The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-01-09
Long John wentworth ON OPP

Long John wentworth on OPP
presstve Taxation and the Ne
Cesslfies of the Republican
Party.
The Chicago Journal prints letter
from Hon. John Wentworth, from
whichwe make the following extract:
To illustrate this oppressive taxa
tion, let it be supposed that a mechanic
has managed to secure house and lot,
and to lay up $4,000 IN Illinois bonds.
At bis death he hatters himself that he
has left widow and children a homo
and 5000 annual income. But let us
see how much she and the children
will actually realize out Of the 5000:
The city tax collector takes $3.50 of
! this, leaving them s47G. Then comes
the State and county collectors and
take S137 more, leaving them s343 ont
OF the $500 but little moro than half,
But the tax collector has not done
with them yet. The tax on the house,
lot and furniture is yet 10 be paid: and
they can not pay them with S43. 1t
is liberal estimate to suppose that
such family can get along and not
have to give mp half for taxes. Then
there will be occasional special assess
ments for side walks, sewers, lamp
posts. streets, &c. And, without I'M.
mediate interposltion, this conditions
OF things is likclyto be worse. have
the best of authority for saying that
with en- increased bonded debt our
floating debt is also increasing, and
that our taxes are likely to bo even
higher another year. Tax-eaters take
particular pains TO mako 1t appear
that it is the rich alone that are affect
ed by high taxes. It is true that the
General Government exemp.s $1,000
from the income tax. but this is the
only instance.
How many branches OF industry for
several years to come are likely 10
clear over per cent, on their capital
invested. And will we not have less
instead of more manufactures hero, IL
we take, as We are now dong, near one
half of this sIx per cent. for the sup
port of officials7
The movement begun by tho manu-
facturers for n reduction of taxes IA
right, and all other classes shoul join
IN the movement for themselves, and
they should extend their action not
only to the National Government, but
to that of the States, counties, cities
and towns.
The Republican party must prove
itself as sound upon finance, upon tax.
alton and upon economy as 1t has up
on the war and reconstruction, or il
will dessrvedly lose it's power. Gene
raj Grant has begun tho work nobIy
in the War Department, and Republi-
cans are more hostile to him than
Dom ocrats, who do not labor every
where to reduce, retrench and econo--
mize. 1t was not its Reconstruction
policy that caused the reverses to the
Republican organization last fall. On
the contrary, 1T was that policy that
gave it all the support it had. 1t rail-
lied tho philanthroplc, the patriotic.
the wise and the just to its support.
It's reverSes were caused by dIstrust
on the part of many good citizens
(thinkIng reconstruction safe IN the
hands of the present Congress) ofthe
ability of the Republican organization
to keep ltself from the control of con-
tractors, lobby agents, jobbers. specu-
lators, spendthritts, special Legislators
and corruptionests-from the control
ofmen who were opposed to the policy
of General Grant in reducing public
expenditures to what they were before
the war. Those citizens will all re-
turn TO the Republican organization
when its action shall prove itself aH ia
vorablo to economy as TO liberty.