The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1862-01-25
4e. Fsae fFFom the n. 7. Tribune.
SHALL WE BE TAXED FOREVER
TO PRESERVE SLAVERY!

, D0 question as 10 the treatment Oh the
slaves of Rebels IN arms will speedily COM
mend itself to the loyal men of the Free
States in manner and with force that
very few sufficiently apprehend. Thus far
the war has entaiied comparatively little
serious sacrifice upon the people. The in
terruption of business has been met with a
corresponding curtailment of expenses, but
little thought of when so universal, and
brought on gradually, not by sudden re-
vulslon.- Multitudes of those thrown out of
employment have found support for them
selves and their families in the national SER
vice. The sometime tagging operations of
industry have been stimulated to more than
ordinary activity, and many branches of
trade and production have experienced UNI
wonted prosperity. =
No direct burdens of the war, on the other
hand, have as yet been imposed. Its ex-
penses have been met by loans, while no
internal taxes or considerable imposts have
been levied. But the credit of the coun-
try cannot be sustained without the imposi-
ton OF sufficient taxes to pay the ordinary
expenses of the Government and the inter
est on loans required for the war. While
so many men are withdrawn from the pro-
ductive force of the country, and while
many branches of industry are Frustrated,
it would be unwise to attempt more than
this. The reduction of the principal must
be left to more prosperous times.
The present fiscal year will leave us with
public debt of nearly or quite $500, OOO,-
600, for the payment of the interest on
which $40,OOO,OOO will be required. The
coming year will see this amount doubled.
Supposing the necessity for our present
establishments 10 have ceased at that time,
we shall still be obliged to maintain large
army and navy, at an additional expense
over that of past years of at least s 100, OOO,-
600 per annum. It is safe to say that from
and after the coming year, supposing the
war to be closed at that time, we shall have
yearly expenditure of $500, 600. 900, with
debt of St,2OO, 1000, 900, at yearly cost
of $4,000, OUO-making a total of S27O,-
100000, or, to put it beyond a peradven-
ture, minimum of $3.50, 100000 per
annum. This is estimated upon the basis
of our actual, and, according to the present
policy, prospective expenditure for only one
| year beside the current one, and this esti-
mate is fully borne out, to the extent to
which the subject is considered by the Re-
port of the Secretary of the Treasury.
Supposlng our revenue from imports to be
| increased to its amount previous to the war,
there will remain nearly $4,000, 900 to be
raised by methods of taxation heretofora
unknown in this country, and we shall he
launched at once into the system of debt
and of taxation in which European countries
have made such unhappy advances in the
last three-quarters of century.
! There Is one sentence in the Report of
the Secretary of the Treasury which de-
serves to be written in letters Of gold in
every legislative hall, and over the doors of
every public edifce in the United States:
1.-The idea of perpetual debt is not of Amer
lean nativity, and should not be naturalized. -
The freedom from taxation, together with
the absence of landed aristocracy monop-
olizing the soil, has facilitated. more than
all other causes, the quickening and strength
ening of the popular intelligence. The
universal dissemination of newspapers and
books: the multiplication of the comforts OF
life. and their enjoyment by all classes; the
general support of public education, and the
participation in its benefits by the poorest
as we'll as the richest; these privileges,
which constitute at once the glory and the
the safety of our country, must all be seri-
ously abridged by a system of taxation suf-
| 6cently comprehensive to meet the expend
iture contemplated. For the national revenue
is diversion, to its full amount, of so much
of the earnings of the people, and no Jug
| g,ery will enable them to par it to the
| Government and at the same time to enjoy
! its expenditure themselves. Hitherto the
amount thus diverted has not been enough
to interfere seriously, or even perceptibly
with the comforts of the people. But a duty
of so per cent on all articles of luxury, taxes
upon notes and other evidences of debt;
excise duties, and taxation in other forms.
will enhance the cost of living at least SO
per cent, and this must be met, by all but
the wealthy, by corresponding curtail-
ment in the consumption of articles of lux
ury and comfort. The daily newspaper aud
the cheap literature. which have Quickened
the inteilects of the poorer classes; the
numberless articles of convenience or OF
taste. which have relieved and adorned their
homes: the participation in the benefits of
education which they have enjoyed, must
all give way to the necessities of public
credit.
This Is not an overdrawn statement of the
probabilities of the future, judging from the
present posture of the Government upon the
great question which underlies this war.
Il may sound well to speak of ending the
war "by great pressure. instead of a great
slaughter" and it may be done in time if
the people are willing to endure burdens
greater even than those here contemplated.
From these burdens there is no escape ex-
cept by prosecution of the war on the
principle of crippling our antagonist to the
fullest extent possible. Are there any cir
cumstances, either in the origin of the war
| or It's conduct by the Rebels, which call for
any special tenderness on our part? If We
would only avail ourselves of allies who