The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-08-26

detnlis, and barrenuesS IN .the5rt sult
are incident 20 the systom. . A host O
officers, to be paid out of the treasury
tmanyiof them bribed to suspend tn
law, and getting rich, and the govern
pinent getting poor, indicate that som
other mode would better enable th
people to pay, and the government t
receive, the revenue necessary for publ
purposes, The income tax, the license
and special tax, the, duties on shom
trade, and business, all operate TO OF
press labor, for none of them are horn,
by him that pays, directly, but all ar,
added to him that consumes, trades, O,
employs Labor bears dhe whole bur
den, of every tax or tariff, imposed b,
the government. The mode prescrib
ed by the State Constitution, the mode
intended in the Constitution. of tn,
United States, the mode adopted at tn,
outset of the war, to apportion the rev
enpe needed among tie States, accord
ing to population, and to eolleet 1t by ;
uniform tax upon property, according
to its value, is the only safe and econ
omical rule. The revenue could be
collected through State and County
officers much cheaper and more hon
estly. In this csunty the salaries Of
the government officers consume the
greater portion of the revenue collect
ed. The county treasury for collecting
the same amount would be entitled te
about one per cent, of the amount; 6
saving to the govern nent of 80. pei
cent. of. the revenue in this county
alone officers should be elected by tho
people, and feel responsible to them
aud while such a. course would accord
with our system of government,.it would
lessen taxes by saving revenue. Mul-
tiplicity of agents, complications Of
rules and provisions, want of direct re
lation between prancipal and agent
diversity of modes and inconsistency Of
distinctions in The revenue laws impose
taxes by mere accident, and equality
ceases to be a. question. sa.
-. BANKRU PIT ACT. "
Is Another feature of Republican Con-
gressional policy is to be found in the
recognition of the permanancy of "a spec
ulative spirit in the land, created and
becoming abandoned and licentious
during the war. True industry tolls
on, zealously, and carefully, for honest
purposes, but speculation { mild term
for swindlipg) seeks extravagant profits
by risks and disturbs both the disposi
tion and practice of industry. Con
gress has kindly came to the aid of th 2
speculator. If he succeeds he pockets
the results of mis- plans IF he fails
the Bankrupt Act is sure refuge
for him. He delivers up such portion
of his fortune, as his conscience can
spare. distributes it among his creditors
say, 25 cents on the dollar, gets CON-
plete discharge from all his debts, and
goes forth to try his luck over again
There may be Instances where the law
operates well, but the instances are
rare. and the bankrupt would fare as
well by compromise with consent OF
creditors, and the great proposition of
bankrupts could not leave
their worthless paper in the hands of
the industrious peop'e of the country.
The bankrupt law is a part of the in
sane policy of Congress, to legislate
for seoundrels instead of honest men,
Officers who enforce this law are the
only ones who derive any advantage
fion it. It ruins the character of the
bankrupt. and as part of the financial
policy of Congress, it is Injurious to
that steady and sober acquisition of,
wealth, and care in business, upon
which, only, the government can rely
for revenue. ..--..., "a. II -ea....
81. PUBLIC LANDS. ~ .-E.t.-
Congressional policy appears 10 have
been ubiquitous, for it seems to have
left untouched no permanent or tenn
porary interest of the people The
public lands were the heritage of the
people an estate to be used with econ
omy, and designed to subserve the well
fare of the people of the present and
the future. Whenever Congress bad
in the history of the country, legis
lated about these lands, it had been for
the people; TO provide homesteads for
them, and for no other purpose and as
fast as the people needed these lands,
fer occupation, they have been survey,
ed, and sold, and the revenues derived
from them, applied to the necessary
expenses of the government, and there
by taxation and tariffs have been re-
duced The history of the government
approves this as the only disposition
that can be lawfully made of our public
lands Until the present cougression
al policy was inaug gurated, the future
was something; but now everything
seems to be crushed into the present,
the present. seems to be vortex that
shall swallow up everything. Congress
has shut its eyes to the future, and
adopted a great process Of absorption
Labor, liberty, revenue, credit and
property are all undergoing absorption.
The public lands are rapidly being
hurled into the vortex. Every session
Of Congress has been prolific of gifts
which did not belong to it. Congress
seemed to have said, "Bow down and
me and all that the American
people have shall be yours" Millions
upon millions of acres of the public
land, have been given to hundreds of
Railroad organizations purpcrting to
extend from the western States in every
direction west railroad organizations,
some of which, perhaps, exist only on
paper. Private speculators, railroad
presidents and directors, congressional
hangers on. and perhaps, Congressman, /,
bave had during the past few years,
their pockets full of certificates and
plats of the best lands thus thrown
away, and the general scramble, by its
tumult and without advertisement, di-