Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-06-02
Prom the "a York. TIms-.
Our AbiIIty 70 paw TnI...

Ia Ouf Ab1lCY 70 Pay Taxes.
The London EeonOmist and the SATURDAY.
Reviev-neither ofthem at all partial to this
country-hAVe taken occasion lately to call
attention to an important economical fact
developed by this War-the immens e wealth
OF the population of the Free States. The
EeORoHIISt, in recent able article on the
subject of our ability to bear taxation {"
demonstrates, as il against the popnlsr
opinion of Englandi our capacity to bear
easily 100000, 900 annual taxation Tue
writer states that the great popularity of
American society has not been understood
in Europe,-that 10, the large number of
people with an income say of $500. There
are not, be admits, body of men, repreI
senting, for instance, such an amount OF
property as is represented by the British
Parliament, but there are q far larger nhm-
Der Of small property holders with tax able
incomes than IN England. Reckoning the
average wages OF theAmericau Iaborers and
small a!1 farmers at $3.50 day, which be be-
lleyes TO be low estimate and the nnmbet
OF families in the Union at Eve aud a half
millions, he thinkb the wages income of
America would be equal TO the property
income of Great Britain. The income OF
our middle class be estimates as EQUAL to
that OF the British middle class, though the
erty. Suppose tax laid corresponding to
the English. of three shillings on the pound.
he concludes that G12O, 900, 900 could be
raised here from direct taxes, without.
counting the indirect taxes on l1xnries.-
With respect TO the Willingness of our peo.
pie to pay, he entertaius little doubt that
where debt is 80 universally held and
where population is so we'll off. the tar
would be paid with but little Rrumblinp -
He does not see y ~ an American ..farmer'
or artisan should not be willing 70 pay for
the American nationality or dignity, or
safety, or whichever We, consider il Cd
much as the British bankers clerk for
TOE Brtush-namely three shiIlinRs on the
pound. Grum6lings there would be. but
there are RrumblinHs also from English
s s..!s payers and jet the poorest pay With
little opposition. There might Sc mani
difficulties in collecting, but experience
and ingenuity would graduaIly perfect
modes OF raising the taxes which would be
the most elective and the least snfioyip1.
Ano, Is ne justly argues, it is hard to fig a
limit 70 the amount Of indirect taxes on
Injuries which might be raised from 40
rich people. His fnal candid conclnsion
Is that the European public have not al All
estimated correctly the American abiiitv
to bear taxation.
We are glad that so eminent financial
authority as the EeoRoRlilt has admitted |
what has loog been claimed . BIZ ahet
9naneleFs OF America-the immaase nro-
effectiveness of labor and. sonse6uept
wealth OF America. A foreign trayeler
20 ons Uniou, not seeing go much of the
slgas'o accumulated wealth, though find
!nE every mark of individual well, being.
u disPosea to 0nderrate the pationSi
wealth. But it must be borne in mind maj
The immensely larger proportion of he h
revenue OF every country Is PRODUCED sscb II
rear The profits Of Ike annual labor /
n America are immense, We have al.