The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-11-03
our United states TaxeS.


well considered article on the deficien-
cies of our present Federal revenue
system. It points out q fact that ali OBJ
serving men have seen for themselves,
viz: that the productive industries of
the country bear too heavy a portion Of
the taxes and the consumption ofluxu-
ries too little. Another deficiency is
that honest and conscientious men,
who return their revenues correctly,
even TO the uttermost farthing, are OBJ.
pressed with taxes, while less honest
persons escape from their just share OF
the public burden. The law needs
special amendment in this last
particular. The american adlrns
that the taxes are not prop
erly enforced in any section of the
country" It contends that a great
deal morst revenus should be derived
from taxes on tobacco and liquor.
ofacers of the revenue swarm like the
locusts Of Egypt and eat up the sub.
stance OF the people, and yet fail in q
proper discharge OF their duties. The
whole land groans with their multi
piled numbers. The scale of taxation
needs an Overhauling at the next SEES
sIonieo Congress, in order both to
amend the law and to amend the exc
cution oft. Wedo not want to pay Oh
the national debt in the next fifteen or
twenty years. 1t is too oppressive to
think1of doing SO. Justice demands
that we should extend 1t through sever
al generations, and also that the South,
when reCuperated, should be made to
pay a fair share of it. 1t Is a Rrievous
wrong 10 tax the loyal people of the
country to death in order to get clear of
burden thatt the South Is responsible
for, and that posterity, in consideration
Of the sacrifices that have been made
for it, should share. A proper states
manship will seek to distribute the
debt through long series of years,
paying the interest and reducing the
principal a very little each year. Inthis
way business man would not find all
hissurplus taken tor taxes at the end of
Ryear. Hewould not feel, as many do
now, that between the expenses of
every day living aud monstrous taxes,
he had no hope in the world. The
peOple,muSt not be made slaves to the
debt, but the debt must, as far as posi-
BILE, be made tributary to the best
interests Of The people. And to
this end articles OF luxury must be
made to pay mors+oF the taxes than
they now pay. Not that many OF Them
are not taxed high enough already, but
that the taxes are not enforced because
of Incompetent or uniaithtul Assessors.
Great Britain collects the vast proper
ton of her revenues from three or four
leading articles, such as tobacco, tea,
and all kinds of spirituous and malt
liquors. The consumption of liquors
in the United States is more enormous
than in any other country in the world,
and yet our collections from that source
are nothing likeeq to those Of Great
Britain. The reason Is, that our tax
syPtsm is defective and our officers OF
tho revenue not generally the right
kindof men. In order to carry out the
present treaGherous and despotic policy
of Mr.. johnson, mr.. Nc CulIOuch, the
Secretaryof the Treasury, is removing
all the principal = officers and
their assistants throughout the
country, and installing new set who
have to learn their duties at an i'm
mense expense to the public. Tho
removals now being made will cost the
country tens OF millions Of dollars, and
all to crafty the malice of one man.
Mr.. MCCULLOUGH was putin his present
position by Mr.. Lincoln, notas a politi-
clan, but because it was intended to
divorce the position from politics, save
only that the appolntees should of
course be loyal men, Now that his
master has turned on the people who
elected him. the Secretary also turns on
the policy to which he owes his own
place, and consents In defiance of all
his hitherto expressed views to become
the mere headsnan of Mr. Johnson.
In view Of the enormous Federal,
State, county and municipal taxes now
levied upon the people. It becomes
Congressto hold the head of the Treas
ury Department to the most rigid adj
hsrenCe TO measures OF economy. A
law Il needed 70 exact more faithful
service from the ofRcers OF the revenue.
to curtail their wastefulness, to weed
out all siuecureisms, to abolish all SUI
perpumeraries, and to prevent remov-
ais except for cause. Let tho appoint-
ees be chosen for their fitness and whom
tested and found all right, continued.
Only men OF the highest moral chnrac-
tiers should receive place In the reve-
nue. system. The people cannot aHord
to permit shifting aud laundering.
They will be literally eaten up with In.
competency and dishonesty. a