Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-09-23
Ta,l,xs,a,ioun.'

Government bondholders are not taxed
and the interest on their bondsis paid every
six months in gold, worth nearly ones third
more at this day than the money the farmer
must take for his surplus crop, the day
laborer for his wages, aud the mechanic for
his work. Many Of these bondholdcrs
made their money in the military service
during the late war, probably in the quarter
masters department by supplying the
soldiers with shoddy clothing, poor beef,
lame and spawned horses, and settling with
the government on honest terms as far as
the government was concerned. These
men feeling Loyalty inclined, invested their
ill-gotten gains in government bonds, draw.
ing from q TO s per cent. interest in gold.
All Of these bonds were bought with green
backs, at par, when gold was worth from
81. 90 to $3.50 in greenbacks They have
already received their gold interest for up
wards Of three or four years, amounting TO
from s to l2 dollars annually upon each
hundred dollars so invested. They demand
that this must continue until their bonds
become due, and then they want, to be paid
the principal in gold for which they paid,in
grecnbacks worth at the time probably not
more than 40 cents TO the gold dollar
These are some of the rich mans cxtr,.
privilegds. But this is not the worst of it.
When the assessor comes round -and this
will soon be-he calls on the farmers fo,
their list of the taxable property, their
horses, cows, carriages-if any should be
so fortunate as to have one --notcs, mort
cages and all money on interest. The labor.
ing man and the mechanic too, are called
on by the assessor, and II they should lie
so fortunate as to have a house and lot, or
COW or horse, or both, the assessor puts it
down to be taxed for county, State, school,
and road taxes and If living in o city, or
borough, an additional city or borough tax
is added. But when the assessor COMES to
the bondholder, he is told, | have this house
and span Of fast horses and u buggy, this
is all that is taxable. i have one hundred
thousand dollars in government bonds, but
this is not taxable, on account of my loyal
ty in giving to the, government il time OF
need. Now look at the inequality and in.
justice Of this taxation! Here il the me.
chanic and laberer,' worth probably only
four hundred dollars and pays as much tax
Us the bondholder, worth one hundred thou.
sand. There are many cases where the
bondholder is worth q million Of dollars
and boards at n first GLASS hotel with nothing
taxable but n span ofsmatch hosses and a
splendid coach. These men, and families
have the benefit Of the schools, Of the roads,
Of the courts, Of the city, borough and
township regulations and improvements, and
yet pay not q cent towards keeping the
same up, When school house is to be
built, he has the benefit Of it. but pays
nothing towards its orection-if any public
building 10 10 be erected, he pays nothing
towards 1.-THE poor have to DO kept, but
he pays nothing towards keeping them. =
In short, the bondholder pays nothing to.
wards keeping up our affairs, yet comes in
for the advantages" This Grant and ColfaS
say must continue--no change dare be made;
it is a cntract conferred into by tour Loyal
Congress with these loyal bondholders fol
their support Of tho government,Tand the
I lfarmer, mechanic and day laborer must nut
up with IL Let there DO no grumblinc
aboutiit, but lei tleu, 70 to work, use more
industry and economy, and quit fooling AWAY
their time ip talking politics. This is about
the answer the people get from Grant and
the Republican leaders when they complain.
viii they submit to il any longer isin'i .