Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1865-07-01
SATURDAY, JULY l.

49,
SATURDAY, JULY l.
EACH STATE TO PAY IRIS PRO.
PORT lON or THE PCBLIC DEBT.
The following article from the financial
column Of The Chicago Times contains 90
much of interest to each and oil Of US who
have taxes to pay, that We think the col.
umns Of tho Register cannot be better &C.
cupisd than BY its publication. The views
Of the writer are sound and should com
msnd the rsspect and immediate attention
Of the Government:
From oil sides the demand is made that
tho affairs Of the federal government b
henceforth administered with the most
rigid economy. An immense public debt
"a large portion Of it entirely unnecessary
lis resting like pail upon the hopes Of
Tie country, weighing down every branch
Of Industry and discoursging every enter
prise. To pay the interest upon the debt
will call for continual sacrifices upon the
part Of ths'psople, and they have the rigb.
to demand that no part Of thei, money
shall b dissipa.sd BY the sxtravagancs Of
the federal administration. We believe
that it 10 tho intention Of President John.
con to administer the government %
economically % possible, and We are prom.
issd rstrsnchnsnt in many forms. The
extravsgaucs and corruption of officers 10
doubt occasions the expenditure Of con-
siderable proportion Of tho revenues Of the
government, but this dishonesty il not the
great evil. 1t 10 not the unfaishfulness
Of public officers, but the number Of off
GERS, which dis.ipatss the government
revenues, and which renders taxation op.
pres.ivs, and, BY the consumption Of tho
surplus it would otherwise yield, promises
also to render il perpetual. The reduction
Of the army and navy now progressing
will largely reduce the expense Of the
government But when tho army and
navy have both been brought to . peace
footing, No will still have two sets Of off.
eers in this country, to support whom will
require 20 large som that no consider.
able Or rapid reduction Of the public debt
IL possible, even With The most oppressive
system Of taxation, which invades over
and over again tho purses Of individuals, =.
and fastsns upon the proceeds Of their in.
dsstry BY every srti6ce which The iugenu.
;ty Of hungry Office. holders can invent
We sllude TO provost MARSHALL and reve.
nue. officers. Fer tho former the country
has no msaosr Of use, and the latter
should b. promptly dismissed - equally
useless. We have in this country at the
present time two distinct sets Of tai gath.
srers, one appointed by the states aud the
other BY the federal government The
dismissal! Of one of them, and the blend
ing Of the two systems Of taxation into
one in such . manner that the saDe off.
GERS may collect United States, state, and
county taxes. 10 question Of the greatest
economy. No other measure promises
such . reduction in the expense Of the
government, and no other resrenchment
promises such vast results. We submitted
. plan . day or two since by which, No
believe, this matter can DO accom- plished.
1t was to require each state to pay annu
ely to the federal government its proper.
ton Of the amount necessary to defray the
interest on the public debt, provide for
sinking fund, etc. If this policy were
adopted, the vast army of tax ga,berers
could be promptly dismissed, aud the mil.
lions consumed in the collection Of the
revenues applied to the reduction of the
principal Of the debt or subtracted from
the gross amount Of revenue collected %.
der the present system, reducing to that
extent the burden Of taxation. This na-
ton 10 too poor at the present time, and
taxation is pressing too heavily upon it, to
justify retaining this immense army Of un-
necessary Office holders.
II the state officers were allowed to col.
lsct the revenues and taxes imposed by
state laws. there would b another advan-
sase which ~ will be prepared 70 spprs.
eia.s before long. The present system Of
taxssioa bsars aneqaally upon The eoon>
Try and upon The interests Of various sec.
sions, and perhsps il il impossible to 90
frame the revenue laws ~ 70 make their
burdens bear equally. A taxation JUS. to
New England i unjust 70 the west. Aud,
- in the case Of tho recent ssisures Of
hishvinss in this city, when the law Is
found 70 bear unfairly upon one section,
~ officers are 20 far removed from the
influence Of The people concerned that in
. majority Of Gases . patient hearing of
he circumstances and equities involved
can scarcely b obtained. And, when