The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-02-01
Delayed Communications.

columns are now 80 crowded by Geographic
dispatches, legislative reports, and the cur
rent news of the day, none of which will
keep, that in order to give our friends even
partial hearing, we are compelled to con-
dense their favors into the smallest possible
space.
RETRENCHMENT AND REFoRM-TAxEs.-
"Merrimac," sends us forcible communica-
ton on this subject, in which he advocates
poll tax of one dollar upon every voter in
the State. He argues that real estate will
be without value, and capital will always
avoid us, so long as the taxes swallow up
the income of property. Notwithstanding
the great reduction made, taxes in Ramsey
county now amount to two per cent, while
in Kentucky with all the railroad improve
ments undertaken, they amount to but four
mills on the dollar. In Georgia, taxation
is still less. One consequence of this differ
ence in taxation is, that the bonds of Ken
lucky are among the highest in the Union,
while those of Minnesota rank among the
lowest. "What can be done to remedy
this ?" Merrimac says:
Our taxes are levied on property instead of
persons. This is unfair and unequal. Persons
are as much protected as property by our laws.
Persons enjoy the advantages of our courts,
our legislatures, and our schools fully as much
as property. They feed from the public crib,
and pay nothing for the privilege.
A tax of one dollar on each voter would place
$4,000 into the Treasury-mOre than one-half
the amount required to support the State gov
eminent. This tax is levied in almost every
other State except in Minnesota, and is called
a poll tax. 1t is equal in its operations and
certainly very low price for the sovereignty
of the citizen, the protection OF the govern
ment. and the education of our children.
If our State, counties and cities should place
our tax laws on the basis OF persons as well as
property, the present taxes on property might
be reduced almost one-half, and then those
who enjoy the blessings would also bear a
share of the burdens of government. which now
is not the case. Then all would be on an
equality-property owners paying according
to their property, and every voter like every
other voter.
Now, gamblers, fancy men, transient floating
voters, gentlemen of leisure who are shrewd
enough to live by their wits, and own nothing
i
are we'll of, and yet do not own over and above
their debts, 5000 of property subject to taxation
all these are now supported by those VINO
are unlucky enough to own real estate, even II
their debts are more than their property.
One man with six children at our public
schools pays not one cent for the privilege;
while another not worth dollar more than
him if his debts were paid, and without single
child at school, pays 500, $50, or sl0O year
for the support of schools. He does SO not
because he is richer than the other man, 1or II
his debts were paid be is poorer, but because
his property is real estate.-.no deducta0n peing
made for mortgages and liabilities. The other
man may have one hundred thousand dollars
loaned out, but this being personal property ne
paws only on what he is worth after deductlng
his debts. And the experience OF those VINO
have charge of these taxes, is that men swear
their personal property down to very COM
Portable figure when the assessor comes
around. They deduct their debts. They may
own q million dollars in real estate in other
states, and nothing but personal properly mere.
They may be rich and yet pay not doiiar lor
the blessings of law, government ana educa'
ton enjoyed at the expense OF their nelgnpors.
Now if Republicans are in earnest in BELIEVING
in sexual rights" (amopg whites as we'll as
blacks) let us have ''reform" in this matter OF
taxation.
We heartily endorse the suggestion OF
q poll tax, and commend the measure to the
careful consideration of the Legislature.
SHALL WE HAVE A DEMOCRATIC STATE
CONVENTION "A radical Democrat, noa0
that the Republicans have not merely shown
their utter incapacity to save the Union,
but have evinced perverse determination
to destroy it, by rejecting all compromise
and Cancellation, advocate the assembling OF
a State Convention of the Democracy OF
Minnesota, and of all true Union men. Our
correspondent we'll says that if the Democ-
racy of the Northwest are to shake hands
with the Republicans, and join with them in
an internecine war upon the South, it ought
not, it must not, be in advocacy of the UNI
constitutional doctrines OF the Chicago plat
form. We must not allow the Republicans
to inAict upon us the curse OF civil war,
until all measures of Cancellation and neces-
sary concession have been exhausted until,
at least, the Crittenden compromise, or some
other peaceful adjustment of the matters in
controversy, has been fairly rendered to the
South. 1t will be time enough to talk OF
war when the South shall have refused to
meet us in the spirit of Cancellation and
compromise. Our correspondent then says:
That Convention of the Democracy OF this
State is imperatively demanded, abundanty
appears from all that is passing around us.
The exigency is pressing; the peril is imm
nent. It is of vital importance that the hands
of all the noble patriots who are laboring to
preserve the integrity of our common country
and it's glorious Institutions, should be upheld
by the knowledge that with them are many
co-laborers, who sympathise, cooperate with,
and will sustain them in their work and labor
of love. and that no misapprehension OF the
position of the Democracy should be made to
Contribute aid and comfort to the factious pur-
noses of those would sacrifice the country up
on the altar of the Chicago platform. The time
is auspicious. At St. Louis, at New York, at
Baltimore, and in most OF the great cities,
north and south, large meetings nave oeen
held, ell agreeing with singular unanlmlty that
the Union must be preserved; and preserved,
not by coercion and by war, but by just and