The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1862-03-19
.sThe Poor Mans PIasler.'' ,


This is the name given BY several of our
forward in Congress and asynopsis OF which
was given IN our last paper, and We think
me name very appropriate. tits not only
ssplastern but if il becomes law as Thad
Stevens and his colleagues have prepared
Il, il will prese hard drawing enc oa the
mass of the people.
We had supposed ina, our Black Repnb-
iican Consreksmen, after having run up cof-
lee. sugar, and other articles, BY Tleavy
tariff tax would be satisfied, bul it seems
Otherwise, for they propose 10 pile it on''
s,ilI more by direct tax This "poor mans
p'asief7 puts tax on all ground prepara
iiens olscofTse, rye eic made 10 be sold and
used as s-sstilules for coffee. as if -ihe in
seulion was 10 compel people to buy and
nse all pure coffee. Il taxes sugar, candles
lard and coal oils, salt, ground pepper and
other spices, chocolate, soap, corn brooms,
wooden pals, leather, butchers meat OF all
kinds, wheat f1our, WOO EN- cotton and worsted
goods, hats and caps, &C.. sc. Thus il will
be seen that there is scarcely anything
which family eats wears, or uses, that is
mol taxed in this Bill. And almost. all the
exemptions or exceptions in the Bill are in
favor, nol oI ,he poor, but of'hoss who are
more able 10 pay. Thus the man who
feeds and falsens his own cattle, hogs and
sheep, can slaughter thern, use the meat,
make his own candles. soap and lard oil,
free from tax. So, also, in several other
particulars, to which We could point il nee
essary.
We thus condemn the proposed tax, and
mol because we are opposed 10 the Govern
rnentreceiving revenue equal to the ce-
mands OF its credit We saw long ago from
the "a pidi,y with whch an enormous debt
was being run up. that heavy taxation must
cone, and We have no hesitation in saying
that if our Black Republican Congress had
possessed sufficient honesty and moral
courage, al their extra session in July, 10
have assessed direct Tax oil at least one
hundred millions, annually and apportioned
il to The sia.es. .consiiiutioaalIy, the currency
aud financial condition of The country and
people would have been much more favor
aole now than il is But Congress was COW
ardIy aud dishonest, and the consequences
are opening on Us in food of irredeema-
bic paper money. Sill, though late, taxa
sion 10 The extent of at least one hundred
mislons year, in addition TO The tariff rev.
enue, is-tecessary, and The sooner it is re-
allied The better. But il should come so as
10 operate justly on all, according to their
ability TO pay, and not, as in the Bill now
before Congress,so as to bear uniustly upon
the toiling millions OF the country. Penn
svlyania has abundance of wealth and pToT.
erty TO pay her full proportion of one hum
dred millions, or any larger amount OF tax
which the Government may require, and
will cheerfuliy do so. Let Congress assess
is-upon iIer, and il will be forthcoming in
due time, without a resort TO the labofing
mans ground preparation Of coffee and rye
pepper, salt, soap, candles, hats caps, shoes
boots, and other necessaries. She will raise
il, by exacIing from all in proportion, not TO
their wants and necessities. (Which appears
10 be the aim Of Stevens "poor mans plss-
terry bus 10 their ability to Pay-Ds''
chssier J.fgsoniaa.