The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-08-28
OUR FINANCES.
Judge Thurman on Debt and Taxation


date for Governor Of Ohio at the last
election, and is the United States Sen
ator elect who will take Ben. Wade's
place next March.
The Public De6t.
Judge Thurman said the public debt
amounted to s., 900, 900 What it was
exactly at this time was difficult to say,
from the fact that the Treasury De-
partment wet quite dilatory in making
its monthly statements. Perhaps this
neglect arose from the fact that at the
last monthly statement the debt had
increased about nine millions Of dol
lars in single month, and that the
next month will show an increase of
twenty millions-a monthly expendi-
ture sufficient in the days of jackson to
run the government for six months in
all its departments, while this is sim
ply the increase of the public debt for
the short space of one month. The
speaker read from the printed report
Of the Secretary of the Treasury to
prove the correctness of his estimates.
I6rdtjoa Then and Nor.
What a contrast this condition of ma
tional finances presented with that
which existed at the time that Jack
son made his proclamation that the
United States owed not cent in the
world! Why wonder these Radicals
sought to avoid the issue, aud declared
the only question was whether we
should have another civil war? This
cry might do to frighten few-the
speaker was about to say old women,
but he would MOTT might do to
frighten a few wavering men, who
could be frightened out of the country
by few old women with broomsticks.
This terrible second civil war was put
forward now to divert attention from
the public debt.
Compare our debt with that Of Great
Britain. Our debt was two thousand
eight hundred millions, that of Great
Britain four thousand millions. But
while our population was only 31,000,-
600, the population of Great Britain
was 80 900, 900. The rate oftaxation in
Great Britain was ninety cents on the
hundred dollars, while the American
people were taxed at the rate OF 1898
on the hundred dollars: more than
three times as much a. the taxes i'm
posed on what we had been in the
habit of plying as the poor, taX-ridden
people of Great Britain. Some one
might say, "You are mistaken, Mr..
Thurman do not pay 1888 on the
hundred dollars" II might not be
the case with individuals, but such
was the rate of taxation on the people
in the aggregate, upon their personal
and resi- estate.
IIHO Pays the tareS ?
It might be claimed that the labor
ing poor paid no taxes. That was a
great mistake. Labor paid all the
taxes. Tremendous applause
How was it that labor paid all the
taxes? The problem was simple. 1t
could be proved from the Scriptures:
"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou
get thy bread" 1t was the mandate
of Heaven, that nothing was produced
without labor. Not particle of wealth
was created except by labor. The lit
tie poverty stricken boy of Western
Virginia, who followed the plow, con-
tributed more to the material wealth
of the country than did the richest
boddholder who rolled in luxurious
ease. Applause The grain of corn
dropped by the little boy would grow
and benefit the world, but the man
who did nothing bat live on the inter
est of his bonds added nothing TO the
wealth Of the country.
Suppose some ambitious young cop
perhead should take it into his mind
to be the owner of six shirts-but if
this Radical government continues
much longer, you won't be able to
make so expensive an investment.
Applause. This ambitious young
goes to the store and pro-
poses to get eighteen yards Of muslin,
for which the merchant charges four
dollars. How is this" says young
Il used to buy eighteen
yards of muslin for two dollars ?" If
the merchant answered truthfuliy, he
would say, "It is true we now charge
you four dollars for the same quantity
of muslin you used to buy for two dol
lars The reason is this: There is a
tax of three cents a pound on the raw
cotton. The manufacturer who buys
must add this to the price the manu-
factured article. Then Uncle Sam
comes to him and says: Dear Mr..
bought shoes Of you in Mas
which lasted my soldiers
only few days you sold me cloth to
make them pantaloons, which were
not whole any longer after they had
stopped to drink from the brook the
first time. l put little tax on your
business" Mr.. Shoddy puts that lit
tie tax on the manufactured goods and
charges it on the merchant. Then
comes Uncle Sam to the merchant and
says: MY dear fellow, l know you
are truly loyal laughter and applause;
you must pay taxes on your sales"
Or, if he is not truly loyal, so much |
the more necessity that he shall pay,
and this is clapped on the price, and |
when he finds young copperhead |
comes to buy his six shirts he finds
three separate taxes on the goods,
which he has to pay. You see now