The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-09-23

sa
end TO subject lands, houses and farm
,,ook as we'll as bonds, to {" Aation for fed.
eral purposes tut no 20 subject bonds, as
we'll as lands, houses, and farm stock, to
taxation for state purposes
That would be ''equal taxation" with a
1t would be unequal taxation
of the same gross, oppressive, outrageous,
and one.sided character that the Jacobin
party has already imposed upon the eoun'
try. II would be the sort of taxation that
would suit the bondholding class and their
advocates; but which the people now pro-
test against in the radical party, and which
they would Of course protest against in any
party. ..
The democratic proposition is just the re-
verse Of that. The democracy demand the
GeouAl taxation of every species Of property
according TO its value" The word "taXa.
ton" is sufficiently explicit term to 81!
who understand the English language. 1t
is not limited in meaning to o particular
kind Of taxation, or TO taxation for q paFtle'
ular purpose. 1t comprehends the whole
body of the public burdens. The demo
cratic demand il, that the public burdens
shall be equalized, and shalt bs mals to
rest on property Of all kinds in proportion to
It's value. That the owners OF SlOo,0OViOOO
in government bonds shall bear the same
proportion Of the public burdens as the
owners of 800, 100000 in farms and farm
stock That the latter shall not be taxed
more heavily in proportion to their value
than the former which, under Jacobin rule,
are not taxed at all.
Farms and farm stock in Illinois are as
sessed, according to their value, for taxation
on valuation equal TO one.third Of their
actual value. Government bonds owned in
Illinois are not assessed for taxation on a
one.third valuation, or any other. One
hundred thousand dollars in farms and
farm stock pay taxes to the amount Of 81
600 annually. One hundred thousand dol.
lars in government bonds pay taxes to the
amount Of not one single farthing. The
democratic proposition is to equaIize the
taxation, taking 81 900 from the farms and
farm stock and placing it on the bonds, dl.
vding the burden equally between the two
kinds Of property, according to their value.
There is no difficulty in the way but the
mouey.powcr, which now controls congress
and refuses the federal consent to this equal
and exact justice to all.
The attitude Of the democratic party
might be further illustrated by directing the
attention of farmers in Illinois to the gross
inequality Of taxation in this state, which
called for legislative remedy at the last ses.
slon Of our state legislature, II WAS found
that farmer in one county, owning proper
ty worth $4,000, paid double the taxes
that his neighbor paldin the adjoining cOun
IT, whose property was worth the same. Sc
It now is between the plowholdet and hi
neighbor, the bondholder, excepting that tn
property Of the latter, instead ofpaying hal
no much taxes as the former, pays no take
at ALL The democracy say this is not righ
and that it caa only be made rightly equal
izing the taxes, and levying them upol
property of all kinds according to its value
The boudboders say it is right, and tina
1t would be doing them greVlous wrong t
make them share equally in the public bu
dens with the plowhoders. This is exact
the difference between the two parties on tn
question of taxation. No mounting Of pal
ty demagogues can make it appear othe
wise to intelligent men.