Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1857-07-15
Taxes and Distribution.

Taxes and Distribution.
The Fayetteville argus does us injustice in as |!
serting that we are endeavoring to prepare the !
hearts of the people for taxation" We agree with
that paper that taxes collected merely to be squan.
dered are burden and a great curse"-but We ut
terly deny that this is the in North. Carolina
We as much opposed to high taxes as any one t
in North Carolina We have as much sympathy as
any one can have for the poor man, on whom the !
various items of taxation, County and State, may
operate heavily; but the State government must be :
supported and the State debt paid, and the pledges
already made for nterna! improvements honestly re-
deemed, whether the taxes remain as they are or
have to be increased We are the advocates of SIM
pcity and economy in State as in federal affairs;
and we verify believe that the government of North
Carolina is the most economical and the cheapest on
the face of the earth. We are satisfied with the
present revenue law and we have no doubt it will
yield enough to meet all the liabilities of the State
for some years to come.
The Argus calls its readers to note the fact that
the Standard "is in favor of high taxes and against
distribution" What does that paper call high
taxes ?"-the present revenue law !? Is it opposed
to raising money by taxation to pay the State debt?
If So 1T is IN tauor Of repudiation; for the debt
must be paid as it falls due, repuditon is the
suit. How does the Argus like that view of the
matter? The high taxes" of which the Argus
complains, are to be traced as much to Whg rule in
this State as to Democrac for it is we'll known that
the leaders of the present opposition in posses
sion of the government from 1887 to 1850; and that
while they made but little progress in internal inn
provements, they left legacy to the present DOM
nant party, nearly one half Of the eristing State
debt The Argus and its party have supported all
the which have caused the present rates of
taxation-they are as deeply committed to these
measures as the Democratic party possibly be;
and ye in the hope of getting little influence or
few votes here and there many them resort to the
small business of crying out against taxation and of
seeking to prejudice the people against the party in
power. But this artihce will fail. It'll transparent,
and the people see right through it. They possess
much more common sense and much more liberality
and public spirit than these f. N leaders give them
credit for and they not to be hoodwinked and
misled in this way.
But says the argus, distribution is the remedy
thrt will relieve US. How? Such distribution as
we had in ls41 "a few Thousand dollars. and then
the stream cut off to crafty and to enrich Northern
manufacturers The land money is ours, says the
perty, and we want share. Very we'll, if it be
ours. let it remain where it is to defay the federal
charge and expenditure, and thus reduce the tariff
taxes the people; if it be property it is
not dvisble by the agent until the affairs of
the concern wound up and the concern dissolved.
Is the argus in favor of dssolving the government
merely to get possession of share of the land
| money?
How much would we gain by drawing one hum
d:ed thousand dollars per annum from the federal
treasury, and then paying the same amount back in
tariff-taxes to supply its place? Why we should
gain loss of about twenty five thousand dollars
for it would cost at least twenty per cent to COL
lect, pay over, and then collect and pay back the
sum mentioned. And so the argus is really not
only for high taxes but for increasing the taxes
as it certainly would do by its pet scheme of distr-
button apd of the worst features in this scheme
of taxation is that the taxes would be increased
for the benefit of the people. but for the benefit Of
office-hoders in the way of per cents and commits.
! sions
Distribution is humbug, and the Editor of the
argus ought to have the good sense to know the
fact But there is one feature in this distribution
clamor which has always been to us matter for
SURPRISE and that is the view taken by its advocates
of the federal government. They seem to regard
that government a rapacious, close -fsted alien
enemy, unjustly holding to their money and not
common government, supported and admins
tered for the good of ALL Thus it is that distribu
ton rests from the very beginning on false premi.
ses,-the principle is erroneous, and no amount of
argument can convert bad principle into good
| one.