Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-05-26

How THE MONEY GoEs.-Some French
Minister, Richelieu, If we remember right,
used to give directions to his tax-gatherers,
when they went out among the people to gath
or the revenues, mot to pluck the goose so close
ly as to make it squeak" Apparently there
is no American tinancier, who has sense enough,
or, if he has sense, who has strength enough,
10 enforce such Instructions on our tax gather
ers. That patient goose. our good public does,
"squeak" most plaintively under its taxes, and
without reet. Yet, it is not SO much the close
ness of the plucking as the manner OF K. that
makes the American public dissatisfied with
the operation OF the revenue system. We have
great debt, contracted in a long and desper-
ate war. The people are content to pay that
debt in any just and proper way. and will make
reasonable sacrifices TO that end but when
they see, as they have seen tor years, an ex-
pepsive machinery for collection on the one
hand, and multitude Of Itching palms, in
those who run the machinery, on the
other hand, it is no wonder that the peo-
pie complain. The case may be hkened to
some OF those foreign charitable societies,
whose purpose is highly commendable, and
whose money, if it ever reaches the beneficial
res. does great deal OF good, but who yet lose
10 the transmission so great part of the chari-
ty through the percentage and salaries OF
agents as to make the affair doubIy expensive
one to the charitable giveIs. Nor IS this ALL
Other elements besides expensive machinery
come in to diminish the amount of the taxes
wrung out of the hard earnings of the people
II any class of officers should be not only above
the charge OF corruption, but above suspicon
of it, surely it should be those who assess and
collect the revenues. Even the judicial officers
of the government ought not to be more up
tight, or incapable OF dishonesty And yet We
habitualIy find revenue Offices distributed as
the spoils Of party triumph to men whose chief
recommendation Is their past party service. II
our readers think We overstate the evil, they
have only to glance through the following Off
cial table of moneys due from a few OF the
ex collectors of the single State OF New York.
Tbi7 table is taken from the statement Of the
Secretary of the Treasury, made pursuant to
the House resolution demanding return Of
the amounts due from collectors Of Internal
revenue not now in Office:
A. NJ. Wood, $4+3, 1921; Alex Srauldlng,
s43S,455. 80; z. +. Pratt, $ll5,Ol9S6; T.
O'Calagen, SCI, ,524 "A T. c. CallIcott1, $50
1885; W. Masten, SOL, sos 50; II. Nc
Laucbln, (acting) s7a. .6l6.s5; JAS. Forsyth,
sIOe 227.43; i. Bailey. $7S5, 1863. GO; S.
II. Richards S32. 80 sc ; Jos. IIoxie, $44,-
0G7.G2; T. r. Walker, $l22, ,0Gl.67 Lewis
J. Kirk, slO7, ,240. GO ; r. IL. Avery, $26, 723:-
81 M. b. Field, s529, 66l 05 Saml. Z. Al
len, 1927, ,067.4e; NJ B. Blake, (frst term
So, ,2S4.09; J. B. Halstead, $lS,93s,9 SO; VIM.
Boardman, $l6,59707; II. w. Hascall, $72,-
86l. 80 Milton Smith, $l9,503.39; 5 Shook,
81 ,O42, 303.Tl.
Here, then, we have the amounts still due
from gentlemen no longer in Office, in single
State and VIC have struck out, simply tor
the purpose of condensation and convenience
all sums below $4,000, thus materially reduc~
ing the size of the list. In some cases explana-
tion is easy and satisfactory but, lo many, 9th
ers, the government will never see dollar
Of the money wrung out of the people; Read
the whole system OF tax gathering in the hight
of these official revelations, and say if 1t is any
wonder that the taxed public complains OF the
rough "pluckiug' it receives from the bands
of the tax-gatherers ? Paying taxes to decrease
the debt is one thing, but paying taxes to line
tie pockets of political adventures is quite
another-Phl. Record