Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-10-22

journed. -l-
The Taxes and what Becomes Of Thorn.
The late elections indicate very de-
cidedly that the northern people are de-
,ermined on the white mans govern
ment for all sections. But the influencing
motive and controlling power, we think,
is now to be found in the question OF the
public indebtedness, and the weight OF
taxation with its effect on values and
labor. The reduction Of the true yalu-
alton of property and profits is immense,
while the wages of labor cannot corre-
spondingly increase. A tax which makes
production drag in all cases, and amounts
almost to prohibition in Others, must
necessarily reduce all values and wages
10 zero. All admit that taxes are indis-
pensible to support the government and
pay the public debt. But the people are
beginning 20 demand a change Of rulers
that this may be done economically.
They see that the weight ofindebtedness
is almost intolerable even then. Mr..
Cox, of Ohio, in a recent speech, averred
and proved that of every one hundred
dollars collected in taxes in the shape of
customhouse duties, as well as the more
direct internal revenue taxes, not more
than forty dollars goes to support the
government That is rather steep
for country whose whole capital hardly
equals the national and State debts COM
bined. And it would seem time indeed
that the people should look to it. 1t is
stated by the New York Times that
collector whose salary is only thirty-6ve
hundred dollars, are making one hundred
thousand dollars year. The Tribune
estimates that the government is de-
frauded of half million day on whisky
alone. How soon will the public debt be
paid off and taxes lightened at this rate ?
Let workingmen read the following ex-
tract: a9
Let me give you an example. There
was entered for consumption into this
country during the year ending June 80,
1865, according to the official report
published by the direction Of the bureau
of statistics, 577, 909,973 pounds of
brown sugar. The average cost of all
this sugar was, according to the sworn
declarations Of the importers, less than
three cents a pound, gold-say, three
cents, or altogether $l7,3l0, 299, gold.
The cost of brown sugar to the working
man, even if he bought it at the whole
sale cargo price, throughout the year,
was, on the average, about eleven cents
per pound, gold. So that he actually
paid tax of eight cents pound, gold,
on all the sugar he consumed. In the
aggregate this amounted in that year
alone to the round sum of SAG, $780, 1913,
gold. Now, If you will look over the
account of the receipts of the United
States Government of taxes on sugar,
you will find that there was received but
SIT ,6O6,62O gold. And yet the people
Of this country paid taxes on this article,
as have shown, to the extent of $46,-
100, 1893, gold. What became of the
enormous difference, amounting, in this
instance alone, to $2S,554, l78, gold ?
Need / answer? Need tell you that it
went into the pockets ofrich monopolists2
Need I tell that it was part of the re-
ward Of treachery and cunning, of false
patriotism, of false politics, aud chican-
cry, and Of robbery Need 1 tell you
that it was one of the fruits of one of
the thousand of devices which, under
the guise of war measures and "neces-
sary measures are practiced upon
you before your very eyes You will
observe that have been careful to obtain
the exact number of pounds consumed
Ii. e. paid duties and Withdrawn from
bond for consumption in the United
States); the cost price in gold the ex-
act amount paid for duties and received
by the Government, in gold. the whole
sale market price at New York during
the same period. also, in gold, and the
total sum paid by the people in gold.
Had | quoted the latter sum in currency,
as had a right to, for the peoples wages
were paid in currency, and at no higher
rate than before this heavy tax was laid,
and had ] stated the actual, the retail
price, about twenty-five cents, my illus
tration would have been stronger.
The difference between the total first
cost Of al! this sugar aud its total cost to
the people is what the latter pay as a tax.
You see, also, how much Of this tax found
its way into the Government Golfers.
You see the enormous sum OF wealth
which, In single year aud on a single
article, is, By the process i have de-
scribed, sucked out from your substance.
would illustrate the same with regard 10
salt, tea, cotton goods, etc. There are
over ten thousand different articles taxed
with custom duties in this country, and
the total amount yielded 10 1864 8 was
STT, 949, sos. Since that time the number
Of articles taxed with custom duties has
been increased aud the rates Of duty
have been raised, so that for the fiscal
wear ending June 30, 1866, the yield
was Sl70,O46. 65l; pnd for the fiscal
wear ending June 30, 1861, il was, as
estimated a gear before by the Secre-
,ary Of The Treasury, Sl60, sl3,7TA The
product Of these taxes for three years
was, in gold, sllT.sss, 9s3 1.-THE people
were heeced as much on other articles
and the tariff on others is heavier
the entire sum Of which they we're robbed
duriag the past three years amounted 70
no less than Ss72, 600 900, or enough TO
buy aud own all the capital stock Of he
four greai trunk lines Of railroad from
the Atlantic 70 the Mississippi, and 70
ensbie you 70 draw and possess The
dividends every year for yoar owe oese-
81, or q sum equal 10 0ue.fourih Of ne
public debt
Turn TO the Uiher branch Of The rev