The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-05-08
at'hselina Reqister.


The American people are learning by
>,d experience the meaning of oppres-
.iye taxation. This item of expense is
one that weighs upon everybody and
every business in the country. Manu-
faetnrers feel it, farmers grOan under
il. merchants are oppressed by it, and
every vocation suffers from it to
greater or less extent. Even those
whose limited incomes exempt them
from direct taxation are not relieved of
III effects. Consuming taxed food and
wearing taxed clothes, they pay their
tribnte 10 high priced government, in
the shape of increased prices of living.
Perhaps the most unfortunate feature OF
the case is that the sufferers cannot them
selves effect reform. In other matters
The case is different. II the rent of one
hause he too high, cheaper ore may
he had; if provisions are dear, less
quantity may serve for subsistence; II
white sugar is too costly brown may be
substituted, and if silk and brOadcloth
are too expensive, calico and linsey may
he worn. but in the item of taxation
the work of retrenchment is far more
difficult to accomplish. The rate of tax
alton depends upon the expense OF the
government. and these cannot be re-
duced on the mere motion of the tax
PAYERS. Their rulers are to be consult
I'd. and rs long as they are selected from
the extravagant and dishonest classes
who have governed us in the
ua.t. there will be no improve
ment. Reckless expenditure is the
meat on which they thrive; to
ask economy of Radical official
!. like asking a hungry man to abstain
from food. Extravagant Outlays are
the bread of their political life. In the
absence OF fixed and just principles up
an waich 10 establish a party. money
atone can induce il To cOhere. Retain
rrs are to he paid, dependents are to be
Kept, and the whole army of buzzards
and iarkals must be provided for.
Hence the necessity for heavy drauShts
upou the public treasury, ana hence
thr iNprnba!jlity of retrenchment on
the part of thosa in charge of the
purse strisgs. A change of rulers must
preeetle all efforts at economy If those
efforts are ro >Rccced. To no purpose
do the press and people clamOr for re-
frenchmcur. reform, economy and
nrn,lpnf disbursements, if the very
men VIII" originated the ex-
trayagance. corruption and u selcss out
laws of rhe past are to be entrusted with
The rrins of government for the future.
rbe remedy lies in their removal and in
the Srirciion Of men who will adminis-
Ter the Government upon the wise and
economical principles that obtained in
the past.
II is estimated that "bofore the war
she ne opie nt the United States were
charged two dollars and fifty cents per
capita for ihe annual expenditures of
the general government. Then, seventy
seven millions were sufficient to cover
the current disbursements from the ma |
tional Treasury Now our interest ac-
count alone will absorb double that
sum. while the other expenses are main
fainrd at ruinously high figure. The
trrpdmrn's Bureau, the cost of investi-
eating committees appointed by Rad
ical Congress for political effect, and
other devices, have, even since the war,
k"pt the ontlays of the government six
fold in advance of those in 1850. Hunts
Magazine gives the following figures to
Prove this position: