The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-09-12
Equal TAXATION.
The fourth resolution of the Democrat,
platform adopted at New York reads thus:


The fourth resolution of the Democratic
platform adopted at New York reads thus:
Equal taxation Of every species of property &C
cofding to its value, including Government bonds
and other public securities
The present system CT taxation is very I'M
equal The Eastern members Of Congress
sought to make it equal and to tax the real
estate and the agricultural productions Of the
country, as we'll as the manufactures and the
capital, alike. The Western members and
large portion of the members from the Mid
die States opposed that policy, and they sue
ceeded in defeating it.
Senator Grimes took . very prominent
stand in the opposition to this scheme Of
equal taxation, and we hold is entitled to
the grateful remembrance of the people OF
the West for his efforts in their behalf.
Under the scheme Of equal taxation every
farmer Of the West would be constrained to
pay Federal taxes on his farm, on his crops,
on his live stock and whatever else he might
have or raise. And 30 every mechanic and
laboring man would have to pay his equal
share Of taxation on every dollars worth of
property he might be possessed Of, for the
use Of the Government of the United States.
The plan of taxation supported by the
West and adopted in the main, confines tax.
alton to tobacco, whisky, manufactures, in
comes over thousand dollars, and sales Of
certain articles, with some insignificant stamp
taxes. This system of taxation falls very
lightly upon the people of the West and, in
the State Of Iowa, we venture to assert that
there is scarce one man in fifty that is con
scious, in his own personal experience, of
the slightest burden Of National taxation.
But, under the influence Of the Eastern
leaders Of the Democracy, in Convention at
New York City, the Democratic platform is
conformed to the views and wishes of the
wealthy men Of the East. The West is to be
subjected to equal taxation; the poor man =
cabin and farming utensils, his horses cows,
pigs and chickens are to be taxed equally,
according to their value, with the rich man {
abundant wealth.
Now, no man is required to pay an income
tax unless his annual income exceeds q thou
sand dollars but, under the Democratic
programme inaugurated by the arlstocratie
Seymourites Of the East, aud the lordly land
monopolists of the South, the mechanic ant
the day .laborer are to be required to pay
equal taxation on the very 6rst and last dol
lar they may make by their daily toll.
Al. n
making the burden of taxation to be lightl]
borne, BY spreading it.ont equally over th,
broad shoulders Of the farmers and laborin,
men Of the West, as we'll as on the rich CAPT
talsts Of the East,
The tail of this resolution is mere bosh 70
the Supreme Court has decided over ant
over again that the States could not tax Fed
eral bonds. And if the United States Gov
eminent undertakes to tax its owl indebted
ness in the shape Of bonds, it will thereb,
impair its own credit, and will be under tn,
necessity of increasing the interest on ID
bonds to cover all contingencies Of the pos
sible limits Of taxation. The consequence,
would be that the tax payers would have t,
pay two or three times as much, BY way @
meeting the interest on the oovernmen
bonds, as they would collect r taxes on shos
bonds.
Equal taxation of every species of proper
~ according to its value, by the Federal Gov
eminent, would be the worst possible polio
that could be resorted to, SO far as the PEG
pie of the West, and the masses of the PEG
pie generally Of every portion of the conntr
are concerned.
The simplicity Of barbarism. and the tyran
ny Of despotism, taxes all values alike bu
enlightened, civilized and Republican Gov
ernments discriminate so as to favor aud ex
empt, II practicable, the poor, and the pro
dnctive portions Of the population and to en-
courage emigration to the sparsely and newl,
settled portions Of the country.
This IL just what the Republican Congress
in its enlightened wisdom, has done. bu, N,
National Democratic Convention denonnce
this, and insists upon the barbarous and dos
potic policy of equal taxation Of rich an,
poor, farmer and manufacturer. speculate
and day laborer.
CLAGErr don't like abolitionists ne;the
does Clagett's political friend G. T., '
may judge BY the following brief epistle q
his during the war:
r. ~ M ne.,.. D..r-, ~