The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-13
CONGRESS AND TAXATION

One of the greatest advantages enjoyed by
the people of this country previous to the
war was their comparative immunity from
taxation. AS, however, they did not stop to
count the cost of suppressing the Rebellion,
and as they are determined to maintain un-
tarnished the financial honor of the United
States, they are willing now to submit to
heavy exactions to defray the annual burden
of the existing debt and to provide for its
gradual reduction. But legislators, Con-
gressmen, Cabinet officers, and Presidents
should beware how they tride with this honor
able sentiment. The debt has ceased to be
novelty. Men have counted and measured it
with no little care, and series of financial
experiments have pretty well de-
monstrated what is and what
is not necessary to provide for its payment.
As matters are progressing now, under ex-
listing laws, the whole principal would be paid
off in ten years, and meanwhile the citizens
of the respective States, cities, towns, and
counties would be staggering under the
burden of q series of local debts only one
degree less oppressive than those imposed by
national authority. These tax bills consti-
tute, in the aggregate, larger average exac-
tion from each individual and a much larger
exaetion from each dollars worth of property
than is assessed in any other part of the
civilized world; SO that at this moment,
America has changed her enviable old posi-
tion for that of the most heavily taxed
nation on the globe While the people
shrink with just horror from reputation, they
are daily and hourly growing more indignant
A. O. h; oh
cessary burdens have been imposed in some
instances, and at the prevailing indisposition
at the National Capitol to hasten the adoption
of measures that would grant practical and
substantial relief. The Secretary of the
Treasury estimated, in his last annual report,
that the surplus revenue of the present fiscal
year would amount to more than one hundred
millions of dollars. 1t is not merely unne-
cessary, but it is unjust, impolitic,
and cruel to the last degree, to extract
this enormous sum from impoverished
taxpayers Full treasures are a per-
petual temptation to the scheming specu-
lators who are forever inventing schemes to
1ilch the public money; and as they prevent
the adoption of a strictly economical policy,
they constantly stimulate the increase of
burdens which are already insupportable
The financial honor of the nation would be
amply provided for if one-fourth of the
existing national taxation was abolished; and
the people are now keenly watching their
Representatives to see how speedily and
how judiciously they will provide for the
abolition of this proportion of the
national revenues. Up to this time mat
ters have progressed very slowly. We are
threatened with perpetuation of the income
lax, which is one of the most oaious that was
ever imposed, and which has justly been
denounced for its tendency to convert the
people into nation of liars. The discussion
on the Tariff bill promises to be well-nigh in
terminable, and the free-traders are doing
their best to make the popular demand for
reduced taxation pretext for overthrowing
the diversified domestic industry which is the
main reliance for averting eventual bank,
ruptcy. Meanwhile, nothing tangible and
satisfactory is being done, but the Republi
can Congressman who desire to be renomi
mated and reelected will meet with but cold
reception from their constituents if this do
nothing policy is not speedily changed. II
is their business to reduce the taxes which
10 people know to their soU0M are NON IN