The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-10-29
HOWTO PAR THENATIoXAI DEBT.
TAX THE DOGS.

AAA ann DUaSs
"Let dogs delight to bark and blte,"
From FoTneVS Chrontc.O.l
This venerable line Of Watts seems
TO express the adopted policy OF the
people Of the United States In regard
10 their canine friends or property,
In almost any portion Of the country q
dog ID q privileged animal, enjoying
the freedom OF the community, 'Hehas
thrice the freedom OF the late slave Of
the South, ana twice the impunity OF
the free citizens OF the North and West,
He eRts, but does not work; thus en-.
terlng the ranks OF the privileged few
In this land where the rule OF living
BY the sweat Of ones brow holds good
with 80 little exception.
In one or two OF the States there ls q
eapiIation tax levied on dogs Of high or
low degree, but Its provisions are not
searching, and are In the main but In.
diuerentlH executed.
we propose now 10 turn the dog 10
national account. In some parts OF the
land you may often see him inside Of
an open wheel, churning butter, turn
Ing u grindstone, pressing cider, or do.
Ing q variety OF farm chores, He can
tread many hours In q day, and A
thrifty or ingenious farmer can ret ont
on MIN the full work OF small boy.
we propose to put him In larger
wheel, and let him turn away at the
There are In the United States, It is
estimated from the census returns,
0,gOO,0OO dogs. AT q tax Of one dollar
head, these dogs would return an an.
nual revenue OF &, 900, 900, the currency
Interest on 800, 0OO,O OF the national
deot. The cost Of collecting need be
nothing In addition TO the expense Of
the present machinery. Nearly Eve.
skins OF these G,000,OO0 are worthless
or Inferior dogs, and perhaps the hall
OF them would be killed of, and but
$S,O0O,OOO gathered into the treasury,
still that Is q little fortune. It repre-
Sents about ten days savings and pay.
ment OF debt under Grants retrenoh.
ment Administration.
Let us see what further good would
flow from such q tax:
First. 1t would Improve the blood OF
the races OF dogs themselves, crushing
out the monRrela and ours Of low de.
gree.
Second. It would guard The sheen,
thus fostering the production OF wool,
and increasing the national revenues
In that direction.
Third. 1t would add 10 the security
and wealth Of the farmers, who In Rl>
most every section grow sheep, even II
1t IL only one or two.
Were u stringent tax Imposed Oh
aUpFU 1nfF thntH nj Ia .
silly keep only such az were valuable
Tor some reasons: Greyhounds, hunt
Ing hounds, Newfoundland, watch
dogs, and pets would rise In value and
estimation. Were the i've millions OF
worthless dogs sacrificed at once, 1t
would be TO the advantage Of the re-
manning good stock. They could be
more easily kept, and the blood and
tnherltRble qualities transmitted pure.
For some years tho Commissioner OF
Agriculture has In his annual reports
put down the loss to the country in
sheep killed at two millions OF dollars,
and nearly million more In injuries.
The loss Ia equivalent to almost six
millions OF pounds In wool. IntellI-
gent stock raisers and farmers In every
section o! the country lament the raw
ages Of dogs, the many losses Incurred
by the killing and manning OF she en-,
and especially the far greater loss In
the repression OF wool.Rrowlpg and the
prevention OF efforts Tor Its extension
into regions peculiarly adapted TO the
business. Millions OF acres Of herbaye,
suited 10 the wants OF fne-woOl sheen
In all portions OF the United States, are
annually depastured partially, or not
at all, and left to decay aud waste, for
want OF animals to consume tho ubuu.
dRnt spontaneous growth. Millions OF
dollars are thus annually lost IN the
production OF the country that cannot
be accounted for by figures.
Now for the farmers themselves, Tho
same good authority aud careful eslI-
mates pronounce the loss by dogs TO
he two per cent. on all the money In
the land Invested In sheep growing or
grazing. This Is q heavier tax than
farmers generally pay for county, State
and national purposes. Not farmer
in the whole country but would think
himself Il ruined man II the assessor
presented him with tax schedule
calling for two per cent. OF all his proD.
erty. Yet this Ia the tax which men in
the sheep.ralsing business pay TO the
dogs OF their lazy, idle and t6oughtless
nelRhbors. Such burden on private
Industry Is II drain on tho wealth of
the nation, which should be stopped
by the national power.
This tax Is no novelty. In some Of
the States Of the Union, In Pennsylva.
MIA and New England generally, it Ill
ready exists by statute, and when 1t is
enforced 1t brings the best OF results.
Great Britain has tried 1t with good
effect. Why should not WEI At pres
ent the dogs OF the country arc mostly
kind OF rowing guerIllas. canine John
MorgRns and Colonel Mosbys, Destroy
Ing food worth many millions OF dol
lars, committing serious depredations
upon farm property, and REFRESHING
and depressing industry to the injury
OF business and The loss OF national
wealth.
Perhaps tax OF two dollars or two.
and-a-half would be more expedient,
A good dog Is worth that year, and
all others had better be gotten out OF
the way.
We refer this suggestion to the Trca-
sury Department, which Ia strainlng
every nerve TO the accomplishment OF
that great object ON which the nannlnia