Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-08-09
o from The North Woit.l gT
w Taxation. NIIn


taxation, or he could never have fallen into
an error so great. Taxation inevitably
bears with greater severity upon the opera
tive classes than upon any other; and that
not only because that class is least able to
bear the burthens, butbeeause, by natural
| law, more than a pro rata proportion falls
upon the laboring man. There is no posi-
BILE form of taxation that does not ultimate
ly shift itself back upon the operatives. g,I
An income tax appears to be specifically
taken out of the pockets of the wealthy
classics; and it does unquestionably result at
first in alimitation of the enjOyments ofthat
class, or oftheir means of acquiring wealth;
but these effects become in turn the cause OF
a lessened demand for the products Oflabor,
which finally results in keeping so much
out OF the pockets of the working classes.
Taxes upon commodities, or on profits OF
trade, are charged upon the articles sold;
the resulting increase of prices Immediately
produces corresponding reduction in tile
consumption of those commodities the use
ofwhich can be contracted withleast incon-
venience; the result of this diminution of
consumption proportionate falling off in
the demand Of. labor which further. by the
natural operation of supply and demand in
the labor market, results in the reduction Of
the rate of wages. This reduction in wages
cheapens products, and consumers are again
enabled to purchase about the same amount
of commodities as before, except those who
are of the working class, whose diminished
earnings reduce their purchasing ability
| The issue or thisprocess ofshifting burthens
is, that the working man has to give more
labor fora given sum than before taxation
was imposed, while other classes experience
| little change in their profits or enjoynents.
! There is no possible system of taxation that
can avoid this unfortunate ultimatum.
T. If taxes be raised by tariff duties, the
bhrthen again is severest upon the laborng
man. Upon every pound of coffee or sugar
which he purchases for his family, and on
every yard of muslin, calico or cloth which
he is compelled to buy, lie pays taxes in the
form OF import duties; for in consequence of
these duties the foreign manufacturers and
dealer is unable to deliver in our ports his
commodities as cheap as he would other
wise be enabled to do, while it enables the
\ dpmestic manufacturer to demand and OBJ
tain q higher price for his articles.
lftaXatiOn be assessed upon real estate and
the various subjects of property, the labor
ing man may think he escapes, but he is
only greatly mistaken: In the shape of re-
duced wages, or an increased price for
wheat and the various articles of family
consumption, he pays more than his pro-
portion of the taxes. .I' .s ....tH0. .a
| We have, however, to accept things as
they are and the duty of the statesman is
to Scan their tendencies and provide for
giving them the most beneficent direction
possible. We have accumulated vast pub
lie debt, and it must be supported by taxa
tion. The taxes will necessarily have the
I same tendencies, as respects classes, in this
cpHntry, as wehave seen developed in, the
heavily taxed nations of Europe. The prac-
tical questions are: Shall we witness here
the same degree of degradation of the work
ling class as has resulted from taxation in
Europe? What will be the probable effect
of the endurance OF tax burtheps by that
class? Is there any danger of repudia-
tlon agitation growing out of these causes?
These are the questions which, after the
present issues OF reconstruction, negro sut-
trage and. the like have been settled, will
demand the anxious consideration of states
| men. '.''' -'0'-''.- d. -'-
| There are many abuses in our present sys-
tenn of taxation that must be remedied, or
population will be strongly demanded by
the class upon whom the burthen falls. Lo-
cal and State taxation is, and must be,
\ heavy, and when to this is added stamp and
II tariff duties and the system of internal reve-
nue. taxation, the burthen becomes absolute
ly oppressive, and it is not surprising that
the people should omplain---especially
ernment bonds are exemnt from taxation of
anv kind. either for LOCAL State or General
i overnment nurnoses fins creat t;ng nriv-
ileged class. comnosed of orr weaith;est
I citizens who nav no taxes In this as in
every community. we have a class of ner-
SIMS sworth their tens Of thousands who are
Ldisuosinp of the pror,ertv unon which tbev
are comnelIed ~ nav raves and invest;ny
Their money in IJniteI states seciritiesS'
u Tnon IyhicH thev nav nothing TINS! %
man worth atfty or q hundred fbnnssnJ
4 dollars navs lnot a cent toward tbe sI,nnnrt
/ If bis 1Goy yernn,ent while tbe ners6r wprtb
hut one or two thousand is romnelleS to
naysfromi f,ftv IA one hundred dGIiars nor
ahrnf}nj Ti1Ti'G 1d170 TGfSIt TIiS ! y
|, III has sbeeil asserted bv some economists
4 tbata i6rg6 nati6naj debt can he Iiaintained
I 1niS in "a cnnntf{yi where the, e,iowar cIasses
4 are without the elective franchise and tbe
u IIonnlafion hpld iImjei. snh;ect;on bv tbe
I Sword and iris oh;p6t;nA is;nrSad sGs;nst
II tba eytertsion of fhe rightJ of en- ffrsga II,
Eoola,dl r. hein uas.erted' that the result
j of aiinaitt;1 Of larSe r,ortion of the vnrtino
Glasses iR tl5ts richt ri ielection yvo,,S1ha . 8
ea rlv ren,,disti6h of rbe n ational iSInhf ,as q
means Of getting rid iof tSxation.r In this IN
rr6stI material 1Sarticnlar. the onerativeI of
the United States differs from m that of other
Countries: he Dossesses the right Of sufYraoe:
tbevldn not This gives him certain ,,oyyer,
Observation-Disclosures g of bisr