Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-11-22
TAXES AND THIEVES.

FrOTu Ele n L " oIlOsl
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 nat
urally appals the thought Of a
people tnat less than decade
since was almost the only one on
earth that hardly knew what taXgath-
erer was. But what is seen in the tables,
bad as IL is, is not the worst. The figures
show only what was paid in, only what
fodnd its way 70 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
hardly makes the distinction between q
revenue officer and a thief. Stealing IN
place is so common, so general, it is so
much a recognized fact that this class OF
functionary seeks position only To
ACQUIRE sudden fortune, that no one Oi
them any longer feels called upon to deny
il through any supposed necessity to
seem honest. From remote times the
taXgatberer was a scOundrel, Fublicsns
were robbers and the friends OF robbers,
and the Christian text classes " the pub
licap and the taXgatherer" as one in re-
pute and performance; and those old tei-
lows stole measure OF cummin, may be
or a skin of wine. Perhaps some fellow
Of unusual tOldness here and there may
have taken a talent Of silver. What pig.
mics of plunder Hundreds of thou
sands 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
a round million above all contingencies
for a term.
THE following regulations in relation
10 the removal Of cotton have been
issued by the Internal Revenue Depart
ment
Under section four Of the act Of July
13, 1866, cotton may be removed from
the district in which it has been pro-
duced to any other district, without pre-
payment Of the tax, under bond or Othel
security, to be prescribed by the Com
missioner Of Internal Revenue, subject tc
the approval of the Secretary Of the
Treasury.
II having been found by experience
that the furnishing Of increased facilities
for the removal Of cotton without pre-
pavment Of tax is consistent with in
creased security to the treasury, it is de-
.termined to substitute shipments TO rev.
enue officers under bills OF ladiDg for the
bonds heretofore required.
Accordingly, the owner or other holder
of cotton which he desires to remove
| from the district of production TO another
district, without prepayment OF the tax
will hereafter be required to obtain Dill
of lading in duplicate, signed by well
known. regularly established and respOn'
sible transportation company, conslgn-
ing the cotton to the Collector OF the dis
trict Of destination, for delivery to the
factor or agent Of the owner, after pay
ment Of the tax.
The transportation company signing
such bills Of lading will be required TO
furnish to the Assessor Of the district in
which is the receiving port or point OF
destination, Immediately after arrival, a
copy of their manifest or way bill, 50 far
as ID relates to any cotton transported by
them, and stating therein whether the
cotton is class A, B, or c, as hereinbefore
required.
Each Assessor will keep an account o.
| ali cotton entered upon the copies o
manifests and way bills so furnished tC
/ him.
Should any transportation company
refuse or neglect to furnish the Assessor
/ with q COPY Of manifest or way bill Al
| above required, the Assessor viii imme
| diately notify all the Assessors on the
! line OF such transportation company o
! such neglect or refusal; and thereafter
| no permit for the transportation Of eOttoI
| by such company will be granted by any
! Assessor without permission to do 81
being obtained from the COMMISSIONS
| OF Internal Revenue.