The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-12-11
The Taxes.

y
great difficulty and importance at the present time 1t
appears from recent intelligence from Richmond that
the Confederate government refuses adopt the plan
Of an advance to the planters on their crops There
Is therefore, no more currency to be put in circulation
by the Confederate government which will be available
to the mass Of our citizens in the payment of taxes
The treasury Of the Confederate government are
not sufficient in amount, if they are sufficient in
amount, they not sufficiently circulated to make
currency by which the taxes can be paid.
There is prospect of the raising of the blockade
and the great staple of the cotton States is not con-
yertible into cash present Ia short the money with
which to pay the parish State and Confederate States
is not in the hands Of the taxpayers and they
have no immediate prospect Of getting it. This, at least
is true Of much the larger portion of taxpayers
What then is to be done under existing circumstances?
Evidently of two things Either some of the prop
erty of than majority of the people of the State
will have to besotd an enormous sacrifice the taxes
must remain unpaid at the present. The FIRST aterna-
tive will not be tolerated by the people.
When the people, by tact consent, suspend the exc
cutiOn Of judgments against another they will pre-
vent by force tnecesSaryh sacrifice OF their property
BY the aX-gathers-nOt because they lack patriotism
but because it can be avoided, will presently show;
therefore the taxes wlIhaye to remain unpaid at the
present.
How then arethe State and Confederate governments
substance should be adopted:
Let the legislature now in session. abolish suspend
all OCes that are unnecessary at present. also, pass
law that the shall not pay any drafts drawn on
the treasury of the State by officers and EMPLOYEES of
the Sate4or year from date or other words let
the State decline for the present pay her officers and
employees who could nevertheless, draw their drafts on
the treasury and get them audited and remain creditors
Of the State for the of their drafts Those off
GERS who wholly dependent upon their salaries for
support (who very few could resign, and their
places could be filed bythoSe who could and would
wait for payment. We believe that most of the ncum-
bents OF the State offices gentlemen of fortune
least of sufficient means to live without present payment
of their salariesand live too far more comfortably
than do our brave volunteers, who, for time to
come, will have to live in the tented field amid rosts
seets and SHOWS.
To say the least Of it, this will impose far less incon
venicnce and sacrifice people than the forced
collection of taxes and the sacrifice of large
of property Such course would consult the greatest
good to the greatest number
For war purposes let the State borrow enough from
the banks which, with the taxes which might be col
lected from the sugar planters with their consent would
be sufficient to meet all military demands for money
Money sufficient for the purpose of paying the Contede
rate States might be obtained in the same way Oh
if not let the State issue her bonds for such anG
III such manner will make them acceptable to those
who loaned money to the Confederate government Oh
acceptable in lieu Of Confederate bonds by those who
/ hold them.
| But what of charitable institutions and the sehoo
funds? Let schools and charitable institutions be sup
/ ported by private patronage for one year
The State her credit to borrow money for vari
Gus purposes why her credit with her State off
GERS for the purpose of caryng the government fol-
one year? If the and the blockade continue longer
than this and year, the planters will be better pre-
pared pay their than they are now For in thai
event. they will general thing change in great de
gree the product of their plantations Instead of more
than cotton for home consumption and seed is probable
that they will aim at producing home supplies and sup
Oip tho ASH min, how
tatoes, peas, wool, corn, rye, oats &c These vii
bring sufficient money for taxes and current expenses
and diffuse it among the taxpayers.
We willing to admit that there may be some vait
objections to of the details of the plan we propose
but we are convinced that it. in substance is botl
practicable and far better than the attempt to coerc
the collection of taxes under the present circumstances
and could we obtain hearing from our lawmakers, VIZ
would respectfully submit it to their serious considera
ton Bastrop Dispatch