The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-02-21
svinces the moderation Of Its manage
As TO rnE ooNsU airR.

AS 70 THE ooXsUMrR.
I'm fact, the tonnage duty operates IN
jurious,y to the CONSUMER, either by increas-
ing the cost to him OF all articles carried
over the road, by compelling the freight
to pay the tax, or by diminishing the sup
ply in the market, of articles which cam
not afford to bear this imposition.
This argument addresses itself with
peculiar force to Philadelphia. This city
invested five millions in this road, and
one of the chief objects was that her peo-
pie might enjoy, at cheap prices, the sur
plus products Of the superabuudan. agri-
cultural portions of Pennsylvania and the
West. The State steps III and forblds
this. She Giminishes the supply and in
creases the expense. The citizen, man or
woman, rich or poor, who buys barrel
of -four must pay, lst, ITS home value
Cd the actual cost Of transport Sd tax
to the Commonwealth eth, the extra
price consequent on Withholding from the
market that portion Of produce which can
not afford to pay the tonnage duty. Thus
of four items, which 90 to make up the
actual cost to the consumer, two are the
result of an artificial political intervention
In violation Of the universally received
principles of political economy. The third
item, the tax itself, amounts on every car
load of nine tons of flour, grain, stock,
iron, or any other property carried from
Piutsburg to Philadelphia, to seven dol
lars and fifty-six cents. The fourth item,
is not susceptible Of arithmetical calcUia-
ton. But, considering the vast and lux
uriant graiu-growing and stock-raising
States of the Northwest, and their lnde-
pendent choice OF the taxed road OF Penn
sylvania and the free roads Of New York
and Maryland, aud the continually accu-
mulating cost Of carriage as distance In
creases, it may be fairly assumed that the
enhanced value from diminished supply
is at least equal to the direct tax.
The effect is precisely the same as the
French octroi, against which every Amer
lean who goes to Paris, vindicates his re-
publicanism, by denunciation Of the tyr
amy which, at the gates of the city, leyies
a duty on the neceSsaries of life. Our
democratic exaction is worse than the
imperial tribute, not only because we ought
to know better and can afford to be honest
but because it is general, while the latter
is confined to articles Of food.
AS To THE PRODUCER.
Still more onerous is this tax on the
producer We refer now to Pennsylvania
farmers, miners, iron masters, manulactur-
ers of those, within our own borders who
till the ground, or extract its hidden
treasures or give increased value by labor
to raw material. Over these, at least,
there should be no license OF oppression.
They obey the laws, support the govern
ment, are our brethren, bone OF our bone
and flesh of our flesh. Yet We undertake
now to demonstrate that on every one of
these most useful citizens who sends his
produe either east or west, or sells it to
any one who ships it on the Pennsylvania
Railroad, a tax, unjust, because unequal,
is levied by the legislation Of the State.
OF all men, farmers may speak plainly
on this point, because all farmers should
know and feel, from costly experience, the
invidious degradation TO which they are
subjected by this tonnage tax. They ex-
pect to raise more on their farms than
they consume. They look to the supernu-
Gus products for the comforts OF life, for
reasonable indulgence in the amenities Of
society, for decent breeding Of their chill
dren. Our citizens have right to this,
for their land is good, the climate is
healthy and they work hard.
But this superauous produce, to be
available, must find purchasers, and, as
there are few purchasers at home, they
must seek distant market. The course
OF trade is eastward. Commonly they sell
what they can spare, and buy what they
need, in eastern localities Sometimes
this is done directly, sometimes indirect
ly, by the medium of dealers to whom
they sell, and storekeepers from whom
they buy. But it is all the same in effect,
because on all alike this tonnage tax is
laid.
Surely they, at least, are not unreason-
able IN declaring that they expect to get
just the price OF the eastern market for
their produce, after deducting the expen-
ses, and that they just as much worse off
than they have light to be, in proportion
as these expenses are greater than they
ought to be. But if the State intervenes
and forces them to pay a tax on their
crops, which is not paid by people gen
orally, and makes "a difference between
them and their fellow-citizens elsewhere,
it is unfair.
This is exactly what is done by the
tonnage tax, By which every ton of freight
which goes oyerthe Pennsylvania Railroad
has to pay tribute to the State Treasury.
1t is a tax exclusively levied on those who
by their geographical locations, are com
PEELED to use it. The people everywhere,