The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-08-18

lIUs AuuQDl 10, tOuC
Judge Thurman and Hon. Geo,
i HPendfetOn ON Debt and Tax
/ The Hon. Allen @. Thurman, of Ohio
addressed the recent West Virgins Dem
ooratio Mass Convention, following Mr.
Pendlston. Judge Thurman was the
/ Democratic candidate for Governor ol
| Ohio at the last election, and is the Uni.
tied States Senator elect, Who will tax,
Ben. Wade,s place next March. HI
tsaid upon tue financial question:
| fHE PuBI1oDEB
1 Judge Thurman said the public deb,
ismounted TO S2,500,000,O00. What il
twas exactly 6 this time was difcult tc
isay, from the fact that the Treasury De.
partment was quite dilstory in making
Its monthly statements. Perhaps this
neglect arose from the fact that at the
last monthly statement the debt had in
creased about nine millions of dollars in
q single month, and that the next month
will show an increase Of twenty millions
la monthly expenditure sufScent in the
days of jackson to run the Government
for six months in all its departments,
while this is simply 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
Iestimates, ss,,r g.ai, ssstg9..
I = TAXATION gHEN AND Now.I a9ql
| What contrast this condition Of ns-
ltional finances presented with that which
Iexisted at the time that Jackson made
his proclamation th.t the United States
owed not cent in the worldl Why
wonder those Radicals sought to avoid
the issue, and declared the only question
was whether We should have another civ
lii WARP This cry might do TO frightsn
few-the speaker was about to say old
women, but be would not--i. might do
to frighten q few wa7ering men, who
could be frightened cut of the country
| BY few old women with broom-sticks.-
This terrible second civil var was put
forward row 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 81 900, 600
the population Of Great Britain was &c.
900, 900. The rate Of taxation in Great
Britain was ninety cents on the hundred
i dollars, while the American people were
taxed at the rate Of So 93 on the hun.
dred dollars. Moresthan three times as
much as the taxes imposed on what we
had been in the habit of plying as the
| poor, tax-ridden people Of Great Britain.
Some one might say, aYou are mistaken,
! Mr.. Thurman; do not pay So 90 on
the hundred dollars It might not be
the case with individuals, but such was
I the rate Of taxation on the people in the
aggregate, upon their personal and real
/ estate.
| WHO PAYS THE TAxEs2
! It might be claimed that the laboring
lpoor paid no taxes, Tremendous sp-
plsuse.
How was it that labor paid 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 Ia
Dor. Not particle Of wealth was cre-
ated except by labor. The little power
tty.stricken boy Of Western Virginia, who
followed the plow, contributed more to
1.-The material wealth of the country
than did the richest bondholder who
rolled in luxuries ease. Applause. =
The grain of corn droppe&by the little
boy would grow and benefit the world,
I but the man who did nothing but live
on the interest Of his bonds added moth
| ing to the wealth Of the country.
Suppose some ambitious young cop
perhead should take into his mind to be
the owner Of elk shirts-but if this Rad
lical Government continues much longer
you wont be able to make SO extensive
an investment. [Applause. This am
bilious young copperhead goes to the
store and proposes to get eighteen yards
of muslin, for which the merchant char
Eges 81. "How is this, ;, says young cop.
perhead, "I used to buy eighteen yards
Of muslin for $2?" If the merchant ans:
wered truthfully, he would say, "It is
true we now charge you 81 for the same
quantity of muslin you used to buy for
l$2." The reason is this: There is q tax
of three cents pound on the raw cotton.
The manufacturer who buys must add
this to the price of the manufactured ar.
ticle. Then Uncle Sam comes to him
and says: "Dear Mr.. Shoddy, ! bought
shoes of you in Massachusetts which
lasted my soldiers only a few days; you
lsold 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 little
ltax on the manufactured goods and char
lges it on the merchant and says: "My
dear fellow, I know you are truly loyal,
l[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
1.-THE price, and when he finds young cop
perhead comes to buy his six ehirts he
finds three separate taxes on the goods.
which he has to pay. You see now who
has the taxes to pay .Itis thelaboring