Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-12-18

While tho war lasted and il Was necessary
to raise largo sums Of money TO support the
army and navy. and mAintais the crsdi: o.
the govcrnmeet, the people chssrfully sub
mittcd 70 the taxaiion necessary for these
purposes. But il was not supposed that The
high rates imposed dusiag the existence Of
the war would long be continued after the
distanding Of our armies, and che consc
Quent diminuton Of the cost Of carrying or
the Government. Thus FIR tho people hav,
looked in vain fer decrease Of the taxes.
Hunts Merchants Magazine has we'll
considered article on this subject, from which
We take the following:
II Is evident that the legitimate business
II languishing At the present time, very
many departments Of industry failing to DO
rcmuncfative. There arc several causes for
this; chief among them, however, 10, W.
believe, the burden Of taxation which ws
are nov laboring under, resulting - IL does
in high prices and restricted consumption.
1t is customary to imputs the present in>
crease IN the cost Of living to an inflated
currency. We would By NO means under
range values but, at the same time, while
~ ere intent on curing this evil, 10 should
rcmember2thas even resumption OF specie
paynsnts would not bring rates back 70 the
standard Of 1860.
The impelisy Of unnecessary taxation 10
apparent IN many ways. Al know that
high prices are positive evil. They CON-
pei the consumers 70 limit their supplies !;
and Nf Al
production. With less productioa, there 10
necessarily les wealth asd with thst, lsss
ability TO pay taxes. A eovssanent that
succeeds in teaching its psspls - dispsass
With articles not Of absolute necessity haG
weakened private energy and deprived T.
self Of the ability to resist opprs1sioa. Il
has only created the Indians seandAed Of
wealth, while white men have labessd and
made many things that ere ussful and sen>
vcnient, We, Indians, have learned not to
want them" A statesaan Of . civilized
country would hardly wish 10 bring about
such state Of things; and vet this is what
our heavy burden oftaxation must neccssa-
ri'v produce.
The civil and foreign service Of the coun
try requires only an expenditure Of about
io.ty millions Of dollars. The war depart
mcnt will require an equal amount, and the
navy perhaps as much more. Tho pension
and other charges will be about twenty mil
lions in round numbers. The interest on
the public debt will not exceed one hundret
and forty millions making two hundred anl
eighty million Of dollars in all. II. then, "a
this We adj sinking fund Of only go, 900
600 annually, No would have sufficient "a
pay oil tho yearly charges against the gov
ernmect and be able to liquidase the Who'll,
amount of the debt in the lifetime Of gen
| eratioa.
Il ID practicable, therefore, ioe esagrsss h
reduce the aggregate Of our taxes - thrss'
6fths, il not one half. their present volume
and still maintain the public credit end
meet honosably I'll engagements. Whatsv.
er amount 10 raised moro than 10 necesoasJ
for these purposes 10 extortionsts, and nus
bear upoa The taxpayse With undue ssvsFity
lnsssad Of buildiag 1p the Industries Il u
country, 4 wrssGs non The psoducss II
very means Of ssbsisting himsslf end pay
Ing any YAK whatsvsr. The agrieultufisi
dispoeing Of his land TO liquidale his dsbtl
instead VI occupying it and providing ii
them With the income, il ~ inape pictuse q
. government prosecuting such . policy
Let there BE- delay till our people shall
have begun to prosper again, and then VI
shall be able to repay oil with sase.
| A host Of Pennsylvania leli,icians ere Il
= -