The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-08-14
IIearIken. o be RepnDIicans !!

Foot In ii -
EEearken. o We Republicans
The Bedford Inquirer, of last week,
prints a double-leaded editorial, in
which it pronounces fairly and square
ly against the just and honest doctrine
of Equal Tarution. Itproceeds to ar
que in this style:
LET us see how Equal TdEutiOn
would work. Equal Taxation would
require that every man who owns
dollars worth of property should pay
his exact proportion of the amount of
tax requisite to pay the debts of the
nation
Thus reasons the Inquirer. Well,
isn't that right? Isn't it wrong that
the man who owns but dollars worth
of property is compelled to pay more
than his proportion of the taxes, on ac-
count of the bondhOIder, who owns
millions, being entirely exempt? True
the man who owns but dollars worth
of property, is not visited by the Fed
eral tax-gatherer in person, but he
pays his share of taxes in everything
he buys from the merchant and the
manufacturer. The importer pays
duty, or tax, upon every article he
imports; that tax is added to the price
of his goods the wholesale dealer pays
it to the importer, the retail dealer
pays it to the wholesale dealer, and in
turn and finally, the retail dealer adds
it to the price of his wares and COM
pcls the consumer, schO OtcHS bit one
dOtlar's lC0rth Of property to pay it.
So, the manufacturer pays federal IL
Cense and in many cases a direct tax.
He adds the amount of his license and
tax to the price Of the articles he manu-
factures. From cigar, or a plug of
tobacco, to a web of muslin, from the
cradle to the coffin, these taxes follow
the purchaser, even if he owns but one
dollars worth of property. Now, if
the bOndholder, who pays no taxes,
We're required to pay his just proper
tion, if taxation were made equal, it
follows, as matter of course, tnat Ii
censes and taxes upon manufacturers,
and duties upon imports, could be less
ened, and thus the poor man and those
of moderate means would become the
gamers.
The Inquire says further:
'True it is that the Republican Con
grcss has not made an equal tax law,
but it is a just, fair, righteous and lib
eral one"
Now, there's an admission for you
''The Republican Congress has not
made an equal tax law - Write that
down, reader! Make broad your ply
Iacteries, ye who swear by the Bedford
Inquirer, and write this sentence upon
them in blazing characters. We want
every Republican" in Bedford coun-
ty to understand chat his organ admits
that the ''Republican Congress has
not made an Equal tar lar" If it is
not equal, how can it be ',just, fair,
righteous and liberal ?'' Because in
comes under Il thousand dollars are not
taxed? Is tbat the reason it is 'just,
fair. righteous and liberal ?' That
might do to talk about, if there were
no other taxes than those on incomes.
But, how about the taxes on manufac-
lures, the licenses, the excises, the
stamp duties and other federal taxes
of a similar character? Are not these
paid, in a great measure, by those whose
incomes are under thousand dollars &?
Yet, because, small incomes are not
taxed, the property of the bondhold-
ers, who suck the life-blood out of the
business interests of the country, by
absorbing the gold and silver and bury
ing it in their safes, are also to be ex-
empted from taxation! Hence, while
the poorer millions pay the excuses, IL
censes, and stamp duties, the property