Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-03-02
TnE BURDEN OF TAXATION.
How Even u Radical How II
Ehcrcumirr.

To the Hon. the Chairman 81 Committees
on Ways and Means aud on Appropta
tons oi the lion.e OF Representatives. and
of The Senate OF the United States
While the people look with cotnmcndable
ss,i,ssction ut Your oilers to economics IN
printing, aud IN sane other directions, tne
SUI SCI large avenues of waste that, TO tls
tx-payct, who Is monthly visited nv the
d,-poiic aud inexorable tax galherer, seems
not only needless. bat wicked, when the de-
pressed aud proiitiess business OF the coun-
try l. considered
They see thousands OF men paid high
wages ipr mere mythical services Ia the sew
ctsi navy yards II the United Sin'es, when
tltc c,.um0n sensc OF tho people tells them
they arc not needed, even IL they gave will
Ia. AID adequate services Tor their compen-
saiipn.
They srea great navy making q mock
sp'ay IN Eiraps nj m enormous expense
% the tar pavcIs, distributing gold to Eu
rcpcan nations. while our own country is il
state OF semi-baokrup,cy AID they be
heye that fifteen or twenty email cruisers in
chinese aud otacr foreign waters would be
ample u protect our largely diminished
commerce ON the ocean.
They ses acres OF ordnance, anchors, and
other naval supplies 10 meet the wants OF an
adequate navy u tlnle Of peace for ~ years
q come, wme this same class OF supplies
are constantly aucmenting III -ou Ii the Ian
quit rp' rstlons oil 10000 hsssss, hail-en-
j.lo, ed mechanics
They SEQ n large feet OF rcveuiie cutters
on ihs lakes AMI on the sea-coast, the scr
vsees e whoa are So chmerical that no
man csn designate any valuable use they
hase been q tiic government adequate to
ihe cAsl Of kecpsae ono ~ them IN comm
sion, II We except tha 10 riding ani wTech
iue la&s kept for That exp cial purpose AT
uu4 prncipa. seaport towns (lhe c0llcc-
tors IT customs 1t Detroit, Mich, ami al
Boston, Mass, confirm this statement
They see an army vastly in excess OF the
wants Of the Gosernment kept in the sew
sral Northern States, whose only present
au, consists in eating up the II dustry of
the people. and without any apparent pros
pectise Y SC TO the nation.
They see . minister Of State assuming
tas powers Of dictator. ard plciging the
national faith TO his Illegal traffic, in the
purchase OF countries and islands that only
entail increased taxation without the least
hope II coippcnsating benefits.
They see thousands OF well-paid officials
OF ali kinds AID grades. living on high sal
aries, ~ho absorb the net earnings Of from
% 10 100 industrious men each, Who ought
t. nave been dropped from the payroll, MS
Was done wi.h other DEB. il left by the war.
waci the war closed.
raey see an lad,la department AMI the
collection portion OF the treasury depart
rs.ek NTH n.
Oh ala Who are often detected continued
IN oh e without Punishment or rebuke.
Tnev see that, in the great commercial
gam, o,,ng Played by the nations OF the
esrtn. oar pe"plc dig the precious metals
from our mines, while tho more shrewd
"a n ,ains iiaAnciers Of the old world
y ,ckc, ali tns stakes, and are nov securing
n u .rig.ge On our domain by taking our
boads as compensation for the gc~ ga VS.
aud u immc,iss Of fashion aud folly. Is
veil ~ f~ tho more staple produces Of
thc,f ~ larry, Which, BY stascsmanlike
legislation on our part. would be st cured
&, the industry ofour own people, while il
pro ec,cd our bonds and our edit
racy Sc, Congress spending months in
proti,l-ss debate, while the great elements
Of naioaL wealth arc paralyxed, and tn
people cropping Ia tbs dark, but seeking
hsht. tina, Congress. in lis superlative wis
dSE,. tails 10 shed on their future hopes.
I .ey 4 'n.ai sc,ve, practical. aud effect.
I've. sesi>satisa, and they yet hope that
repA5 'cn c,agress wdl no, have to boast
that theft expcn t,iures, in some directions.
are more thaa the corrupt waste Of the
b ,t.d administrator of ames Buchanan
but that their expenses shall have been
broug It 10 the lowest limit comp ,,iblc with
tile IN Jllcity OF tru. Democracy.
la short, the peo 10 find their taxes and
bar ivas tar greater than that of any other
ma ,oa and they know soms Of the reas-
sas Why they ere 30
They nave esecsci you 10 apply eli the
remedies that come within your knowledge
for their relief. aud they expect you to do
what, in your judgment. will place them
IN the N ,st favorable ca dition compatible
With the interests ofths whole country, and
with ,rt reference - the opportunities or
the private .intsrests q individuals, or
combinations, when sash interests conflict
With the public welfare.
Respectfully, E. r. WARD
delegate from The Manufactursrs' Notionsl
Coavsn,icn.
9ovkkNAt>r lam ~ Iou. with.