The New York herald., 1862-09-01
The National Tax Beains To. day.

most probably gotten up only to benefit tho
managers and cheat the public.
The N.tional Tax Begins To. day.
To-day begins new era of this country.
To-day the national Tax law goes into operation.
Beyond q few local and State taxes, which were
felt by none but owners OF real estate, this
country has never been taxed before. We
have logged along quietly and comfortably, and
have amused ourselves greatly by laughing at
the over taxed people Of England, where man
is taxed from the cradle to the grave; where
light, heat and water are taxed. and whore not
ouly every rich man, but even the poorest pea
SAINT. is Obliged TO pay largely for the privilege
of existence and the blessings OF bad govern
ment- Now, however the laugh is to be upon
the other side. We teo, are TO pay taxes, and
il beh0oves us to remember the great object for
which they are imposed, and to bear them with
good grace Taxes are very bitter medi-
oiRe: but. ii well taken, the benefits they viii
confer upon the nston are incalculable.
A heavy tax is one oil the necessities OF this
war. Hitherto we have paid our war debts
with paper money, or promises to pay, aud now
these promises 10 pay must be redeemed. We
could have wished. however. that this necessary
TAX should be more equitably imposed than at
present. and that the Eastern manufacturers
aud the Western farmers had been compelled
TO bear an equal share Of the burden with the
people OF the other States, instead Of being al
most entirely exempt, aud leaving the CONNER
cial people of the Middle States to pay an unfair
proportion oi the debt. The whole subject will
be thoroughly ventilated before the people
this fall, however, aud will exercise a
controlling influence upon the Congress
sionsi elections. Members OF the Con
gress which passed the Tax bill will then
have many things to explain to their consti
,uents, and we shall then, perhaps be informed
how it was that ont OF list of agricultural
products, worth. according to the census OF
1850, nearly sl,Voo, 100000, only cotton aud
tobacco were taxed; and how it was that the
Eastern manufactures were taxed only three
per cent while they are protected by the pre-.
sent tariff over tiiy per cent sgainst all for
eign competitors. II does not occur To us
how these explanations can be made sufficiently
satisfactory To the public and il is more than
likely that the new Congress will have to COM
But il is useless 10 speculate upon these mat
ters to-day, and we had much better prepare TO
pay the taxes they are There are very
lew sorts of business that will escape taxation
aud the income tax reaches all classes Of our cit
zcns, except those who do not earn over six
hundred dollars year. Even these poorer
classes will be indirectly taxed by the rise in the
.r tnla af rti l.tha A..
patent medicines. In general terms then the
| tax may be said TO include every person, and
| no one eau avoid being affected and Influenced
| 10y IT, Already our gas companies have uoti-
| lied their customers that fitisen per cent will
| be added TO their bills 10 meet the tax. This
measure has excited much CRU milling and dia-
satisfaction, but il perfectly lair and legal The
| principle that The consumer pays the tax is equi-
| able, because the shoemaker makes up the tax
| that he pays for gas by raising the price OF his
| boots aud shoes the tailor who buys boots and
shoes raises the price Of clothing: the merchant
who buys clothing raises the price Of his goods;
and 80, all being ~ once consumers and manu-
facturers, the tax comes equally upon all. Per-
| sons with fixed salaries will feel the tax most
| and pay the most taxes
| The effect Of the tat viii be 10 deepen public
sentiment The people will be less ready to
excuse the mistakes of our government mt and our
generals. sad The administ ration will be either
immensely popular OF unpopular in exact pro
| portion 10 its merits. The war will be better
conducted, for every man, having TO pay his
money towards carrying on The war, will insist
aud assist lbs. il shall I've properly prosecuted
! and speedily and goriousy concluded. Great
er economy vii, bcrome necessary both IN ma
tious, and personal affairs. The people will
| now see that government contract JOB -
| seindIe uppa each one of them personally, and
ibs, robbing The national treasury y precisely
equivalent TO picking every citizens pocket.
! This knarl edge vii. mske the public leas care