Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-05-24
:. Is Honesty the Rest Policy -

It was contended before the war; that the South
paid the Federal Taxes. If the following exhibit
of the gold watches listed for taxation in the
Northern States is fair illustration of the homes
ty with which property is listed at the North, we
may well expect that the South, even in her i'm
poverished condition, denied representation, and
unrecognized equals i'll the Union, will have to
bear much more than her fair share of the bur-
dens of the government, The old copy plate axiom
Honesty is the best Policy" seems to be entire
ly discarded by the prosperous North, suppose
from an honest difference of opinion in reference
to what old fogies regarded rs Il truism. The
Journal of Commerce may we'll ask, What has be-
come of all the Gold Watches at the North ? If
the question was asked what had become of these
differing time pieces at the South, the question
would be easy of solution. Many even which did
not fall into the hands OF relentless "bummers, -
were sent North close upon the heels of the sur
render of the Confederate armies, to be sold in
der to purchase bread.
We, however, venture the assertion, that when
such articles are listed here that the eleven I'M
represented Southern States, with a larger number
of their gold watches stolen from them and car
ried North, than shown in the whole list of
those returned for taxation in the thrtytwt States
and Territories represented in Congress, and
claiming, par excellence, to be The United States,
will exhibit not great all iMpoverishment in
this particular respect, and think that the tax
gatherer will find many gold watches IN the
city of Wilmington, alone, these officers were
able to discover in all the New England States,
including that moral and political Hub OF the
Universe-RostOp.
We commend the following article and official
figures from the ouI7uu Of Commerce to the atten
ton of our readers
"1he question, What becomes of all the pins now
sinks insignicance beside another inquiry OF
serious moment What has become of all the gold watches
country has been famous for these gtterng time
pieces. Not well-todog gentleman in any part of the
land but had his gold ticker they were indispensable
portion of young lady daily attire and even beardess
bows eager possess the coveted treasure and could
not wait for it until they came to mans estate But
fortunately the happy of these elegant articles
eye of the greedy gatherer caught by their
glitter and they to be made to contribute to the
onal Any gold watch in use, worth less than
one hundred dollars to be charged dollar, and
when valued at over hundred dollars, to pay two
dollars tax per annqm At this precise moment by sim
gular coincidence large part OF the gold watches in
many States disappeared from record The sudden VAN
shng of much valuable property should be matter
of all who interested i'll the hope of obtain
ing explanation of this remarkable phenomenon.
The following, from the latest official return of the Com
missioner of Internal Revenue exhibits the extent of this
startling oss and may partially aid in its recovery
ao1 " " .TCuEs IN THE UNITED STATES