The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1861-04-11

c'a' people, ana had the State Impose,
twenty aill- it uould have occa-ionc,
little or no concern 10 accordance Wit
tbe lllihersl spirit that ha, so lopy anC
so fatally characterized our Legislative
FoIi'y. tax of Eve mill- per ton va
levied upon it. tonnsge When the ron,
va. Quilt. and It's great sources of wealtt
to Pennsy lvanis were fore,hadowed, the
tax was found to be destructi. e OF its use
fu'Dess and property The Legislator,
was compelled to rccede a st, D aud tn.
tax was reduced from FIVE to three mill.
but even that amount was Il positive pro
hieition upon certain articles; and it was
not uotil our coal dealer. touud Pbiladel.
phia aud Harrisburg lighted BY ga N ade
from foreign coal. that the suicidal poll.
Cy OF the Legislature wa- clearly msbi
tested. A tax OF three mills per ton Der
mile on coal aud lumber was sb-olutclv .
prohibitory; and FirAinia and Europe
took possession of our coal arket-, while
untold millions slunbered in our mines,
and our own people were pleading for the
privilege TO deselope them Again the
Legislature had to reccde, and the tax
upon coal and lum Der was repealed, aud
millions of tons have found market
since, to fhe exclusion of foreign COZ pet,
itors. The same iuexorahIe laws of trade
which demanded the abandonment OF the
policy of taxing Tonnage oD certain arti-
eler. applied with equal force to every
ton of produce OF every kiud;snd in ls57
the Legislature again resedcd aud re-
pesled the tax absolutely But tor the
unfortunate aistake of the Legislature.
in proposing to receive bonus of u H.
lion aud bali for The release Of all tax
es of every kind. Peun,yIvania would pow
be surpassing both New York and Mary
land in every element Of cotu mercia pro-
gress and advancing industry New
York has set the example BY uucoudi
tionally repeating all taxes. upon tonnage,
as soou a. Peuusy lvanis aroused from her
slum bers and stretched her iron asnd.
over the Aiteg < henies to compete for the
wealth of tho west, and Pennsylvania
could hesitate TO follow only at her peril.
She has hesitated long, and has suffered
therefor. We bowed to
imperative State pecessity in reducing
this tax. again in rtpsaliug it on certain
OF our own products, aud again in re
p aliug it absolutely; and now, in obedi
ence to the same periou- rule, we q. ut
recede from it again. or the wealth OF a
liberal age will recede from us. The
time has come when. in ju-:ice to our
State sud i,- energies. We must declare
tba, here, as 10 all the world beside, in-
teruul comUe must De free
SIR. had not Intended, and did rise
to debate this questios 10 detail. 1t
seemed to be necessary that the mis-
statements made aitb such apparent
and po-itiveUess should be cor
rcected. lest uen here and elsewhere
u : ht be mi-led into conde d 0ing meas
ure the wisdom of which will be undis-
, uted in less than Senatorial term B,
this bill we make positive provision for
he payueut OF our Site debt, and uuder
,ur smeuded Constitution DO iuture Leg
> tout to provide. The payments, With
he ordinary resources OF the SiukIn.
Fund, will entirely csucel the debt in
quarter of a century; and 10 Eve years
,ur State taxes eau be reduced nearly If
soi quite oue-baf We propose also to
lforo protection to the people OF PeoD
'yl.anIa by requiring the Rallrost con-
pasy to reduce It's tariff ior local freight,
% a. to destroy the presrLt unfair. but
perhaps until now uuavoidable. dlscrin-
nation assin-t houe trade We require
hat this tax he released to the people
rot to the Corporatiou-by compelling
reduction OF freight. to the exact amount
of the tax; and tbe right to reImpo-e it IL
reserved, with the ob'iou'Iy just copdi.
ion that. if ever re-iDstated, it ball visit
is blessings upon the people OF Bcrk. as
veil as upon the people of the interior
and western cosnties.
And vi ben this -truggle shall have been
ended, aud this last relic of fatalisn to
,ur varied interests bs blotted trou our
tatu,es, pray who will not rejoicel Turn
o PblladeIphia. the second commercial
,nd the first manufacturing city OF the
Uulon. Eleven millions OF her capital
Ire embraced 10 the thirty million. re-
luired to build the Penu-ylvanIs Rail
-osd They constructed tbi. great arte
y Of trade, scattering wealth preiuseiy
On every side as it prosres-sd-reariog
own. as If by magic. aud adding to the
'slue OF every acre of soil to which it o.
,ens an avenue of transportation. They
nave redueed the cost OF transit nearly
,ne half, and We Dow mean to reduce it
till more; and although millions of tax
lble property have been added to the
Commonwealth to enrich its treasury, We
Dterpose an arbitrary. unjust -tatute. and
'epel the wealth OF other States. Ii can
70 to New York. it can so to Baltimore,
I can pas, thfoash the British posses
,ions to foreiga market. without any
whatever; but when 1t enters
it has passed the bounds of
LIBERAL ideas The next generation will
DO snassd when reminded OF the earnest
,..oi g., ~ b;,,ba.t ls.islativa srihu