Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-10-31
A FEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
FOR9POOR MEN.

What's the price Of -four? Ten TO
twelve dollars per barrel Ten years
ago it was half the price. Why? Not
because the country hasn't wheat enough,
hut because everything and everybody
connected with the making of -four is
taxed. Who pays the tax? The con-
sumer-the man who buys barrel or
ten-pound bag.
What's the price Of bacon? Three or
four times more than before the war
Why, because the farmer is taxed on his
land, on his plows and hoes, on his horses
and on his income. He puts the tax on
his bacon, and the poor man who buys a
ham or a side and tells the gudewife to
make it go as far as possible, helps to
pay the tax.
How about house rent? 1t is much
higher than formerly, and why? Because
the landlord has to meet the tsX-gatherer
with long bill of items, and is compelled
to make the tenant pay them. Every
dollar of high rent whether for shanty
in the suburbs or a threc-story store
house, is taxed, and the renter has to foot
the list.
What's, the price OF calico? Two,
three, or more times what it was before
the war. The maker and the merchant
are both heavily taxed, and every dress
pattern has to pay their taxes.
How about doctors bills and physic, for
sickness like pale death knocks equally
at the cabin door and the palace ? Both
higher than formerly, and why, because
of taxes.
Everything eaten, drunk, or worn, or
used in any way is compelled to pass in
some shape through the tax mill, and
when it comes to the consumer and the
last purchaser, it is stamped with tax.
And that is the class who chiefly pay
taxes. This is demonstration. The
producer and the dealer make their
wares pay the taxes levied on the bust
ness in which they are handled.
1t Is all a mistake to tlatter
ones self because he has no tax
able property and no income return TO
exhibit to the Collector, that he thereby
escapes taxation. There's not shred on
the poor mans back, not a shoe on his
foot, not a mOrsel that enters his mouth,
not a necessity Of life Of any description,
for which he does not pay tax. The Ia
boring man never fails to pay his tax.
Others may escape it by some sort Of
hocus-pocus, but his tax return is is Ger
tain. u is on his shoulders and it is by
him chiefly that the giant debt Of the
country and the immense taxation it re-
quircs, is supported. He has nothing to
sell, no houses to rent, no railroads to
run, no bank to take cent per cent in.
His lot it to work and to eat and to pay
tribute to everybody through the tax.
How long are the poor men Of the
country going to remain blind to their
interests How long, by their indiirer-
cnce and misunderstanding Of the plain
facts which make the times hard, are
they going to give support to the political
party whose reckless measures impose
this rcmorseless taxation ? Let every
poor man sit down this last Saturday night
before the election, as he lays aside his
scant weekly wages, and in this simple
way figure out for himself the part he is
forced to play in this system. Let him
consider, that every week, government
taxes scale ,he proceeds of his labor,
leaving nothing to send the little ones to
school with, nothing for the Injuries that
comfort and cheer. Then let him answer
whether hc is willing to wear himself out
in this unceasinS drudgery for govern
ment, and dop into hiS grave at last,
leaving a helpless and povcrty-strickcn
wife and children.
When he gets through with his calcu-
lation and reflection he will be ready to
vote against RadicaliSm and high taxes.