The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-10-01
FAN OFFICE SCENE.

TAN COLLECTOR. Mr. Jay
Cookies we are ready for you, sir. Your
moneys and credits show $l2O, 600 3ont
household furniture, office fixtures, horse
and buggy and s5me more little things
foot up S4,575 more. Total, S124,575.
Deduct $4,000 held in FiFeStweht5
Government bonds, which ere not taxable,
and the balance is 81 ,575. Your State and
county tax on this last amount is $7I. so.
Now; mr. Bellows, have your receipts
ready. Your money and credits sho%
$3.50; shop fixtures and tools, Sl.875;
household furniture, S85; horse and
wagon, S275. Total, taxable for State
andscounty Purposes, IS, $50. Tax, $40.
BE!LOws.-How is this, AIr. Collector
Jay Cookies personal property amounts to
Sl24, ,575, and he pays only S7I, State
and county tax while /, with less than
$4,000, all told, am asked to pay $3.50
more than he.
JAY CooKE.-Ah, my good friend, a
word with you. You see my 100000
in bonds are not taxable In the country's
extremity, with other truly loyal men,
came to the rescue with my greenbacks.
l loaned my bleeding country, thteatehed
with destruction by rebels and copper-
heads, my money, and with the gratitude
which becomes grateful people, engaged
In the interests Of God and humanity, 1
am exempt. Thus it should ever be with
magnanimOus Christian people.
BELLows.-And I, in my country's
real extremity, had no greehbacks to
loan, BIT l shouldered my musket and
gave my body to the cause, leg of which
left on the field Of SEilcti; as you see,
bot greatful people, engaged in the iH=
terests of God and humanity, have had
no tax exemption for me. Your boys
wefe able bodied young men, and fearing
you might lose them, you paid enough to
secure. my two sons as substitutes, and
both were killed before Petersburg
Your position may be all right, but real
ly can't see it.
jay CooKE.-But you see, Mr.. Beis
lows, mine was voluntary act. l could
not be compelled to furnish the money
You volunteered it is true, but you would
have been compelled TO go.
BELLOWS. Yes, sir. / did volunteer
when my services were needed but your
voluntary act was after the act was done.
Wien yeu felt sure your Investment was
safe, and if it wassnot safe and the rebel
lion was successful. then We Here all in
the same boat. The policy that exempts
your hundreds of thousands from taxation
and taxes my few hundreds is founded on
villainy, sir. You loaned your greenbacks,
worth less than sixty cents on the dollar,
and are now claiming dollar for dollar IN
gold in payment. In gold interest, with
the former and present depreciation of
paper, you have been paid twice over,
and if you should lose every dollar you
advanced, you would still be whole I
risked my life, gave limb and my two
darling boys to the cause, and when I
came home to my family and to work for
their support, am made to pay full
National, State and county taxes on my
little possessions, while your bonds, pur-
chased with deprecated greenbacks, are
exempt. This nice little gatie of GodS
aud humanity, universal liberty, superfne
loyalty and patriotic disihterestedness, is
downright deceit and robbery,'sir. With
our ballots, next November, we will sink
any man or set of men who stand up for
it so deep that GabriePs trumpet viii
never reach them. Do you mind that,
Mr. Jay Cook Exit dispdtants.
TAX COLLECTOR. Sotus.-It strikes this
Individual rather forcibly that it ain't all
Wind that blows out of that Bellows.-
Newark DAILY journal.