Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-04-18
For the Tinascator.
DISTRIBUTION

we nave Deen carefully TcaQlnR the factS
and arguments presented pro and con upon
this question, which is again pressed upon
public attention, and have agreed upon the
following facts, and drawn the annexed cou-
illusions:
1. That every dollars worth of property,
under the United States Government, be-
longing either to individuals, the States,
Federal Government, or otherwise held, is
the product of the toll of some person in
other words, that the wealth of the country
has been produced by labor, and has not
come by accident.
2 That the Federal Government is
large and expensive system, established for
the general veal and has ever been, and
still is, supported by portion of the pro-
ducts Of the honest toll of the people, and
that the millions that are collected into the
federal treasury are extracted from the peo-
pie by multitude of salaried officers, at an
enormous expense.
3. That it has ever been the policy of the
people of this country to SUPPORT the fede-
raj government by means Of an indirect tax
in the form of il tariff of duties imposed up
on the importations to this country from
other countries, aided by the proceeds of
the sales OF the public lands, and that reve-
nue. raised by a tariff Of duties is no less a
tax upon the people than direct tax.
4. That it is conceded Oh all hands, that
about two-.hirds of the money flowing into
the national treasury from the tariff is paid
by the peope of the Southern States, max
ing the burdens Of the government fall very
uhequaly upon tie two great sections Of
the contederacy, Northern and Southern,
and that the North-beihg, comparatively
manufacturing community-receives q
bounty upon their manufactures correspond
ing to the tariff paid by the South And,
as a coroliary, that any increase or diminu-
ton of the expenses of the government, or
addition or subtraction from the funds col
leeted for that purpose, is felt i'll a greater
degree blythe South than the North
That the tariff Of 1916 has taxed the
people more heavily than was anticipated
by its advocates or opponents, and has COM
PEELED the people to pay into the federal
treasury larger amount of money, with
the aid OF the land proceeds, than is needed
for the current expenses of the government,
creating surplus i'll the treasury
The question has arisen, how shall an
increase OF this surplus be prevented One
party answer, that the indirect tax upon
the people 0he tarif) should be reduced >
and this has been done by an act of the last
Congress. The other party respond that
the proceeds Of the sales Of the public lands
should be withdrawn from the federal treas
ury ana divided among the States, contend
ing also that Il reduction of the tariff Will
not prevent the accumulation of surplus
The former party oppose distribution upon
The ground that every dollar accruing to the
treasury from the sales of public lands which
is withdrawn from the treasury to be dis
tributed among the States, must be replaced
in the treasury by the tariff tax upon the
people. They contend that the land moneys
are legitimate source of revenue for the
support of government, being acquired for
that very purpose; and that the tariff tax
upon sugar, cotton, wool, iron, &c, which
are daily consumed by the people, should
continue to be reduced from time to time
until the revenue arising from the tariff,
added to the proceeds of the sales of the
lands, shalt be equal to the actual wants Of
the government, and no more.
The distributionists argue that if the land
fund is Withdrawn from the federal treasury
and distributed among the States, it will
enabie the States TO carry on their systems
of internal Improvement, and thereby re-
lleye the people of the States from taxation,
to the extent of the land fund distributed,
and thereby return the money to the people
The Observation-Disclosures reply that the
ultimate object of both parties being to Sc
cure money to the people, it is better not to
extort the money from the people in the first
instance, by means Of a tariff, incurring
heavy expenses in the collection, and apply
the land fund, which must necessarily be
collected in the administration of the public
lands, to the support Of government.
They further reply, that if the land fund
is withdrawn and divided among the States
according to representation, and the whole
support of government be thrown upon the
tariff tax, the inequality of the burden of
supporting government will still fall more
heavily upon the South. To divide the land
fund among the States, in proportion to
their representation in the House of Repre-
taives, as is generally supposed, would give
INC 4Noith ihucu VIC larger poltlOn VI H.
while the South would be compelled to paw
about two-thirds of the tariff, which would
have to be increased in order to enable Con-
gress to make the distribution, if the joint
funds have been reduced to nearly the
wants of government by the late tariff bill.
They believe that distribution would be
suicidal policy for the South. aud should
not for one moment be entertained
First We conclude that every dollar
which has or shall flow into the federal
treasury, is the product of labor; that the
gov rnment must be supported by the earu-
ings of toiling millions, and that the fewer
salaries and commissions that arc paid in
the collection and disbursement of the nub-
lie moneys the better it is for the people.
Second. That the application of the pub
lie lands, aided by light revenue tariff, to
the support Of government, is the most SIM
pie and easy mode Of sustaining that ex-
pensiye machinery.
Third. That distribution of the land
fund would operate most unequally and uu-
justly upon the Southern States, and that
no friend to their interest should counte-
nance the measure
Fourth That distribution tends to ex-
travagant legislation on the part of the