The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-03-05

The machinery Of Government must be
oiled by money. If not, 1t won't run. This
money must be supplied by taxes. Every
good citizen knows it to be his duty TO beat a
share of this burden, if you choose to call it
so. These levies may be too high. and hard
TO meet, but it IS absolutely necessary that
they should be paid. The remedy lies in
making proper scrutiny into the manage
ment Of the expenditure of the public mon-
eys, and II corrupt, or erroneous, correct the
evil by changing the officers who are respon-
sible for said management. The tax payers,
therefore, hold the means OF redress in their
own hands, aud they are unfit to have charge
of their own affairs, if they do not, apply them
fearlessly, when the public welfare demands
IT,
There is one thing certain, however, that
no man is worthy of being considered q good
citizen who does not pay his taxes promptly.
In this connection il Is proper to say, that
about three ioarths of the tax payers of this
State pay their taxes, as they do all other OBJ
| legations, punctually. The remaining one
| fourth, principally residents, or large
| tax payers, attempt to shirs the duty OF meet
| ing their share OF the taxation by delaying
payment, or not paying Mt ALL hoping that by
i some sin OF omission or commission on the
part of the county or other officers, or by
| some technical or accidental advantage, to be
taken before some court, they may avoid the
| payment altogether, thus producing the rle>
cessity for an increased levy Of taxes for the
next season to make up the deficiency caused
BY their derelietion of duty as honest citizens
Conduct Of this kind is dishonesty, pure and
simple for no man has any right to attempt,
by some quibbling subterfuge, to sneak away
from bearing bus portion of the public respon
sibilities, and thus add to the burdens Of bis
neighbors.
It lie useless. nay, very silly, 10 attempt 10
cover this fragrant dishonesty, by throwing
up cloud of dust about land sharks, pur
chssers Of tax titles, etc. This kind Of slang
il about played ont. Government must be
sustained--it cannot be without funds-these
funds are raised by tsxes. If NIL refuse TO
pay, tie whole machine stops. If three
fourths pay aud the remainder refuse, how
are they 70 be compelled 10 do their duty
By offering the property for sale. If no one,
however, can he found to purchase, fearing
the assaults Of ignorance or dishonesty, the
non paying gentlemen have gained their
point and they go scott free.
1t il Q new rule Of legal ethics that man a
property shall not be sold for taxes, for this
is in substance the position taken by all de-
/, think that although property is liable for ID.
i
the hieSest-thst due towards sustaining the
| very life OF the Government
And by what rule can a mans right 70 In
! vest his money, at any sale authorized b.
Law, in any kind OF property, be called in
question: II the non-tax payers are right,
then no man ought to pay taxes. Let ali he
lequsl before the law
Il II the property of delinquent and non-resi
: dent tax payers cannot be reached by tag
sales. let the Collectors Office be shut IN. In
aword, let all pay or be compelled to pay, Of
. none.
In addition, even in the event of an inpaliti
sale, the purchaser at the tax sale suffers no
loss The Law secures him amply by pro.
. viding for the refanding of hrs purchass
( money, and interest by the County, and
. hence tins sum refunded must b missed by
the uxes next year, and thus an sddis;ooai
burdea hns on honest and psomps tx psy-
era thfu'eh the diahonssy q dehnqaeacy a
. the non paying gentlemen. Z q TT I
r fortunately for the people Of Iowa, the
Lngplsense hes made ample aad strinrepf
provisions for the collectioa oftaxss, al ~
tsefesssasat y tax salsa, end the Supeen1