Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-05-19
.ifan,
sDAY,
WORTH


Let up ON Taxation.
What the country needs now is tor |
the Government to cease taxing 1t clear |
ND to q war point. The patriotic peo-
pie shed the blood necessary to save |
the nation from ruin and anarchy, |
spent its money and used its credit III
answer to the calls of a patriotic nation
al administration, and the demands of
Justice and of free institutions, and con-
tinued to do SO until the rebellion was
put down and order restored. To meet
promptly all the calls made upon it, TO
supply the men, and the means demand
ed. every section of the country were
obliged TO use its credit to the utmost
extent. Each town, or municipality.
became heavily involved in debt, and
many Of the people, individually. was
obliged to incur large debts 10 pay war
expenses, in some shape, and this in
debteduess has not vet been paid, in
large measure vet. All the states. saw
ing perhaps one or two western ones.
have heavy war debt outstanding, and
it is SO with almos, all the towns. So the
state taxes to pay the interest on the
war debt, and portion of the principal;
the town taxes 10 pay the interest and a
portion OF the principal OF the town debt.
and the individual who has any proper
" at all with his state, county, and
town taxes, thinks he parts with quite
enough Of hard earnings yearly, or AT
any rate he parts with 80 much. that
but little is left TO pay his private debts,
support his family and educate his chill
dren. But this is not all. The Gcner-
al government comes in and demand. n
large share oil the earnings OF each one
of the people, either directly By taxing
his business, his income. or his vessels.
or indirectly by duties on most of the
articles he uses in his family. l. there
to be no let up on this heavy taxation !:
If so BY whom and when: The people
demand that they shall in some measure
be let alone for awhile. and freed from
the bore o. the tax gatherer and the
official inquisitor. until they can have
time TO recuperate. or repair their for
tunes. Four years of war brought il,
hardships, and its heavy penalty. but
five wears OF peace, should suffice 10
keep taxes up to "A war point. We re
peat again there must be let up on
taxation. somehow; and ii would seem
as if the National Government is the one
TO ease off first. Ii i strong enough.
rich enough. and every way capable OF
carving its Indebtedness. by paving it,
interest semi-annually, wiihou; paving
a dollar OF the principal tor the next ten
wears. Why is il not: Great Britain
carries a larger one, with ease. with half
the per cent interest which We pay
Why not try ii then? Why the haste 10
pay off The national debt: Why not let
the people have the opportunity to ac-
cumulate something 10 pay taxes with
before they shall again be asked to open
their purses and pay money to pay
offthe principal of the national debt:
Governor Chamberlain uttered in his
last message, the feeling of the masses
OF the people of the whole country. when
he said:
We must look 10 the National Govern
ment TO strike of some ofour letters and
tighten some of our burdens. To me il
seems unwise to cramp our energies
with duties and taxes, in irving to do
everything in one day. have no great
pride against letting somebody else help
pay the cost of the war. The great debt
OF the country is burden which we
must invite posterity To share. along
with the blessings which they Will in
herit with il. We gave our strength.
our blood, our tears: let the delivered
future bear part at least in the thank
offering. Ii We can do anything that
will make labor. skill, talent and capital
remunerative. that let Us do il
So therefore if the Republican state
convention, as the call would seem to
Indicate. intend 10 declare il "A part of
the policy Of the party TO keep up take,
and high tariff that money NAV be
raised to pay off rapidly the national
debt it will make q sad mistake. one
that will tell against it at the coming
election. The true policy of the party
is to cut down the tariff to that point
that it will yield with other lessened
taxation just money enough 10 pay the
running expenses of the government.
and the interest on the public debt.
Give the country cheap coal, iron and
salt, give it large free list. and a. lit
tie ether taxation as possible and Gen
eral Grants administration will be pop
ulsr and strong