The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-14
WIN chs Psepis Bear ths knsroess
Taxaaloae

There 10 probably no greater anomaly In
that people under . popular republican gov
ernment-a government chosen by themselves
and changed every few years-should submit
to burden Of taxation without parallel In the
world. That they submitted to this cheerfallE
In time Of great civil war for the sake Of pre-
serving the Life and unity of tho republic
showed their patriotism. They were willing.
too, to give the government reasonable time
to adjust the finances and to discharge tho
floating obligations arising from the war. But
is it likely they will continue to bear war taxes
and expenditures years after peace has been
established? Over three years have elapsed
since the war ended, and the taxes amount to
more than four hundred and sixty millions Of
dollars year-a larger sum than that raised
and expended by the most costly monarchicsl
government in the world. It is monstrous.
The people are becoming restless and dis
gusted, and will certainly seek remedy either
In "a change of their public servants or in
reputation of the debt. Unless ADLER and
who will see the necessity of economy, and
have the courage to cut down all unnecessary
expenditures and bring them to something
like what they were before the war-it will not
be long before we shall hear significant and
deep mutterings of reputation from one end
of the country to the other.
The present Congress is without ability to
grasp the subject Of national finance and tax
alton, and is withal recklessly extravagant in
making appropriations for all sorts of things
and jobs. Even when it took off about q hun
dred millions of taxation this was done for the
benefit of manufacturers, and for the manu-
fscturers of New England especially, who are
but small part of the community. The people
generally will not feel the reduction. The
effect will be merely to increase the profits of
the manufacturers. Had the tax on tea, coffee,
sugar and other articles of prime necessity
and general use among the laboring classes
been greatly reduced or abolished the people
everywhere would have been benefited. That
would have been lessening the burden of taxa
alton in way to be felt by every working
mans family. But the late acts of Congress
reducing taxes will be of advantage only to a
few manufacturers. Congress began at the
wrong end. 1t is of no use, however, to re-
duce the taxes while the expenditures are so
enormous, for that will only bring depleted
Treasury and bankrupt government. The first
thing to be done il to reduce the expenditures
two hundred millions or more The whole
cost of the government in all departments and
expenses, independent of the interest on the
national debt, ought not to be over a hundred
millions year. Indeed, it ought to be less.
Two hundred and fifty millions revenue is
ample. Yet we see it was over four hundred
and sixty millions last year. This is the great
question for the American people now to con-
slider. And in the coming Congressional cleo
tons they should take care that the incapable,
reckless and extravagant members of the
present Congress be left at home to cultivate
potatoes. which they may understand better,
and that fresh and more capable men be sent
to Washington.
Harvest Prospects,.
The telegraphic reports from all parts OF the
United States, printed in the HERALD of YES
terday, regarding the condition of the crops