The Portland daily press., 1868-09-16
Equal Taxation.

Propositions which sound well do not always
stand examination. Thus the Democrats, in
their New York National Convention, desired
to lay down general proposition, which would
include the rightfulness of taxing United
States bonds, and they hit on this principle !:
Equal taxation of every species of property.
according to its real value" The New York
Evening Post thus shows how this principle
would operate, if thoroughly carried out:
the government must raise large amounts
of money. Under Gen. Grant the OUTLAY of
the nation can hardly be much less than $40
100000 year. Under Mr. Seymour should
the Democratic party succeed in regainiDg
power, those who remember Mr.. Bucbanan's
administration Will be sure that the outlay
will rapidly rise to vastly more than this, The
Republican party propose TO obtain the money
by adjusting taxation so that it shall burden
the people as little as possible. The Demo-
cratic party propose to do away with all such
adjustments, and levy equal taxation upon
every species of property, according to its real
value"
For example, the "real value" of a fancy
sulky driven in the Central Park, and of a
farmers hay wagon in the country, NAV be
about the same. Inc Republican party pre-
fers to lay a tax on the former and none on the
latter; believing that the vehicle kept Tor the
rich mans pleasure ought to pay, rather than
that kept for the laborlng mans necessity. The
Democratic party proposes to tax both equally.
That beautiful chronometer repeater. with
independent secondhand and stop, with
which races are timed in Jerome Park, costs
just about as much as an average Kansas or
Minnesota farm. But the Republican Con-
gress have levied an enormous duty on the
Watch, equal to at least a good years entire
protts from the farm, and an annual payment
besides; while they make the farm free. The
democratic party proposes to tax the farm as
much as the watch
The Administer carpet, in luxurious parlor,
is worth about as much as a good stone farm.
house in New York or Illinois. The Republi
can party would maintain the law which taxes
heavily the rich mans tapestry and leaves the
workingman's dwelling free. The Democratic
party proposes to tax both equally.
A cigar OF average quality costs the consum-
er aoout as much as common loaf of bread.
"a bottle OF choice old Madeira wine, such as
some Ieading Democrats of this CITY give their
TIo'Ie, Is worth as much as barrel of flour
80 tax ,ba ,ri party in Congress have voted
10 TAX the WINE and cigars very heavily indeed.
6at nave refused to tax the fiSur and bread -
Iue Democratlc party proposes TO tax eouojIv
every species OF property, ACCORDING to ;;s
and bread like cigars, the loaf that is now tan
cents cannot be sold for less than twenty. t;wa
There are rich men who have incomes of
scores and hundreds of thousands of dollars
There are poor men who find it difficult, above
their house rent to get one thousand dollars
OF ready money for thei1 families The laws
Tor which the Republican partyis responsible
tax TAX the large incomes five per cent but do not
.aA tne small ones at all. The Democratic
parry demands the abolition of this distinc-
t,on' winch will take fifty dollars from the one
er's family. rp0'' many i"ooi-
Every man VINO WI e has access to the laws can
supply scores OF further illustrations for him.
self Which prin ;iple of taxation do tho vn4ars
of the country prefer? That OF the Rerub 9io
can party, to tax those kinds of properly which
will bear it best, or, that of the Democaati,c,
according to its real valoe?"