The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1868-08-07
Judge Thurman on Debt and Taxa
n tiOu

- U1On.
The Hon. Allen G.. Thurman, of Ohio,
addressed the recent West Virginia
Democratic Mass Convention, follow
ing Hon. Geo. III. Pendleton. Judge
Thurman was the Democratic candidate
for Governor of Ohio at the last cleo
ton, and is the United States Senator
elect, who will take Ben. Wade's place
next March. He said upon the finan-
cial question:
THE PUBLIC DEBT.
Judge Thurman said the public debt
amounted to $2,500000,000. What it
wits exactly at this time was difficult to
say, from the fact that the Treasury De-
partment was quite dilatory in making
its monthly statements. Perhaps this
neglect arose from the fact that at the
last monthly statement the debt had in.
creased about nine millions of dollars
in q single month, and that the next
month will show an increase of twenty
milliOns-a monthly expenditure suffi-
cient in the days of Jackson to run the
Government for six months in all its
departments, while this is simply the
increase of the public debt for the short
spece of one month. The speaker read
from the printed report of the Secreta-
ry of the Treasury to prove the COR
rectness Of his estimates.
| TAXATION THEN AND NOW.
What a contrast this condition of ma
tional finances presented with that
which existed at the time that Jackson
made his proclamation that the United
States owed not a cent in the world i
Why wonder these Radicals sought to
avoid the issue, and declared the only
question was whether we should have
another civil war? This cry might do
to brighten few-the speaker was
about to say old women, but he would
not-it might do to frighten few wa
vering men, who could be frightened
out of the country by few old women
with broomsticks. This terrible second
civi. war was put forward now to di-
vert attention from the public debt.
Compare our debt with that of great
Britain. Our debt was two thousand
eight hundred millions; that of Great
Britain four thousand millions. But
while our population was only 31,0O0,.
600, the population Of Great Britain was
36,080,0O0. The rate of taxation in
Great Britain was ninety cents on the
hundred dollars, while the American
people were taxed at the rate of 1885,
on the hundred dollars. More thar
three times as much as the taxes i'm
posed on what we had been in the hab
it of plying as the poor, tax-riddel
people of Great Britain. Some on,
might, say, ~ on are mistaken, Mr.
Thurman do not pay 1898 on tn
hundred dollars" 1t might not be tn
case with individuals. but such was thu
rate of taxation on the people in tin
aggregate, upon their personal and rea
estate.
WHO PAYS TIE TAXES?
1t might be claimed that the laborine
poor paid no taxes. That was grea
mistake. Labor paid all the taxes
tremendous applausc.)
How was it that labor paid the taxes
The problem was simple. 1t could b'
proved from the scriptures: ''In thu
sweat of thy face shalt thou get thy
, bread" 1t was the mandate Of IIeavel
J that nothing was produced without la
, Dor. Not particle of wealth was ere
ated except by labor. The little power
! ty-stricken boy of Western Virginia
who followed the plow, contributed
more to the material wealth of til,
, country than did the richest hond-hold
| er who rolled in luxurious ease. Gap
, plausc.) The grain of corn dropped
by the little boy would grow and ben
, fit the world, but the man who di'
, nothing but live on the interest of hi
bonds added nothing to the wealth o
the country.
Suppose some ambitious young cop
perhcad should take it into his mind t.
be the owner of six shirts-but if thi
/ Radical Government continues mucl
longer you won't be able to make 81
, extensive an investment. applause.
This ambitious young copperhead goe
to the store and proposes to get eigh
, teen wards of muslin, for which the mcr
chant charges 81. 'llow is this 7" say
young copperhead, II used to buy L
yards muslin for 81" If the merchan
answered truthfully, he would say, II
= is true we now charge you 81 for tn
, same quantity of muslin you used t
buy for 81" The reason is this Their
is tax of three cents pound on tn
: raw cotton. The manufacturer VIII
buys must add this to the price of tn
manufactured article. Then Uncle Sar
comes to him and says: -SDear MI
Shoddy, bought shoes Of you in Mas
sachusetts which lasted my soldiers OF
ly a few days; you sold me cloth
+ make them pantaloons, which were M
whole any longer after they had stoI
! ped to drink from the brook the tirs
time. put little tax on your bus
ness" Mr.. Shoddy puts that little ia
on the manufactured goods and charge
it on the merchant. Then comes Uncl
Sam to the merchant and says: an
dear fellow, L know you are truly loya
Daughter and applause,) you must pa
taxes OH your sales" Or, if he is NJ
truly loyal, so much the more necessit
that he shall pay, and this is clapped o
the price, and when he finds young col
perhead comes to buy his six shirts ]
, finds three separate taxes on the good
which he has to pay. You see no
who has the taxes to pay. 1t is the Ii
boring man. And so he will hay