The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-21

More than year ago we suggested tle
necessity, because the Justice, Of equalizing
the general taxation Of the country. Some
such measure will probably be proposed
during the present session Of Congress. In
addition, tax upon certain exports Is eX-
pected our cotton and tobacco, largely
consumed abroad, would yield large sum,
If not too highly taxed, which would be
paid BY foreign purchasers and consumers.
Indeed, as regards cotton, il is obviously
unjust that our native manufacturers
should have to pay tax upon it, and that
ioreigners-British, French, Beigic, Dutch,
German aud Swiss-who work il up aud
bring il into our markets avoWedly 10 un-
dersell native industry, should obtain that
staple duty-free.
Harper's Weekly, in an article on "Our
Taxes" considering that, in the I've months
ending November so, the sum drawn from
the people by the Government IN direct
aud indirect taxes, was S263, 900, 900 ae-
curatelv calculates that, f'were these I've
months sn average for the year, the annual
income Of the Government would foot up
not less that $3.50 00o, 900, % total very near
our own estimate, published yesterday.
This, by the way, is nearly double the
whole public revenue raised in Great Brit
ain and Ireland By taxation, and our
ability % pay il shows the extent and vi
tality Of our resources as nation Harper's
Weekly, deducting q certain percentage for
contingencies, estimates our taxes at hiteen
dollars per head Of the whole population, e
heavier amount than Is paid IN any other
country, end argues IN favor Of The real
justment Of our system Of taxation, with q
view 10 relieve industry from the burdens
which now press upon t.. The present
system, it is c0ntended, fails in two essential
PARTICULARS
"First, that its operation is too costly /;
and secondly, that it opens the door % too
many frauds. Both Of these defects arise
from The uawise attempt Of Congress 10 lax
every article that is eaiens or drank, or
worn, or used for necessity or PleaFire, o.
manufactured, or consumed, or enjoyed.
Under the present laa almost every object
that can Be named pays not only one but
many taxes. Take = book for instance.
The author pays a tax on the product Of his
copyright; the publisher pays fer q license,
pays q tax on his sales, and again sn in
come tax OF the profit on those sales the
paper used has pad q msnu.ncturer's tax,
and tax on its sale the ink pays she sane;
the leather used IN the binding has also paid
two taxes he biudsT pays bis income tax,
and 50 slso the printer; the retailer who
sells the book pays for bis license, 3 tax on
his sales, and an income tax % that By the
{
tualiy paid fifteen separate taxes t0ths Gov
erument. Other articles coat, q pair Of
boots, q carriage dwelling ia
about the same proportion. The worst Of ali
this multiplied aud varieEaied taxation 3
that the Governments does lot get anything
ike the whole aul1unt which The bubble
paws, and that Whfla houe8t men paw their
iaxes, It is impossible 10 prevent rogues
svading theirs To collect 80 in6niIe a
number Of small tazes requires al armv OF
paid officials. To collect them 20 thorough
ly a. 70 prevent fraud would require every
second man to be detective -
What the cost Of collecting the revenue
may be has not yot been stated-has not YES
been ascertained, perhaps. Bat, Harper
says, f'it must be very much greater than
The cost o. collecting the revenue Of other
leaiing nations" The true secret Of taxa
ton, We sre reminded, is 10 tax 3 few arti-
cies, and 20 concentraie the wafehf1lness Of
the eNcisemen on them B" end then follows
this important suggestion, a repetition Of
7 what We said twelve months sEo. sGreat
Britain row derives as large q FeTeuus from
seven articles a. she used % draw from
Two hundred Frauds are Of rarer occur
renee than they used 70 b., and the cost q
collecting The revenue j. much reduced
Applying the sane system 90 this country
| ID We taxed nothing bui cotton, t9bacco,
I whisky, beer, land, Incomes, and isgaciGs. q
I is likely hat IN an average oi years the IN
come from this source would, with the pro
duct Of q stamp tax, Be - laEge g it would
I Be- from the prssest da7ersi6si system,
! while is is clear that frauda Would BE- less
l FREQUENT snd the eost q collection much re-
duced. It would be q ite poufbe . % collect
I s2so. .o19 90 . year on cetio1s Whisky, beer,
| tobaeeo, incomes and stamps a ls1d sax
| and customs duties might pay $50 ,eo1, Gee
l more without difficulty. Vita proper ma
chinsry such taxes might Be eollsciod for
ons-half the present cost Of collecting The