The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1868-09-04
Will the People Beas. the EnOs'
nous TaEaffOM.

There is probably no greater anomaly in
modern times than is seen in this country !;
that people under popular republican
government government chosen by them
selves and changed every few years-shou1d
submit to burden of taxation without
parallel in the world. That they submit
ted to this cheerfully in time Of great
civil war for the sake of preserving the life
and unity of the republic showed their pa
triotism. They were willing, too, to give
the government reasonable time to adjust
the finances and to discharge the 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 lar
ger sum than that raised and expended by
the most costly monarchical government in
the world. 1t is mopstrous. The people
are becoming restless and disguised, and
will certainly seek a remedy either in a.
change of their public servants or in repu-
diation of the debt. Unless ADLER and more
honest men be elected to Congressman
who will see the necessity of economy and
have the courage to cut down all unneces-
sary expenditures and bring them to some
thing like what they were before the war.
it will not be long before we shall hear sig
nifcant and deep mutterings of repudia-
ton from one end of the country to the
other.
The present Congress is without ability
to grasp the subject of national finance and
taxation, and it is withal recklessly extrav-
agant in making appropriations for all
sorts of things and jobs. Even when it
took off about hundred millions of taxa
ton this was done for the benefit of manu-
facturers and for the manufacturers of New
England especially, who are but small
part of the community.
The people generally will not feel the re-
duction. The effect will be merely to in
crease 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 re-
duced or abolished the people everywhere
would have been benefited. That would
have been lessening the burden of taxation
in way to be felt by every working mans
family. But the late acts of Congress re-
ducing taxes will be of advantage only to
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 de-
pleted Treasury and bankrupt government
The first thing to be done is 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 hundred millions year. In
l. IL l. L IN
and fifty millions revenue is ample. Yet
we see it was over four hundred and sixty
millions last year. This is the great ques-
ton for the American people now to con-
slider. And in the coming Congressional
elections they should take care that the in
capable, reckless and extravaganza members
of the present Congress be left at home to
cultivate potatoes, which they may under
stand better, and that fresh and more capa-
BILE men be sent to Washington.-N. 2.
Herald. .--, ... ~. ...-.