Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-06-08
Plain and EpomeIy Truths.


PETER PoDGER family man, is a person OF
plain reasoning and direct application. He
is Ia the habit of talking aloud to himself,
and his cogent arguments are thus some-
times OF benefit to others. He was in mar
ket the other morning, looking out for sup
plies for Mrs. PoDGER, himself and the lit.
tie e'PoDGERs. His thoughts may be of
benefit to others. Approaching a jovial
butchers stall he bought nice sirloin cut,
and when paying for it at zoe per pound
reasoned thus to himself-"20c per pound.
That is about ten or twelve cents per pound
for the license to sell ; tax per head for
privilege to slaughter, and five per cent. tax
on the butchers and raiser's incomes. A
dear bauble was that thing placing the Re-
publican Party in power in 1860.
Passing to butter woman he transferred
roll, sweet and golden, to his basket and
while paying for it at 25c per pound, again
reflected aloud:
"Twenty-five cents we used to consider
big priceat this season. No reason for this,
unless it is to pay for license to sell as a
retail dealer and the tax on income. Veri-
", the expense attending the success of the
Republican party in 1860 spreadeth Itself
upon our Bread"
Passing to another stand and procuring
dozen eggs at the rate of sixteen cents
per dozen, the venerable PODGER again re-
fected:
"Before the Republican party run the at
fairs OF the nation to ruin, eggs cost eight
to ten cents, but now they have to help pay
the debt the Republicans have saddled up
on us, and some say that the hens are afraid
to deposit an egg without Republican
sticking plaster upon it, and this material
ly interferes with the quantity Of eggs pro-
duced."
PoDGER found the same high prices as he
bought his potatoes, and his salad, his lad
ishes and his onions (the latter taxed, as he
averred, for smelling), his beans and his
berries. His only surprise was that every
seller was not required to make out and re-
ceipt bill, so as to have the chance of
placing Republican sticking plaster on it.
Vending his way to his grocer's he found
his tea and his coffee, his flour and his
meal, his sugar and his salt, his spices and
his fruits all expanding themselves to un-
wonted prices under the stimulus of this
Republican tax.
"Ah!" said PoDGER, "what pervading
element Republicanism is. We drink it In
our tea aud coffee; we eat it in our bread
and cakes; we season our vegetables with
II, and it is an important part of our pud-
dings, pies and tarts."
Passing saloon on his way home he OBJ
served some young men smoking and drink
ing and murmured to himself: "The smoker
inhales party Republicanism through his
taxed cigar, and the drinker guIps it down
with his taxed whisky"
Arriving at home and finding PoDGER,
Jr., sick, he sought physician with the re-
fiection:
"My child must swallow bis portion of
the Republican tax. A taxed physician
must furnish him with taxed medicine, and
shotad he not recover, he must be buried
in taxed coffin by taxed undertaken
with taxed implements"
Alas, poor PoDGER! And yet he is but
one of the millions that are now struggling
along under this Republican tax-this load
Of taxation. Everything they eat, every
thing they wear, pays its tribute to the
folly Of electing the Republican party in
1850, and when they step up to deposit a
taxed ballot, the leaders and organs Of the
Republican party have the cheek to insist
that it shall not be one looking to their dis
placement in power. 7 .r..s