The Placer herald., 1867-07-27
Taxation.


The vital question of the day, (says the
San Francisco Call that which appeals di,
rectly to every man in the country, and
which will soon overpower all other ques-
tons of political nature, is that of taxation.
Two political Conventions have met in this
State, and both had something to say about
the reconstruction policy of Congress-one
ndorsing, and the other condemning. This
is matter which only affects us of Caifor-
MIA indirectly, and one over which we can
exercise no control whatever. But it is a
good thing for politicians to exercise their
meaningless vapidities upon. But the ques'
peals directly to each of us every day in the
year, could not be noticed by at least one OF
the political convocatons. Do those who
seek power, profit and honor, at the hands of
the people, imagine that the latter have so
little regard and care for their own material
interests and welfare as to feel no concern in
that which seriously affects all their business
movements and industrial enterprise? When
the people are suffering for nutritious poiti-
cal bread, is it to be supposed that they will
long be satisfied with the worthless husks
which are dealt out to them by their polit-
cal rulers? In every department of our State,
county and city governments, the most reck'
less extravaganza and profusion of eXpendi-
ture exists While the people are strug.
Cling and toing long afrom week to week,
earning small rewards, and some classes
growing poorer, public officials are in re-
ceipt Of salaries which, in many cases, COM
pared with those paid in other states, are
princely. Tue industry Of the State is heavi'
ly taxed to pay gratuities to monster corpo.
rations, which are constantly crying for more,
which do not deal fairly with the public, and
which are constantly striving to further op-
press the people with their eXactions. The
enormous salaries paid to our officials stmu-
late and keep alive horde of plunderers,
who make politics a trade, Office hunting a
profession, and use the money taken from
an overtaxed people for the purpose of cor
ruptng the ballot box and tainting legsla'
ton. While the peop are thus suffering
from extravaganza and maladministration in
State affairs, they find nothing but discour-
), cement and cause for dread when they OBJ
ser We the condition of the National finances
Notw outstanding the terrible taxation under
which tie industry Of the Nation is s,agger
ino and N'h;cb is fast driving many indus
trial es,abis,1 1ments ont of exis ence, wore
comes from Washington that the public in
come scarcely equals the expenditure, ant
At in the next six nor tbs there will be I
Iet. It. The necessary exp,nse OF keeping
nm q l., 'ee army at the South, a''d to man
tain q fo, q TO keep the lndiars in c."eck, to
oether with he enormous sums paid for IN
lerest. are max 'g runous drafts on the p'N'
auc've capacity Yin - = eaS the Ps'pa cames Back:
another turn of the laA. A.eIon screw will crush
all life out of the snma', Yet, while 1t is
evident that the country c.'nn"t stand any
more squeezing by tax-collec.o or, cur patriot
ic office hunters, do not deign to suggest any
scheme they may have in view-we presume
they have none-for lessening the bG'theo.
The amount Of it is, our expenses must oe
reduced, and the first place to apply the
knife is in the revenue department
There is no sense in having double and
treble set of tax collectors, and ass essors IN
each State. One set can do all the work,
reduce the annoyance 10 which the people
are subjected, save fifty millions annually to
The public treasury, and reduce by thirty
thousand, or tLereabouts, the number OF OIL
fetal leeches.