Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-08-29
Democratic Harmony on Unequal Taxation

Oar Democratic brethren a-3 Dob. entirely har.
nonious IN !hag yleSs Oh ths pupaeiy and
Legality Of taxing tue incomes o. Cu.toi S.ates
Securities. Tls las. Bllmg.on S.niaei,-a
paper conducted with more ability and candor
than is usuqiiy found in the Democratic newI-
papers Of these later days---has ihe following
editorial. which contrasts strangely with the
uitsrances ol lls rabid parry organs
lie hepuollcaH Legislatures OF New Hamp,
shire aod Connecticut lGr1 s.t TIE example vi
ensctiug State laws Tor igdT,ei'y taxing the Uni
ted STATES Bonds by taxing the incomes derived
from them the lorincr STATE by laying tax OF
twenty-five per cent on them, tie latter tax
OF fifteen per cent Oar own views OF this mat.
ter Of taxing Government bonds we expressed 10
our paper OF the 4ih lost We believe shat they
ought to be suhieo. Go stat, ana municipal
tnI4tiJn the same az eyesy other kind Of prop
ertv. But 70 hrrlyo az t-, there is right
way and there is wrong way. Aud the Two
Republican Sate Legtiaures above mentioned
have chosen tbs latter say, and have sat bad
example FOR others - follow, W ragtc, to zee
shat the Democrats Of oar own State, in several
Of their recent County Conventions, have shown
desire 90 follow tins bad Republican o1smple,
and 10 call Tor the ohecimeu; Of similar law BIZ
our Vermont Legislature at us approaching ses
SION. They will find plenty OF Republicans to
agree with them, and # tho matter should be
pressed We should no. be aG al surprised to zee
thou successful IN procuring the passage Of such
a law. The Republicans Of Vermont are not
goiug - quarrel wl.h Che Democrats 90 that
point, any more than did those Of New Hamp
shire and Connecticut. So our friends can make
no political capita. cut OF that. Ii need require,
nominees Tor oihces, even though they may OF
the darkest STRIPE Of the " blacks, will be
ready to pledge themselves IN favor Of such
law and hence your Democratic nominee, who
obeys the Gall upon him to give Eim q similar
pledge or yuu will not vote Tor him stands
no chance Tor any gain Of votes on tha. score.
Ine Republicans, moreover, are used to such
anti-c lnattulional STATE legislation. They passed
,heig unconstitutional personal liberty % blils
years ago, knowing them 10 be oil no legal worth
Ont 0aiy 10 show their contempt for Couslilu
tlOnal obligation when it FLASHED with their
notions OF higher law. For them the Con.
stliut0n is no rule Of action, uules, 1t eide.
with and confirms their notions of what ought To
be. Shall we follow their example in this We
can procure State laws 70 tax Government bonds,
or, what Is in tIsot the same thing, the incomes
derived from those bonds. The United States
courts, however, on the presentation OF any case
under those laws Tor their ADJUDICATION, will set
them aside as invalid, is every lawyer we'll
knows. They would DO Of no use, therefore. to
bring about that " equality OF taxation which
ought to exist, and could only work, so far as
they had any practical effect nc ALL to impair
the credit OF the General Government, which
belongs TO US all IN common, and which we are
all interested 70 maintain.
AS We remarktd IN cur former article upon
the subject, tho true remedy is net TO paS State
laws-slnco the matter is beyond State lursdic-
tIon-5us to procure proper Congressional leg
islaion upon It. The existing Government
loans, at least nearly all Of them, have no, long
to run, IN case Government chooses to end them.
As their shortest limits, FROM time 10 time, sew
erly arrive, lot the loans be replaced by other
losns, which by cypress act Of Congress shall be
subject to the same relative amount Of state and
local taxation that all other personal property
has to bear, THIS would be practical, honest.
and constitutional. None but the uonled atls.
tocrscy could object to It, aud their objections
would be suited IN lhe just and popular cry for
such measure.
We desire, rs much as any one, all uroper
legislation fer the benefit Of the p0orer and The
laborlng classes, But IN order to really benei,
them, let oil such legislation be sound, practi.
cal aud constitutional Burlington Sentinel