Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-06-12


Let US now compare few of the items consumed
farmer, the middle and poorer classes, with those
consumed chiefly by ''men of wealth and leisure"
silks versus Cotton Goods
By references to the report on the finances, We
find the value of the silks imported into the United
States for the year 1885, to be
(see page 25,) $50, 226,582
Manufactures of Cotton, 25,9l7,999
The duties paid on Silks are S., s85, 1866
Cottons, 0338,74O
We do more than justice to those who insist
that the middle classes do not pay prOpOrtionate
part of the taxes of the General Government, in
creditng the rich with the whole stock of the rev.
enues on silks for it is fact within the knowledge
Of all and which no ingenuity of argument can
gainsay, that silks constitute no small item in the
expenses Of men Of moderate means, while COM
paratively but few cotton goods bought by what
are called the "ruie-shirt and silk-stocking aris
tocracy." But for the sake of argument let US
oOncede the entire credit on silks 10 the rich, and
on cotton goods to the middle and poorer classes and
the balance in favor of the former will be only So,
5Ol, 626.
But we are not yet done with the revival of this
old Federal defence set up in behalf Of our men of
wealth and leisure" that they pay all the taxes
in support of the Government; nor with the re-
prOachful charge that the poor and middle classes
pay nothing, and have no business, therefore, to
NEEDLE with the subject at all.
The value of the products of cotton manufactures
in the United States amounted, according to the
census of 1850, to the sum of SCI 1863, 1884, at pre-
sent we suppose it would be not less than $50 OOO
600. We have no means of ascertaining with
mathematical accuracy how much these goods are
enhanced in value by the duties imposed on foreign
goods of like character but in order that the most
ultra high tariff protectiOnist may have ground
of bubble, we will suppose that the enhanced value
on the eighty millions is equal only to the duties
the above, 25,917,9
which, as we have shown, is 1888, IA
twill then be seen that the burthens imposed on
the consumers of cotton goods, no odds whether it
be pmposely or incidentally, for protection, sim
ply for revenue, yet that IN point Of fact they amount
to the sun Of 81 882 122 more than the tar upon silks
Let us follow up this subject little further for
we confess that with our democratic notions we do
not rest altogether easy under the imputation that
the "poOr pay nothing" and that " the plain, sub
stanta farmer has no reason to care any thing about
the tariff" These men-the poor and the middle
the great bulk of our party and
we scorn the accusation that we enjoy the benefits
of governments, to the support Of which we do not
pay our full share of taxes
Give to the man of wealth and leisure credit for
the full amount of the revenue derived from Bran
dies, S2,859,342
and on Wines, 2,7I8423
Aggregate, S5,577,765
and then deduct the balance in favor of the cotton
and we have in favor of the rich balance
Of S745,64 The duties on brandies and wines
we're very much reduced at the last session of Con-
gress beyond the reduction on sugar. But we pass
that over and give the rich the benefit of the entire
credit to which there being but few of them in point
of numbers,) they would be entitled for oonsump-
ton of sugar.
Sugar versus Braadjss and Vines.
By reference to the report on finances again it will
be seen that the amount of tax or revenue derived
from sugar for 1856 was So, 761, 595. Now, if we
add to the above only onefourth for enhanced price
Of American grown sugar, we have the sum of S.
451 $685. or an excess of nearlyeght millions on the
articles already enumerated, of burthens imposed
upon the middle and poorer class under the system
Of taxation by which it is proposed to raise fund
Tor distribution among the States.
We might rest our defence of the middle and /
poorer classes just here; but, without pretending
70 follow this subject out in all its length and breadth
We ask the indulgence of the reader while we take
mother glance at the tax statistics Of the Finance
Report which lies before us. We wish, indeed, that
We could transfer the whole tax list to columns
hat each man might calculate for himself how
much he pays. Our eye involuntarily rests upon an
TEN, the magnitude Of which surpasses any thing
ret noticed-Nangtacturss Of Wool and under the
lead Of duties, SIS, 1885,, 1866 But the amount of
yooen goods, Qeaving out what are called home
made is nearly three times as great as those i'm
ported. But suppose we estimate the enhanced
rice as only equal to the duties on the imported,
nd we have the snug little sum of S17,671, 782.-
low much of this vast sum is paid by gentlemen of
-ealth and leisure, and how much by the day Ia
orer, the mechanic, the plain, substantial farmer
he industrious classes? We have no need to make
lose calculations We shall therefore claim as the
zcess paid by the industrious class, only the sum
f $4,000, OOO which added to our former balance
ives US Sl8,OOOOOO.
But there is another item before us Of scarcely
IS magnitude than the last named.
Iron, manufactured from iron, and iron and steel,
D O41, 989-duties Sc, 587, 975. Cast, shear Ger
an, and other steel, 1888 1913, duties S422, 746.
he aggregate value of American manufactures
Dming in competition with the above, we suppose
be about double. But proceeding upon the prin- j
pie before adopted of being on the safe side, we
t down the aggregate tax upon the above items at
lly Sl2OG0,00 And how much of that, pray, is
nd by gentlemen of wealth and leisure? Liter I
ly next to nothing But to make all things easy, t
will reduce the amount frop twelve to ten mil I
ms, to be carried to the credit of those who live
the sweat of their brow"
We might add to the above, the duties upon 7
father, Hides and Skins, the imported value of which
upwards of twelve millions of dollars, the duties
which amount to about ,2OO,O OO The men of '
,alth and leisure pay part of this; but as they
e few in number, we think we doing them am /
justice to allow that they pay one fourth. We y
gbt add other articles of which the poor man r
d farmer pay the chief part, such as Sat- of which
has been said that the poor mans COW requires
ne than the wealthiest Wall street Broker. But y
the present we forbear. a
We beg the reader to remember that in all that a
have said, we make no reference to the subject q
protection, concerning which our Know Nothing q