The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-08-23
The Direct Tax.

lact tIlal war COstS HiOuel. NOHSTeSS lid
levied direct tax upon real estate and III
comes which is expected to raise twenty mi
lions of dollars. and is intended to pay tn
interest on what the government expends i
the war. The burden of this tax falls wher
it should, on the wealthicr classes, and on tn
class, too, who always grumble the mos
about paying their just dues for the supper
Of the government. No income of less thai
eight hundred dollars will be taxed, but abov
that sum tax of three per cent is laid on al
incomes of residents, and of five per cent OIL
incomes Of non-residents arising from bust
ness or property in this country, provided
that no amount of income arising from prop
erty taxes as real estate shall be subjec t(
the income tax Each state is allowed tfteer
per cent for collecting the tax and provision
is made for the appointment of assessors anc
collectors if the states neglect to Go the work
SO the best thing the different states can dc
is to set about the collecting their amount I'M
mediately.
\ direct tax is something new to this gen.
Grafton. We have been SO accustomed to ge,
along with a small revenue, raised too by in.
direct taxation on the luxurieS of life where
the amount was not felt, that the burden al
first thought appears almost greater than We
can bear. 1t seems bad enough to have tea
and coffee and sugar and other necessaries
taxed, but when We are forced to pay out 4
certain per cent Of our yearly income in hard
cash, there are many who feel inclined to kick
out of the traces. But this is not the first
time 4 direct tax has been raised in this coun-
try. During the war of 1912 a direct tax Of
S6,00O000 was raised, and raised cheerfully.
Notwithstanding the population was only Il
little over seven millions and the country was
far from wealthy. Now with a population of
ever thirty millions. and with an increase Of
wealth to an almost fabulous amount. we are
called on to raise only S20,0o0,00O, and, in
stead of grumbing at the amount, We should
pay it gladly and be Thankful! for the priv
Iege of doing our share in the work of pre-
serving the government and saving the conn
try from despo,ism. The amount apportion-
ed to be raised in Massachusetts in tbe d;rec,
tax Of lSlj was 2:j3o :,l1 . ,be sh,re of ,lis
state in the present tax is SSo4.5sl which in
crease is |y no mean, prnnort;on,rc With ,l,.
increase of ovr wealth and ponula,ion
This Daynert oftayes will b, true tr,. of
real natr;o,i<m. l. is very veasvtoto', .lon.
love f,r H., country o,l - ur,s ,;ooro,.
nrosecrt;or o- ,ba war h,, :, :. rorr u,
ferrn, thing entirely ,o mn. tho banI into ~.
pocket and h,lp nav for it. But We believe
the loy;l propIe Of the country will abide the
test. Although it is natural for Americans
TO express ali they feel and perhaps a little
more, still, the show Of patriotism that has
been witnessed for the last six months is not
II wind and verbi,y. There j. an earnest
hess underlying il that has count,I he cos,
Lpcore we hacap to hu;ld and will ma, .br;rL
from fine details Of the exo,nse. The npo,I,
will only ask-and they will ins;s, nnon il
that the war shall he nnshed f,itbfu,lv and
vioorouslv to q close and that ,ba work of
sub;upat;pg the enemy and ESTABLISHING ,be
INTEGRITY of tho oovsr,ment y. do,o IN sncl
= wav That il will never bove ~ h.. Lo,o
over AGAIN and that ,bo morov sb,n o., for
,be l.o;t;m,t. eI,c,d;,uros of ,bo vor ord
no, into ,be mock OTIS Of s,ec,l.,ors ord ;o,
bsrs This ;s dorh,Ioss ,bo ;r.on,;o, of ,ho
,,,,or,mon.. bow :, urr J., o..po1 .
remains 70 he soon IN tho ,,oon,;n,o e w.,
faithfully norform orr dp,v bv nro,;d;r, MOI,
and means we may b,vo some excus. f,r
frd;r, f,,,, e ,b;rcs o.. ro, n,,ocoa -.
,bev sbou,d bo O,bcru;ss :, wor,a he ,,o
,,oro ,han moaos,, aon,.n1s .ho, ,ho a,,
,ors sororor bold ,ho;r noooo Tho os,;o
;s ror, ,or,;roo.,, osl oJ :, u-ho,
would T. nrost , man e bs o.,;r ho ,ho,o
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ost ub,, non,a + ,xoe, -. :, o ,ol o.
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