The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-07-07


nineteen.twentieths Of the officers in tbs
revenue service are partisans Of congress.-
Our republican friends resolve, in their con
yentions, ia favor Of retrenchment aud re-
form. The power is already IN
their hands, and has been for over
seven years; and why not now com
mence their retrenChment and reform =
The people would rather sec their good in'
tentiOns carried out by appropriate IeglSIs'
ton, than aired before the country IN party
platforms. The truth is, that the service OF
the corruptionsts cannot be dispenser
with. They are tho props that support the
desperate fortunes OF the men IN power anu
the services are mutual. Lest | might DC
misunderstood, | wish to say that do mol
charge all the officers OF the governments
with corruption. There are doubtless many
honest men in the various departments
INEQUALITY or TAXATION.
Now, my fellow'cit.zeus, having briefly
alluded TO the fearful extravaganza ana cor
ruptiou which have sprung up IN 'he gov.
ernmentseryCe since the retirement oil he
democratic party from power, J wlsh 70 caii
your attention 70 another alarming evil
When the burdens Of government are heaYy,
thew ought to be laid upon the people III
such a manner as TO make eRch person bear
his part, Us nearly as possible, IN proporI'on
10 his ability. Favored classes, exempt Dy
law from contributing their fair share to-
ward the supper, Of the government are
odious to the people Of a republic Inc
weight Of taxation, withheld from the PRIV
leced classes bears all the more heavily
upon the wearied limbs Of the men OF toll,
on account Of the manifest injustice OF the
discrimination. BY tho legislation OF the
men in power, the holders Of the interest
bearing bonds Of the United States con5ti
tute a money arjstocraCy, exempt by law
from the payment Of oil state, county ana
municipal taxes; and might add, virtually
exempt from the payment Of all federal
taxes. Of the $2Gj,OO0, 900 taxes paid last
year into the federal treasury, almost the On.
tire burthen fell upon the labor and active
capital Of the country. The holders OF the
$1,000, 900, 900 bonds Of the United states,
mostly drawing per cent interest, payable
scmi.annually in goId,-consttutng the
most productive capital OF any safe invest
ment in the worId,-paid comparatively
nothing on that capital toward this cnor-
nous federal tax. About one seventh Of the
capital Of the United States is invested in
these bonds. 1t is estimated that the taxa
bic property in the United States is assessed
annually, for state, county, and municipal
purposes, upon an average Of about per
cent. The holders of these bonds pay no
part Of these taxes. In paying your taxes,
you count out your hard earnings, aud, for
every six dollars you pay for yourselves, you
have to add on one more for the holders OF
United States bonds In addition to this,
you, for your labor and for the products OF
your farms, the soldier, for his services IN
the field, and his widow and orphans, for
their pensions and bounties, receive green.
backs. The bondholder, who is a tax.con'
sumner, but not a tax payer, receives his in
terest in gold,-onc dollar Of which is equa
to one dollar and forty centa Of the money
al other persons receive in payment Of thei
dues. Let Us see how this thing works.
Farmer Smith has capital Of $4,000
consisting of houses, and lands, and persona
property. His ncighbor, Jones. was in tn
military service Of his country, in the quar-
termastor5 department, and, during hi
three years service, Accumulated $lO0,OOt
by supplying the soldiers with 5hoddy cloth
| ing poor beef, and spawned horses, aud, o
| course, settling with the government upo
| honest vouchers. Being patriotic man
| Jones invested all his money in Unite
States bonds, drawing per cent. gold il
tcrcst, payable semi.annnally. Jones bougl
these bonds with greenbacks at par, whe
gold was worth $3.50. lie has already r
ceivcd his gold interest for three year
amounting to So annually upon each SIC
| in gold originally invested in the bonds
equal to 4j per cent. in three years; and
| still insists that the people shall pay hn
| $3.50 in gold for every Sl0O loaned by hll
to the government. He receives 10 per ccI
Of tho money loaned by hun until the pril
cipal falls due, aud claims that the goyciI
ment shall then pay him 100000 for tn
| $4,000 in gold originally invested in bond
| When the assessor comes along, he calls u
| farmer Smith for y list of his taxable pro
erty. The old farmer has not learned I
evade taxes so he gives in his lands, an
all his personal property, including note
mortgages, amounting to 10000. I'll
| lovy amounts to 2 per cent. and his tax
are charged up at 5000 The assessor ne!
calls on n one.armod soldier, who, with b
wife, aud six children, lives on forty acres
land, worth $500, He also has COW al
II horse, and few other arliclcs all wort
5000. All his property is charged up
| him on the second assessment list, and h
share Of the taxes Is $50, Next come
Jones, the patriot He resides, with b
| family, at fashionable hotel owns q hors
and buggy worth 5000 and is about star
| ing to the bank TO collect an instnllmen {
interest upon his bonds. The assessor so
utcs him very politely, and asks him for
list of his taxable property. He lists III
| horse and buggy at 5000, and returns III
list to the assessor, and his share OF tn
taxes amounts to 81 The assessor Ia
been informed that Jones is man of wealth
and inquiries Of him. with great surprise,
| he is worth no more than 5000. Jones il
dignantly replies that he is worth 500 600
! Md that he (Jones) was about starting
the bank for $4,000 in gold, being 6 month
interest now d~o him on his bonds and II
Inmates to the assessor that he wants n
more Of hls impotence. why, Jones, il
possible says the assessor "that farmc
Smith, who is worth but $40 900, pays 500
taxes; and that poor, one.armed soldi
across the way, who lis worth but 81, 90
pays $40, and that you, who are worth ov
100000 pay but 81 taxes. Come, Jone
this will never do There are several pc
, widows in the neighborhood whose husban
were killed in the army, and am compell
to assess everything they have. And ,
are going to build school house in O
r town this year and we have TO be taxed
keep up our schools, and to keep the roa
g 10 repair, and to build court house al
; Jail. You send your children to the pub
p school, and are interested in all these pub
d improvements. 1t will never do fox yo
J 100000 Of bonds to be exempt from tax,
5 The poor people will become discouraged
a account of their high taxes Now, ST
I -nr- lnr-a ~ Anr-t Nnnt "a Lnnr q NJ.