Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1868-04-04
ASHTABULA, OHIO, SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 1868

The report of special Commissioner
Wells on tie Internal Revene indicates
that the department for the past fiscal
year was defrauded to the extent ofnear
ly onethird in the articles of whisky, to
bacco, and coal oil alone perhaps a hun
dred millions of dollars and far less dis
honesty in regard to customs, and income
taxes would increase the amount of fraud
at least one half the amount of the reye-
nue..
Now this deficiency must be made up,
else dishonor comes and society begins
to break down. If those who owe do
not pay, Others must be taxed double.
We despise pickpocket. j.. Is there any
difference between one who takes the
money out of your pocket directly and
one whose dishonesty conlpels your pay
ing in his stead. 5rr ze'e = %
Consider yet further that the wrong
thus done is done to the honest and
weak. The honest will not defraud, and
the weak can not if they would. Were
it against the cunning OF the strong they
would protect themselves, though the
guilt of the frand would be the same,
they might confine the suffering to those
who doit. .r.s s.J ~ sa-g5ti
But may not the honest man do the
same thing to protect himself? Let me
answer that question by another - If he
does, is he any longer honest? Com
mon sense folks might ask the difference
between that and treason. 1T would be
protection at his country's loss-at loss
of honor to both him and her. For the
most part, against such losses the honest
have no protection. They must make up
their minds, as the world says, to do
more than their share. But, after all,
will not that lay upon them more a.
burdant honor, as having done q grander
service. .Fg et ef5r ..-
Consider that he who SO defrands his
country not only breaks faith with her;
not only robs his fellow citizens; not
only lessons their means of doing good,
bnt previously wrengs himself. He
throws away the highest privilege of the
citizen, that of blessing his whole coun-
try, cheaply bought by prompt payment
ot his taxes. He loses the tone OF his
own thought and life; he torfeits his
character as an honest man i'll his own
eyes, and, as soon as discovered, i'll those
o. o hers. -.- F-a ss- s-a44rF
This tax que ton is well worth deep
study by women not less than men; not
to learn ways TO escape, nor to see how
private or local Interests may best be
served ; but to learn why they are, what
they are and how they work how they
may do the most good at the least risk
of harm; how be most equally laid !; how
best advance the country's good. sdl b.
The study would soon show that of all
taxes selishness, dishonesty, crime and
vice are Ipeomparably heaviest; that e&-
travagance and waste are terrible tIxes;
that vast sums OF money locked up in
Useless houses that display in snowy
and jeweled dresses add to the public
burdens and lessen ihe public ability to
lay and that honor, generosity and pu-
rity, no matter what they cost, are the
best economy for both individuals and
nations; not only diminishing taxes, but
creating new power to meet them.
Taxes We not only have, but will have,
were there none, so bent are we on hav-
ing them that we would create them.
We should be unhappy without them.
We continually lay OH ourselves taxes
heavier far than any that the govern
ment calls for, only We call them by a
pleasanter name. And yet if that be a
tax which taxes us, there are taxes far
more exhausting than any that govern
ment gets, not alone to the purse, but to
body, mind, heart and life. .s-s ~