Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-10-08
Taxes-Taxes-Taxes.


We cannot too frequently impress upon
our people the lesson taught them by their
Indifference and cowardice which permit
ted the affairs of the State to pass into
Radical hands. Those of us who were
able have just paid our taxes-many we
fear have made sacrifices to do so, and
many others have found it impossible to
meet them. Never in the history OF the
State have taxes been SO rapidly and heav-
ily increased, and never were the people
SO lily prepared to pay them. If the ne
cessities of the State Government required
such heavy assessment of taxes, or If our
Legislators had been ignorant of the pow
erty of our people we might excuse, if we
could not justify, the extravaganza with
which money has been appropriated by
the last Legislature. If we did not know
that hundreds of thousands of dollars had
been stolen and used for corrupt purposes;
if we were not aware that leading officers
of the State Government, in connection
with members of the Ring" were not
specializing upon the credit of the State
if we did not know that thieves and gam
blers were placed in charge of millions of
dollars of the bonds of the State, and if not
actually using the public money are spec
ulating and gambling upon funds procur-
ed by means of the credit their official
positions and the public money give them;
if we believed that the appropriations were
within the limits of the Constitution and
were honestly made and would be honest
ly expended, we would cheerfully urge
upon our people to meet the obligations
which their representatives had incurred,
and point hopefully to the time when
these Investments would become profta-
bile.
However burdensome, however unjust,
these taxes must be paid The Sherifs
must collect or impose the penalties for
non-payment No blame can attach to
them. Sworn officers, and under heavy
bond, they must execute the laws which
apply to them. While the Legislature is
to blame, the people of North Carolina
had no reason to expect better from them.
They were warned in time of the danger
attending the election of irresponsible men
to positions OF trust. They were elected,
Notwithstanding, through the apathy and
temerity Of our people-many of them men
of substance, who were vitality interested
in the honest and economical administra-
ton of the State Government. This griev-
Gus burden we must bear as best we can as
the result OF our own folly.
1t is fearful to contemplate the grand
result of Radical fnancieringi in North
Carolina. If it is carried out to its natural
end what sad havoc it will play with the
prosperity of the State. Let US look at
the Railroad appropriations alone. These
figures speak for themselves:
Amount appropriated by the Legis-
lature, which the Public Treasu-
rer declares Is constitutional. SIG, 800, coo
lis gold value is NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 5,443, 3S4
Amount lost by the depreciation of
North Carolina credit ............ so, $3.50, 666
Upon this sum of ten millions eight
hundred and sixty-six thousand six hun
dred and sixty six dollars, of which the
people receive not one cent, there is an an
nual interest of six hundred and fifty-two
thousand dollars to be paid for thirty
years. And at the end of the thirty years
the ten million eight hundred and sixty
six thousand six hundred and sixty-six dol
lars must be paid. This makes total pay
ment of THIRTY MILLIONS FOUR HUN
DRIED and TWENTY SIX THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED
and sIxTY-sIX dollars which the people of
North Carolina must pay for the loss of
their credit and for the luxury of Radical
financiering. This amount differs only
from our former calculation in that the
gold value of the bonds are here given.
These are figures which our taxpayers
should study. They ought to teach les
son also to our laboring classes. No
enterprise can prosper under such crimi-
nal extravaganza. These drains upon the
industry of people must bring them to
ruin. We are, indeed. paying dearly for
,carpet-baggery in North Carolina.