The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-07-27
The Radical Policy.

All thinking men must auiiit lhll
under the Radical policy the country is
ON the high road to ruin. High prices
are not ali infallible sign of success and
prosperity. A man may sell his pro-
duce at elevated figures, aad labOrers
obtain unusual compensation, and yet
neither find themselves richer ut the end
of the year. If expenses run head and
head with revenue, then nothing is
gained by n system which controls both.
Under our present arrangement OF cur
rency and taxation, the commerce of
the country has declined to Il ruinous
extent, tonnage decreased from sixty to
eighty per cent, ship building almost
wholly ceased, manufactures run into
the "sere and yellow leaf" exports fall
len to point beyond which there is, in
reality, nothing to lose, and the whole
business of the nation suffering as from
tho touch of the destroying angels flu
ger Cotton now commands price
which makes it comparatively useless
to manufacturers in this country, while
the same fact has induced British capt.
talists to obtain supply from India
and other places. Ike effect of all these
attacks upon the vital interests of the
nation are to be seen in unemployed
capital, idle ships, unoccupied mile,
stores for rent, aud disturbances among
the workmen i'll all parts of the country.
No matter what the latter are paid, they
find it hard to make "both ends meet"
Rents are high, meats costly, bread
dear, clothing expensive, and all these
consequences are the fruits of the Radi-
cal policy which augments the national
budget, and places tax upon all arti-
cles that enter into the daily needs OF
men and their families.
These evils will continue so long as
the industry of the nation is called
upon to bear an annual burden of five
hundred millions of dollars in the shape
of taxes of varions kinds. 1t was stated
in the House OF Representatives in
March last, that "thc Committee on
Approximations, after q careful consid
GRAFTON of the subject" had agreed that
ninety millions of dollars would be ne
cessary to meet the ordinary expenses
of tho Government for the current year.
This is but one view OF the national
expenses. In addition to that large
sum, twenty-five millions will be needed
for bounties, and thirty millions for
pensions, making grand total of one
hundred and forty-five millions of dol
lars for carrying on this government in
a time of profound peace. This is eX-
elusive of interest of the national
debt, which, Of course, will swell
the stream to q moro destructive
height. Now, it must DO borne in mind
that all this vast outlay is drawn from
the labor and resources of tho working
people. They ut last have to foot all
tho bills presented. If real estate is
taxed, house rents are put on an ad-
yaHced scale. Tea, coffee, salt, sugar
and all such Indispensable articles,
when marked by the tax gatherer, draw
money from the soiled pockets of the
working. man. Capital must also be
paid for, and just in proportion as that
is weakened by income assessments,
will its owners be compelled to ask adj
ditional per eentage for its use! The
effect Of that will be to diminish the
amount of work to be done, and rs q
matter of course render laborers less
able to meet the demands made upon
them. Bear in mind, too, that millions
of the taxes are eaten up by the swarm
of extra ce-helders created to collect
it, and thus the current lessened which
eventually reaches the Treasury. Of
course, all business and laboring men
arc heartily sick of this condition of
affairs. They want . more economical
form Of government and decreased tax
alton, in order that trade, commerce
and manufactures may revive and flour
ish as they did when the reins of power
wero held by the Democrats. The way
to reach that consummation is by n de-
feat OF the Radical party. With a.
change will come an immediate reduc-
sion Of governmental expenses. This
will he followed by diminished taxation
and q revival of all branches of bust
ness. Capitalists, manufacturers,
merchants and working men arc alike
interested in uprootiug the present. par
tyin power, for by such course alone
can they obtain relief from the evils by
which they are now oppressed.