Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-07-11
Taxes and Distribution.

The Fayetteville argus does US injustice in as
sorting 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 burden and great curse"-but We ut.
tely deny that this is the case.in North Carolina.
We are as much opposed to high taxes as any one
in North-Carolina. We have 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 interna! improvements honestly re-
deemed, whether the taxes remain they
have to be increased. We are the advocates of SIM
plicty and economy in State as in federal affairs;
and verify believe that the government of North.
Carolina is the most economical and the cheapest
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 on its readers to note the fact that
the Standard sis in favor of high taxes and against
distribution" What does that paper call high
taxes a"-the present revenue lawP Is it opposed
to raising money by taxation to pay the State debt?
If SO, 1t is in tacor Of Republication; for the debt
must be paid it falls due, reputation is tile re-
sui. How does the argus like that view of the
matter? The high taxes of which the Argus
complains, to be traced as much to Wing rule in
this State to Democratc for is we'll known that
the leaders of the present opposition in posses
sion of the government from 1873? to 1861 and that
while they made but little progress in internal i'm.
provements they left legacy to the present DOM
inant party, nearly oneha!f Of tho eristing State
debt The Argus and its party have supported all
the measures which have caused the present of
taxation-they are as deeply committed to these
measures as the democratic party possibly be;
and yet in the hope of getting little influence or
few votes here and there, many of them to the
small business of crying out against taxation and of
seeking to prejudice the people against the party in
power. But this artice will fail. 1t transparent,
and the people see right through it. They possess
much more common sense and much more liberality
and public spirit than these K 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
that will relieve US. How? Such distribution as
we had in 1871 pa few thousand dollars, and then
the stream cut off to crafty and to enrich Northern
manufacturers? The land money is ours, says the
Argus, and We ought to have tit is common pro-
perty, and We want our share. Very well, if it be
ours let it remain where it is to defray the federal
charge and expenditure, and thus reduce the tariff
taxes the people; if it be common property, it is
not dvisbe by the common agent until the affairs of
the concern wound up and the concern dissolved
Is the argus in favor of dissoving the government
merely to get possession of share of the land
money?
How much would we gain by drawing one hun.
dred 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-five 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
it certainly would do by its pet scheme of distr
button and of the worst features in this scheme
of taxation is that the taxes would not be increased
for the benefit Of the people, but for the benefit Of
ofice-holders 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 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 as rapacious, close.fsted alien
enemy, unjustly holding on to their money and not
as common government, supported and admins
tered for the good of ALL Thus it is that dstribu.
ton rests from the very beginning on false premi-
ses,--the principle is erroneous, and amount Of
argument can convert bad principle into good
| one.