The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-02-16

I THE REVENUE BILL.-We would simply
enquire why it was, that Gen. Logan's argu-
ment was not answered in the House of Com
mons, when he undertook to say and prove
that the present revenue BILL according. to
the report of the Public Treasurer, would
raise $500, ZOO, over and above the amount
required to defray the ordinary expenses Of
the State government 1t has not been an.
swered anywhere or at any time. ~ y
The Senator from Rutherford ON Monday
laid the same facts before the Senate. Nc
one attempted to answer him.. -
We can also tell the Sentinel that our infor
mants know more about political economy
than any or all of its friends, who have man
aged to wreck every fund, bank. and the
State finances, over which they have had
control for the last few years.
We doubt not, however, but that Mr.. Battle
the Public Treasurer, is doing his best, and he
is certainly entitled to the benefit of the state
ment which is appended:
my attention has been called to some
comments in your paper on my late reports
to the General Assembly. 1t is stated that
there will be during this year large surplus
in the Public Treasury. This is great mis-
! take. The error arises from not remember
| ing that the taxes of one year are collected
for the purpose of paying tue expenses Of the
.tollOaUing gear. Hence. If no taxes are
collected in the fall and winter of 1867,
the treasury will assuredly become empty
during 1868. And SO the taxes of 1868 are
to meet the expenses of 1869.
The Revenue bill reported by me to the
General Assembly was framed to raise pro-
badly, provided good cropsare raised, sum
which added to the other receipts into the
Treasury would provide a surplus somewhat
exceeding 100000. This was Intentionally
done,
1st Because thought it probable some
of my recommendations would not meet
with the favor of the General Assembly, as
such general ad cdlOrem taxation on pro-
perty, as seemed to me just, has not hereto
fore been the policy of the State.
I'd. l feel sure extraordinary appropria-
tions would be made, which I had no right
to render estimates for.
In both predictions 1 was correct. Some
items were struck from the reported bill, in
the Committee on Finance, others in the
House Of Commons, while extraordinary ap-
preparations have already been made,
amounting to many thousand dollars. The
combined effect of these causes is decidedly
unfavorable to any considerable surplus.
AS have no banks SUCH as the Banks of
North Carolina and Cape Fear once were,
from which the Treasury can be supplied,
when empty, it is eminently proper, that care
should be taken that no deficiency shall eX-
list. Besides the Revenue Bill is exceeding
ly reasonable. Ten cents on the 800 value
of land, money, &c, and fifty cents on the
poll, the rates on other things in proportion,
are taxes which give entire satisfaction to
the people, even in this hour of distress.
KEMP P. BATTLE, Pub Treas"
We have no objection to the articles taxed
in the bill, or to the adj galorem principle, but
We do object to the amount of $4,000 to be
raised, above and beyond the ordinary ex-
penses of the State government. We have
neither the space or inclination to recapitu-
late the arguments and figures contained in
Mr. Logan's late published speech; it is suf
ficient to state that it has not yet been an
swered anywhere or at any time.