The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-08-24

the capitalists of the country in Expressing
schemes were introduced into the congress
of the United States for the purpose OF issu-
ing these bonds and putting them upon the
market, the question came up - to Hhether
these bonds ought not to be taxed a. other
nronertv was taxed. When the govenment
nut these bonds inHo til market and seld
them ~ Wat it sosld get the purchaser be-
camathe oYner VI tho bonds; they were
his eproperty. He invested his mon
AZ e. TIC nnrnose of receiving interest while
;o,aras. continued to run, and the principal
whom II became due. He did it for the pur-
nose of living upon that interest,-it was
Ills support; he looked 10 it as means OF.
livelihood. The question was, then, as to
whether the government ought not to per-
mil them to be taxed. What did this re-.
publican congress do? They said that not
only should the congress of the United
States not tax this money ON these bonds,
but it inserted Is provision in the law swhich'
prohibited. the legislatures sd the several
states from taxing them! What is the
practical effect of that2 Why, you sell your
farm for $4,000, and invest that sum in
government bonds, and thus exempt it from
the payment of any taxes, either to the ma
tional government the state government, the
municipal government, or to the school dis
trict in which you live. These bonds are
exempt from these taxes, and you may draw
upon them ST 200, very nearly, in gold, as
interest upon them. Your neighbor, that
has 0,000 invested in a little piece of land,
| in a few houses, in few mules, an q few cat
| tie, and in farming utensils, will be assessed,
when the assessor comes around, to the ex-
| tent of his $4,000 Ehis income amounts
to more than 81 900, he pays tax to the
| government. In addition to that, he has to
pay the state, county, school and road, and
other municipal assessments against him
| while you, my friend recline upon your $lO,-
900 bond, and bid the collector and assessor
| defiance. You enjoy your 81 900 of inter.
est, and contribute nothing for your protec-
ton in, that enjoyment; while your poor
neighbor, who earns his living by improving
his land, by developing his resources, by
feeding and taking care of his stock, has to
pay the immense assessments levied t0l
state, county, municipal, and all other pur
poses, upon whatever he has. Is this right
fit is, then support this republican govern
ment that exempted these twenty-five hun
dred million bonds from taxation. If it is
right, support your republican candidate fol
office; these men elected in the republican
party dare not lift their voices against this
iniquity. You cannot find one of their pub
lie speakers who has the courage to stano
up before republican bondholders and bank
ers, and declare it is wrong to tax the Labor
of the country and exempt the capital Of the
country. They won't do it.
Still, these bonds, thus exempted, have
gone into the hands of 10000 or 5000 PEG
pie of this country, and you exempt tina
class - the capitalists from TAXATION
Where is the burden to fall, then -? There
is but one place it can fall, and upon tina
class this republican congress has imposed
it; they have placed it upon the labor of thu
country Men who are wealthy enough Il
buy government bonds and live upon thei
interest have none of the financial weight o
the government to bear They recline lux
uriously in the shade, in these hot summe
seasons, and the tax-collector and assesso
have no terrors for them while the hard
working man, who desires the welfare of hi
country, and is labOring to develop its re
sources, whether upon his farm or in hi
workshop, every year, and sometimes thre
or four times year, is visited by the taX-col
lector and assessor, and his small earnings
the result of his sweat and toll, go into th1
public treasury, simply because the fmanu
facturers OF the country, and the wealth
bankers of the land, are exempt from thes
drafts, while the laboring mans cross is dor
! bled and trebled. - - Ass@
/ ask you again. are you prepared to sui
Il init to this state of things tamely and -quie
ly? If you are, you are a fit subject for pr
sition in the republican party at the mex
election. But, ifyou feel as men feel VIII
desire to bear Just their portion Of the bur
thens of the government, and no more, 70
; must range yourselves under the banner
that party that believes in making the pei
; pie of these United States pay in proportio
to what they enjoy, and that will make ii
capital of the land pay for its protection
: thus exempting as far as possible the labt
Of the country from the enormous weigl
; that it is now struggling under.
Let us look at the matter a moment Th
inequality, the more think of it, and Il
: stronger the lights in whichlwe view it, col
tinues to grow until we are lost in womb
at the imprudence of party of men WI
will thus attempt to impose upon the cou
try. Now, my friends, here are twenty-6,
hundred millions of capital, in the form
, these bonds, locked up in the safes, in IL
banks, and in the treasury of the Unite
! States. 1t is of no benefit to the country
1t does no one any good, except the owne
who, annually or semi-annually, draws
interest. 1t does not enter into the ente
o prize of the country. 1t does not afford
e cihties for men who desire to improve nj
e build up the country to do SO. 1t is of I
e more benefit to the public than is the miser
/ gold that he hides in his chest or buries
v the earth--not bit! sze -zse@ So r..
What is it that benefits the country?
Q is the public spirit of our men who go in
r the forest and clear away the trees al
= shrubs, who improve their land, and II
e through it the ploughshare, and mellow it I
s and prepare it for producing its crops. 1t
y the men who engage in building houses al
barns, and making improvements that bea
n tify, as wei as add to the material wealth
It the country. 1t is the men who go into Il
= mines under the surface of the earth, al
Y develop its rich treasures. 1t is the me
: who engage in building your railroads al
r, bridges, and your steamboats,, and 20
" ships of war, who give an impetus to col
3 merce, and make the'desert blossom rs {
3 rose. These are the men that are adding
u the wealth of the country these are t
y men who give life, and energy, and vital
Q to nation. These are the men altogeth
:? essential for the maintenance of civil libert
n and prosperity, and happiness among pc
" pie. What benefit to the country are the
@ sort of men who have collected their mea
n and invested them in bonds, and buri
n them away in a,safe9 Not aparticle The
10 capital is invested they have no labor
d bestow upon the country. They develo
Y, nothing; but they fatten and fatten like t
u worm in the dung HILL and thew will die, d