Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-09-30


the Bank of Tennessee in the year
1859, so that the amount of taxes
collected from the people on acS
count of property, polls and priv
ileges during the three years
amounted to s2,158,938 81, or 3d.
951,O74 80 less than was wrung from
the people under Radical rule, after
they had been almost impoverish ed
by the war, in three and a half
years. All of this immense amount
oftaxes not absolutely necessary to
carry on the State government
economically, had been literally
squandered in the most reckless
manner by the Radicals who had
control of the State, and when the
government was handed over to
Governor Senter in February last,
he received it with an empty treas.
ury. Indeed it was worse than
empty, for q large portion Of the
money to pay the January interest
on the State bonds had been bor-
rowed, and this had to be provided
for by the new administration.
With this statement Of facts before
them, the people of Tennessee will
be ready to endorse what the Mem
phis Appeal says in the following
extract on the subject Of reduce
ton of the taxes and an economical
administration of the government
ave apprehend NJ difficulty about se-
curing relief for the future, so far as Ten
pessee is concerned. We shall have a
pretty large bill to pay for The round of
Generalization and dissipation which we
have gone through for few years past, in
which the vultures have buaily CLEANED the
harvests as well as the garbage, and it may
be this will 60 hard with US somewhat
longer But we have now a good round
majority of honest working men in our
State Legislature, and we doubt not they
will do all for us which can be legally and
properly done. We may take it for
granted they will refuse appropriations for
pretended debts, which we do not in law
or conscience owe, and that they will not
shrink from the task of investigating the
true pecuniary condition of the State.
when this is ascertained, we doubt not they
will take the proper means honestly to
provide for it. And 80 far, we shall have
no reason for TepHdiation or excuse for re-
sistance. The only thing further we need
for relief is industry, economy, and an
honest administration of public 2H4irs. But
10 secure this, salaries must be reduced in
many cases, and where officials are amassing
wealth by the fees and perquisites Of office,
TO the tune of tens and twenties of thou
sands, as some are doing, The wheels must
be scotched at once, and check put upon
the leak, which is costing the State half a
million per annum. When the fees OF 8
clerk or other officer reach s., 600 in ex'
cess ofthe proper expenses OF his office, we
should say the balance ought TO 60 TO the
State Treasury, as long IS taxes amount 10
eight per cent. and prohibit the introduc.
ton of capital, aud so long as ii remains
eternally true that labor pays the taxes
which are wrung at last from the sweat of
the brow of The laboriug poor. If We cut
down expenses and manage with severe
economy, half the present rate of taxa.
ton will put the State bonds at par in
u1ick time. There will be no doubt
about our credit and ability to get all the
time we need. We shall not be trusted if
we 90 on in spendihrift fashion, as We
have been doing, allowing the plumbers
ers TO work their will al hbitum. Blu;
economy, energy aud fostering instead of
Legislation, will give Us credit,
and we shalt have following prompt suu"
light in business.
There is one thiog which ought not to
be overlooked by our incoming Legisla-
ture, and which will require critical ins
spectiOn and attention, and that Is the
pr.nciple on which our State taxation is
based. TO make taxes perfectly equal,
ascending to the means Of every variety OF
business, capital and ability TO pay, is to
Give perfect content and satisfaction to all,
with ability to pay. Though the taxes Of
A. are heavy, seeing that they are neces.
sarilv 80, he will not complain 1t he IL
taxed no more heavily than hls neghbor
B. and the rest Of the alphabet. But tax
ing men by classes, selecting out Of the |
~ victims OF taxation mer-
chants, land owners, cotton producers, or
o herl, who have as good right 10 thrive |