The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1868-09-25
What the People pay, and how they

mercial paper 1t tells you what you pay
| in the way of taxes, and how you Pay 1t.
| It is a cleer, plain, explicit exposition OF
the wrongs and abuses continually practles
ed upon the laboring classes, aud it 50 dl-
rect and palpable that no tax-payer Gag
! read without comprehendiug and feeling its
serious import. bearing as it does with ex-
haustng force upon his labor and earnings.
| 1t it is such a statement as these-iacts
that come home TO the people, that are
opening the eyes of laboripg men to the
condition of the country, brought about by
Radical misrule.
& celebrated English political econom-
list said that 'oHe the fundamental princi :
pies upon which a Government should be
administered was, that what is taking out
of the pockets of the people by taxation
should be as little as possible over and
alb owe the amount bfoughtlnto the treaus-
ury." There was never uttered maxim
more just or profound but it might as
well have remained in the limbos of unutter>
ed wisdom as to anv heed which the rulers
in this country have given to it. " ~
The grand study and aim of the ruling
powers OF our Government have not been
to see how little they could take from the
hard earnings of the people, but to contrive
how much they could grasp without resist
taance and endangerIng their offices.
10 raise the $3.50, 600, coo necessary to
carry on the Government two forms OF tax
alton are In OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and eyclce
-one imposed in the shape of tariff dues
and the other by direct taxation. But 1t
IS with the former that We have chiefly to
do, because that the pill is so skillfully
gilded that few have any definite idea as to
what they are actually paying, or whether
they are paying more or less than their fair
share, or whether the burden is equally or
unequally distributed
In the days OF fetidalism exactions where
made by brute forcc |; .bnt as civilization
advanced and the Government came to
understand something Of their rights and
power other methods we're sought out to
draw from the peoples pockets the none
required from the public service, md
hence sprung into existence our Haueren
tariff (; not perhaps as perfect and effect
i've as it is at the presentday; but it was far
more satisfactory the bayonet.
Equality in the burden was not regarded.
Whether the poor man with his large fam
lily was compelled to contribute more than
| the rich man with less to feed and to clolhe
was not considered important as few could
know their relative contributed, conceal.
| ment is so perfect
But the burdens Of the people are beeom-
ing intolerable and the time has arrived
when economy must rule; when retreneh-
! ment in the whole financial system of our
Government mus. be the order Of the day:
| when it must be thoroughly overhauled, let
what party may rule, and brought to the test
OF the sevefest' examination, and the leech-
cs that are depicting the strength of the
nation cut adrift earn an honest liyelihod,
and add their mite in the general wealth
which they have helped to reduce. These
steps must be taking If we hope to lessen
this burden of taxation under which the
nation is staggering and save the country
from bankruptcy.
The people need -relef-a change in our
present system of taxation; a change in its
present method Of collection. And the party
or statesmen, by whatever name they may
be called, that shall give up these viii earn
the gratitude and support of grateful
people. 't-
For the purpose-of seeing what we pay
and how we pay it, let US briefly examine
some OF the operations of our present tariff,
made especially to raise the largest amount
of money without occasioning public disturb
sance. 1t Is unnecessary tor US to observe
that. the business,Gta the country is carried
on with borrowed capital; that not one man
in thousand, or even the Government,
could pay their debts if called upon to do so
with standard dollar that we are paying
ruinous high rate of interest-that for
every dollar a man pays out for his
food, in bis. business, costs him 81 "A
These are facts so patent that she who runs
may read. But letus see what the tariff,
combined with our importers, jobbers,
dealers, and deprecated currency compel
us 20 pay. We will first set down the du,
| ties collected on foreign imports during the
last fiscal year. fas
Duties collected in 1867, S176,4i7 $40
AID gold premium at "A per cent SIT, 623 1896
Cost of duties in currency 1854, Gal GIG
And imp orters' profits, 10 per cent %, 404 ,16l
'- ..ss ~te s.s. r S279,443, SIC
.+.. $500, 404, 235
Addretailers profits - 10 per cent 81 $50, 445
Total paid by consumer 1897 1853, ITO
Deduct duties collected, 176, AT SIC
Total amt ofprofts and god prem, S is, 545, 965
Besides paying for the original cost of the
| goods the consumer is paying very nearly
100 per cent upon the amount received by
the Government, or two dollars for everydo!.
| lar the Government raises through the pro
visions Of the tariff. 1t is no doubt more
rather than Jess, as our estimates Of the
rates of profits are much lower than they
are generally rated; nor have we taken into
estimate inland freight, and many other
incidentals that swell the cost in reaching
the retailers hands But let us carry out
figures little further, and ascertain the
enormous sum paid by the consumers OF
foreign imoprtations.
Importations of 1867 S4I2, oS3, 322
Duties paid on same, l76, Az, $40
S5sS, 95I 232
Add gold premiums at "A per cent 26l ,206 ,409
SS49. S57 $3.50
Add importers, profits, at 10 per
cent, 1895, 1853