The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-04-09
Democratic Opposition to the ReduC-
tiOn of Taxes V. -5.5-.,f-t

Tie action of Congress- in first reduc-
ing the ,.ational expenditures $3.50, 900,
900 and then re1ncing the taxes in a cor.
responding amouat, has been received
most unkindly by the Dc;.2ocratic party.
The Chicago Times takes it LII hlgh dud-
geon. Democratic orators and I-mo-
cratic news papers have hugely enjoyeu
the luxury of belaboring the taxation
rendered nece ssary by the Democratic re-
bellion But Congress, having got the
rebellion subdued, and the army and
navy reduced to peace standard, has
been able to reduce the exp enditures
and abolish half the taxes This is worse
than the former condition of things.
The Chicago Times, in the extremity OF
its misery, says
The removal of this tax is a swindle
1t relates purely to manufactures and
therefore, is class measure AS large
share oft the manufacturing ofthe countryis
done in New England the act is especial
ly for the benefit of New England
''In other words, New England is by
this measure exempted from paying
some seventy-fve millions which it has
hitherto paid for the support of the gov
ernment. AS there is no accompanying
reduction of expenditures, it must follow
that the seventy-fve millions which New
England has no longer to pay must be
collected from other taxpayers
The assertion that there has been no
reduction Of expenditures is contradicted
by the proceedings Of Congress, where
the estimates for the army, navy, civil ser
vice: foreign intercourse and ordinary
expenses Of the government for the yeal
1869 have been reduced to within few
| millions OF the average expenditures III
gotd. Of Buchanan time. The interest
on the debt, the pensions and the boun
ties, are extraordinary expenditures
which Congress cannot reduce. But all
other changes upon the Treasury have
been brought down to the lowest possible
SUM-
The doctrine that a reduction of the
tax on manufactures is special gratulty
to the people of New England is a mon
strous fallacy. There is no tax upon pro
duction that is not paid by the consumer
The tax of per cent upon home manu-
| factures, and the tax of Gu per cent upor
foreign manufactures, are alike paid by
the consumers and not by either the
foreign or domestic manufactures
Will the Chicago Times pretend to say
that the duty on imported iron and clotl
is paid by the British manufacturer anc
not by the American consumer? If SC
then the excessive tax upon imports o.
which the country has been com plainlng
is not tax upon our people, but is col
lected from John Bull The Times know.
that every tax laid upon production i
/ collected from the consumer The tax i
one of the items Of first cost, and has t,
be added to the selling price of the arti
rle as much as the cost of the raw mate
rial or the labor. The tax collected from
these articles Of American manufacture
under the Internal Revenue law which
are now made free has, during the las
four years, exceeded $500, 900. 900, and i
| the statement of the Times be correct
that the exemption is release to o~Nev
England has paid during that period
special tax of $500, 600, 900 to the Treas
lury.-Cbicago 7ranue. taa 81 r.