The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1866-01-17
Who Pays the Taxes 2

the taxes, whatever is imposed by the
Government, either by the way Of tariffs
or direct taxation, comes ultimately from
them. Consumers are the sources Of rev.
epue, and whatever is imposed directly
upon other classes is, 10 the end, shifted
upon them. In the walls OF building
the top layer of brick rests upon the one
below, and so on down to the foundation;
so all classes of society rest upon the con-
sumers, and whatever burdens are placed
upon any Of the former reach down to,
and bear their weight upon the latter.
Let us illustrate our meaning. The
merchant Of New York occupies rented
store in that city. He buys some Of his
goods in the market Of the world, and
some of them of the American manufac-
turer His landlord computes the value
Of his building, the taxes he pays upon IL,
the internal revenue, what II costs him TO
live, aud then adds his profit, and thus
establishes the rent Of the building occu.
pied bv the merchant. The merchant
pays the duty on the goods he imports;
and the price of the goods that he buys
of the American manufacturer covers the
taxes and profits on the same up to the
amount of protection afforded by the tar
i'll laws. The manufacturers understand
that they have the monopoly Of the
American market up to the point OF price
afforded by The addition of our tarlH TO
the worth of such goods in the markets
of the world. Aud they have grown
wise enough to know that it is as much
more profitable to take advantage of their
monopoly than to be running each other
by competition. Their combinations,
therefore, are such as TO secure to them
the full benefits of their monopoly. They
have fully learned the benefits of such
combination, and until human nature shall
change, it is not likely that they will
forego their advantages for the benefit Of
their customers.
The merchant then adds to what these
goods cost him, the rent he pays, togeth-
or with the taxes be himself has 10 pay on
bis business, and the cost of his living,
and then his proils-for his profits must
not be any the less for any imposition
the government may make upon his bu-
siness, through him. He therefore sells
bis goods TO the Michigan merchant for a
price covering all taxes, tariffs, rents and
profits added 10 the value of the goods
in the markets of the world. The Mich
igan merchant then pays the transporta-
ton company their cost, profit, insurance,
and taxes for transportation, and when
the goods reach his store all these costs
are increased by his profits, his taxes,
township, county, State and national, so
that his profits shall not be less than for
merly, and the farmer, mechanic and In
borer pay these accumulated assessments
in every purchase they make. This pro-
cess will hold good with nearly everything
that they buy.
The farmer and the mechanic have the
township, county, State aud national tax
es assessed 10 them to pay directly. The
mechanic may, in some instances, be en-
abled to shove off portion Of his taxes
upon his customers, but the farmer has
few such opportunities. His productions
90 into the markets Of the world, and
their price is regulated by that market,
aud not by himself. 1t is true that his
productions are now nominalIy higher
Than formerly; but only just as much
higher as the deprecated currency in
which he receives his pay is below the
worlds standard Of gold aud silver, which,
in accordance with the supply and the de-
mand, governs the price Of his wheat,
-four, pork, beef aud wool in the Europe
an market, by which the prices he receives
are determined.
1t is also true that the fnl weight of
taxation is not yet felt, because the tax is
paid in deprecated aud an abundant cur
rency; but when that currency is brought
down to specie basis, the full weight Of
its burdens will be felt.
Within the period Of four years We
have passed from Que Of the lighlest tax
ed people 90 earth, to the most heavily
taxed. As heedlessIy and lightly as we
rushed into the vortex, the results are
coming hack upon us with terrible power,
and IN that power will he swept from pub
lie counsels, the miserable fanatics who
still seek to keep up the divisions aud an
imosilies of the country aud the expenses
incident 10 a slate of war.
We say that we wish 10 impress upon
IL !. -