Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-11-05
The National Deb,-Taxatiop.

The heavy national debt, now pressing
upon the people as an incubus on their in
dustry, is beginning to excite that atten-
ton, which the advocates of the doc
trine that national debt is national
blessing, will find makes no proselytes to
their doctrine.
| The New York Herald, commenting upon
the fact that one-third, at least of every
mans property is responsible for the in j.
debtedness of the State and the nation, and
the owner must pay in taxes the interest
on that vast debt, and that not only does
taxation SO onerous not exist anywhere
else, but it was, perhaps, never before
known in the history of society, says:
| "In looking over the tax tables it seems
bad enough. AS officially shown in the
treasury Department reports, the load
| that the nation staggers under naturally
appals the thought of people that less
| than decade since was almost the only
one on earth that hardly knew what tax
gatherer was. But what is seen in the table.
| bad as it is, is not the worst. The figures
show only what was paid in, only what
| found its way to the Government Golfers,
and that may have been the smaller part of
what was taken from the people. Tax
gatherers with us are corrupt beyond all
possible precedent. Popular opinion hard
ly makes the distinction between a revenue
officer and thief. Stealing in place is so
common, so general, it is SO much recog-
nized fact that this class of func-
tlonary seeks position only to acquire
sudden fortune, that no one of them
any longer feels called upon to deny it
through any supposed necessity to seem
honest. From remote times the taXgath-
erer was scoundrel, publicans were rob-
bers and the friends of robbers, aud the
Christian text classes ''the publican and
the taXgatherer" as one in repute and per-
formance; and those old fellows stole a
measure of cummin, may be, or skin of
wine. Perhaps some fellow of unusual
0Oldness here and there may have taken a
talent of silver. What pigmies of plum
der! Hundreds of thousands of dollars
make the small dust in the balance of our
revenue collectors, and a place Is hardly
worth the intrigues by which it is gained
If it does not promise round million
above all contingencies for a term"
The national debt in 1860, under Dem
ocratic administration, was $64,769, ,7O3.
In 1868, under Radical administration,
the national debt, as estimated, will be So
000, 100000, and the annual interest there
on, $50, 100000.
The expenses of the United States Gov
ernment, under Democratic administra-
tion, for the four years ending 1861, were
S272755,026. For the three years, 1851 to
1864, the expenses of the government un-
der Radical administration, were 50, 1884,
976,394; whereas, for seventy too years pre-
vious to 1861 they only amounted to a total
of $l,43l,79O,7S6. Expense OF three years
of Radical rule over that of all the years
OF every sort of rule previous, 81, ,353, 1885,
b)S! These figures, CLEANED and made up
with care by the Ne,o York World, is a
sample of the cost of Radical rule.
Mr.. DAWES, of Massachusetts, Radical
member of Congress, in his place in that
body, gave as his deliberate opinion that
the party of which he was a member, and |
which came into power upon professions of
reform and retrenchment, have suffered
more money to he stolen the first year of
the war, than was expended during the
asst year of the last Democratic Admin
stration.
The vast debt, thus built up-the bonds
'equiring greater amount per annum
% meet the interest than that of the en-
'arty in power refuses to allow to be
aXed. All other wealth, all other prop
,rty is made to bear its fair proportion
If taxes, for State. county, township, mu-
licipal, school and poor purposes; these
lone, are exempt. -..
These bonds, purchased with greenbacks
t time when the Government currency
vas worth from one-third to one-half their
ace in gold-the interest required to be
aid SO great that in Ohio the courts
would hold it usurious, the owners now
lain must be paid, not in the currency in
which they were purchased, dollar for dol
ar, but in gold, which would add more
lan one third to their value-adding
light hundred and seventy million dollars
D the debt of the nation, and that amount
5 bonus to men who refused to loan |
heir money until they were certain it was !
safe investment, and then drove the hard
st bargain they could, before they would
art with a single cent.