that would be
effected by thus making the States the almoners
of Federal bounty, but call upon those who con-
sumo to note the effect that the diversion OF all
the proceeds Of the lands from the public treasury
would have upon the articles Of daily use-and pru-
dence, due regard 10 our interest indicates there
are but two purposes for which the public domain
should be applied-firSt TO extinguish the national
debt and then be applied to the expenditures Of
the government 10 cause a reduction of the
tariff These are the only objects 10 which they
can be legitimately applied, to do equal jus.
tice to all, and TO act in good faith to the States
which coded portions to the governments
:'NoTE.-.Nlany persons do not know how much
they are taxed on account of the expenditures Of
the Federal Government. The amount now col
leced by reason Of the tariff or indirect taxes is
about sixty millions of dollars per year If this
be divided by two hundred and thrifty four
the number congressional districts, it gives as The
share paid by each district, two hundred and ff-
ty thousand dollars. North Carolina has eight
districts end fraction over. She therefore pays
State, of this tax, upwards of two millions an
nuauy. There were, however, some ninety
thousand votes given at the last State election Ii
is therefore true, that the share Of each voter in the
State, upon an average, Is twenty-five dollars a
piece. This is not an unfair mode stating Of the
case because the women and children, in fact
contribute little TO the paymen. OF the taxes. Such
county as Rutherford or Wilkes, therefore, pays
about $40, 900 in each year. The actual loss is,
in fact, much more TO the people; for this sum Of
60, 900, OCO which the Government gets is, in the
first place. paid by the importing merchants, and
they charge profit on the duty paid, we'll
on the original cost Of the goods, when they sell
to The wholesale dealer; and he, likewise, puts on
large profit when he sells to the retail merchant;
and this retail merchant usually adds not less
than fifty per cent. when he sells TO the consumer.
II is probable therefore, that the people in the
country pay, in trnth, twice as much as have sta.
ted, in addition, too, to the very large sum paid
by way of protection to the home manufacturer,
which, many classes OF articles, exceeds great.
ly what the Government collects itself.
eff this seems very large, it must be re-
membered that from one fourth to third of all
the money paid to merchants, and for articles
brough. from abroad, is to charged to this tariff
system. Many men pay, hundreds of dollars per
year in this way, when their purchases are large,
without being aware Of the extent to which they
are taxed. 1t is probable that the peopIoe of
North Carolina pay in this way to The General
Government nearly ten times as much as they
pay to support their State government"