The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1865-10-11
xeTalk ADoutTaxe

for paying the taxes Tor the payMen OF
the einterest on our enormous State ard
National debts, and to defray the still
enormous expenses Of the Government,
and upon whose shoulders. rests, with a
crushing weight, the burden Of taxation,
are sooD to be called upon to decide
whether the party which by extrava-
gances has brought those evils upon them
shall be continued in power, or whether
relief shall be sought and secured by the
election Of better men with better princi
pies for positions of trust and response
bility. The opposition is composed of
those who, while intent upon fastening
upon the people, even by an amendment
of the Constitution a burden of taxation
which will inevitably paralyze industry
and rob the laboring, classes of the COM
forts and even the necessaries of life,and
|indecently and blatantly clamorous in
their efforts to exempt from taxation al
most the entire capital of the country
now invested in Government Bondsl Talk
of reputation! The capitalists have al
ready, to all intents and purposes, $50 far
as they are concerned, repudiated the
public debt. Their money safely invest
ed in bonds drawing heavy interest, pays
not a farthing of the public debt, nor the
tenth part of, a red cent for the support
of the Government which protects them.
To them, "a national debt Is national
blessing" while in gloating over their ille
gotten advantages, they cast the whole
burdens ofataxation upon the toiling mas
Ises! And here, in Ohio, is a party, the
leaders of which are making themselves
hoarse in demanding a tariff which will
| place the comforts of life beyond the
reach of the working men and working
women Of Tie country, while they are
lavowedly anxious to, find, a gag for the
months of all who would utter COM
plaint against the iimpudence of Shoddy,
and the cupidity Of 'loyal'' thieves and
anatriotic" plurdercrs,of the national re-
sources. o. .tsa - t,.4aot q
That our readers, honcstih tiIeiriintef-
tions, and supposed to sbe,atdeast the
equals Of theirtBlaekz Republican neigh
bors in ,intelligenees may see. just how
their vital interests are affected by the
policy which our opponents in this State
are seeking to- perpetuate, we ask their
attention to the following article, copied
from that sterlingo sheet, the Harrisburg
| (Pa.) Patriot and Union: asie seo ssyoi 81
"Voters, did you ever think why mer-
ehandise and the snecessaries of life con-
| tinue so Highland the war ended full six
months2 No, you didn't-but you gen
.erally supposed it was owing to a super
abundant paper currency. Not exactly
That is partly the cause, but the reality
! is that, in paying the present high prices
for every thing you eat, use and wear,
/ you are helping to pay the interest on the
public debt-the interest on the untaxed
bonds held by the sheddy aristocracyl-
That's what's the matter. The billions
of public debt represent 50 much proper.
| ty; that property If untaxed. and, while
the holders of the Government bonds pay
no tax whatever, the working population
| is compelled to bear the whole vast bur
/ then. g.
| "You say that the taxes you now pay tc
the collector are not much heavier than
formerly. That is true; you are poor, you
j own no property to be taxed; and, there
fore, you do not readily perceive how, By
tie improved shoddy Abolition method
you are most heavily taxed on the, only
property you have-your muscles ant
your industry. You feel the burthen.b but
you do not see exactly where it comes
/ from. You now are the victims of Low
wages, aud high prices, but have neve
Ebethered about sitting the matter to fnd
the cause. You 60 to store to buy :;
| piece .of fannel-fnd it very high il
| price--double in fact over the old fgur'
but you content yourself with saying
| 'Oh, it's war prices, and can't be helped.
But it can be helped. 1t can be helpe,
d by voting Tor new arrangeme
4 Democracy, for hard currency,and equa
! taxation. Let us see where the high pric
YOU pay for your flannel goes. 9@ lii'
! "a portion of this high price is take
I by the store keeper to pay a part of hi
? Government license. Thus you pay ia:
to the Government to liquidate the inter
est on the untaxed Government bonds i
the possession of the bonded aristocraey
q Another portion of this high price is pal
q by the merchant to the wool manufacture
and with portion. Of it. he pays his Il
cense to the Government to liquidate tn
Interest upon the untaxed bonds; thus 20
help to pay his tax. The wool manufat
g lturer then pays the balance of this extr
: price to the wool. grower who is compelle
to pay his. revenue tax with portion. {
to liquidate the interest upon the III
j, taxed bonds, and tbs. balance which
e lleft. above the aetualicost ,sof:the .produ'
/ ton of the wool, goes in the extra cost {
such articles asahe may need for h
!; family. .aiss5 zsff o55 ,-3isst.f5rssn;g
? "Thus, you see, in buying piece
. flannel (and it is so in other fabrics) yo
i pay, pretty directly, a portion OF the go,
: iernnient taxes of three individuals,s an
Z contribute largely to the payment of tt
J annual interest upon the suntaxeda Go
ernment bonds. Besides this you COZ
: ! tribute SO the Legitimate profits, and col
] lsequen1ly TO the support of the ,famili
of those three individuals And yetlyc
{ / have said that you dom pay much high
: i taxes to the collector than you did 70
? merly My good fellow, try to get I'll
: wool out of your eyes. Under the shedc
y Abolition plan, every merchant, eyel
: shopkeeper, every manufacturer and pr
ID ducer is TAX ooLhEcToRli You see
n, all now, don'tsyou? You perceive he
! all these extra prices which YOU apay