East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1865-03-15


under those semi-barbnrous forms o.
government, where the ideas of Jus
tice and economy are mother cared
Tor nor understood, or under those
other forms, where the rights of the
masses are crushed, beneath an over
mastering despotism, that this prinoi-
i pie is violated or ignored. Hi iA'ti
1 = That great economist, Adam, smith
in his WeaM@ @ Nst'0ass thook |, ,ehap-
tor, 2, says
"The Subjects Of every state outht
10 contribute to the support of the
government, as nearly as possible IA
proportion TO their rsspectirs abilities; that
is, in proportion to the .rovenue which
they respectively enjoy under the pro-
tsction OF the State. In the. obserya-
lion or neglect Of this maxim oonsists
what is called the equally or inequality
Of taration."
Mr.. Mill, In his Political Economy,
J (book 5, chapter 2, section ~ says, in
commenting upon this doctrines
Fer what reason ought equality
10 be the rule in matters OF taxation
For tho reason that it ought to be SO
in ell affairs Of government. As a
government ought to make no distino-
ton Of persons or classes in the
strength of their claims on it, what
ever sacrifice it requires from them
should be made to bear as nearly as
possible with the same pressure upon
all, which, it must be observed, is the
mode by which least sacrifice is occa-
stoned on the whole IF any one bears
less than his far share Of the burden, some
other person must sHger more than his
share and the alloviation to the one is
not, caetcris paribus, so great good to
him, as the increased pressure upon
tho other is an evil"
/ might cite authorities in support
Of this idea during the entire day, but
they are not needed. Every honest
man knows that this exemption is in
famous; that it is at war with all true
republicanism; that it is breeding ty-
ranny; that it's direct tendency is to
enthrone capital and enslavo labor,
and to separate society into classes,
whose lines Of division will be. drawn
with almost Brahminical strictness.
Let US consider for q moment how
the man of limited means, the man
who tolls honestly for daily bread, is
affected by this state of things. Heavy
sums of interest are annually accruing
upon these bonds, and the government
requires large revenues to meet the
demand thus made upon it. But docs
any portion Of this revenue como from
those thousands Of millions which the
capitalists Of the country have invested
in bonds? Not at all. Tho capitalist
puts his surplus funds into govern
ment bonds, and thus exempts them
from taxation, and the man Of small
means, who has nothing to spare for
such an iuvestment, is compelled to
boar an incfcased BURDEN OF taxation
by reason of that very eSemptie1.-
The scanty pittanoe which he has
wrung from the soil goes, indirectly,
to pay interest in gold 10 his wealthy
neifhber; whose thousands are exempt
from ,taxati6h &C.. aa ~ sy.ta't7
And again, tho expense of prose-
cutting the war and carrying on the
government is immense. Does the
capital which is invested in United
States bonds bear its Just proportion
of this expenditure? Certainly not
A million brave mon are fighting to
defend the capital thus invested, and
yet that very capital pays not dollar
for that defense. Ii enjoys the fullest
protection at the hands Of the govern
ment, and yet tho government says it
shall not be taxed. Itis not enough
that the poor man shall do the fight
ing; he must also foot the bill, by
express act of Congress the tax-gath-
erer is forbidden to touch that capital,
and is told to 60 to the humble home
of labor and levy an increased amount,
sufficient to make good the deficiency
which is caused by the exemption
SO here again is an increased burden
laid upon labor. Under this system,
the man who is worth but three thou
sand dollars may pay heavier tax
than his next neighbor, who rolls in
luxury, and counts the interest upon
a quarter Of million in government
bonds. 3vNI
Thus capital has achieved its first
great victory. At the very outset,
without so much as a show Of opposi-
ton OH the part of the government, it
has succeeded in avoiding the support
which it ought to render to the coun-
try, and to that extent has made itself
independent of labor. 1t requires no
argument to prove that to the extent
that capital, by being locked in the
Golfers of the government and exempt
ed from taxation, is made independent
of labor, to just that same extent is
labor madc tho slave of capital.
1t is very easy to SEQ what will be
the next step, if this grave error upon
the part of the government is not
speedily corrected. Capital will de-.
mand q r.oporty qualification for the
elcctor. Being already invested with
tcn-fold more power over the govern
ment than ever before, it will carry
that point also, and win its second
victory more easily than it has now
its first Then the poor nan will be
deprived of his ballot-that anchor Of
his hope, that last weapon but one of.
freeman. The laborer will sink as
the sristoorat rises, and each day, Will
widen the gulf betweon the classes,---
Monarchy will spring out of aristoc4
racy, imperialism Will rear its eour!ly
magniioonee upon the groaning hearts
of easlayed millions, and the siokeniiig
history OF tho old world viii ,be re-
psated in therne- ,nS.s .t.g'sisA n
D. But will'npt dwelicupdnIso gloomy
a picture. There isa. better fatarsior
our countrysi J Jhe hrowny arms that
de,the plow aud swing the hammer