The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-09-08

Federal, they viii reduce theFtaxes of
the people; and by. Investigation
strict but impartial, they will expose
and punish the thieves who have been
robbing the Treasury, and who now
seek to retain power in order to
avoid such exposure and punishment.
Restored to power, they viii try
and restore our commerce which is
weH nigh destroyed TO revive trade,
which is well nigh paralyZed, and re-
move the unequal and unjust burdens
which now weigh heavily upon the
shoulders of industry so that our
farmers, manufacturers, merchants,
mechanics and workingmen will be
able to save portion of the profits OF
/ their toll, instead of having them gob-
bled up by the leeches who are grow
ing fat by sucking the life blood OF
the people. ..s....szsa 4.rf -
WHAT BECOMES OF THE TAXES PAID BY
THE PEOPLE?
In my judgment, my friends, the
most alarming feature of the times is
Etllea aeuorihosss amos.at of taxes which
fare collected from the people, aud the
reckless and corrupt manner in which
they are squandered.y I regret to say
that this remark applies with equal
force to the State, as to the Federal
Government. In fact our rulers seem
to forget that taxes mean labor, and
/ the higher the taxes the less the profit,
and the fewer the comforts. / hold in
my hand the reports of the ,Anditor
of State for 1860 and 1869, and the
fact to which | am about to refer was
called to my attention by a worthy
gentleman of my own town, who is
not only q prominent citizen, but has
always been a prominent Republican.
The fact to which he called my atten-
! tion was this, that the total amount
of taxes for all purposes IN Ohio in
/ 1869 (see Auditors Report, p. 49,
amounted to the enormous sum OF
S22, ,232, ,877. J p ssl5sssiE 10 b
p This caused me to examine further,
when found by the Auditors re-
port for 1860, (page 10 that the same
taxes for that year amounted to SO,
81, ,676. An increase over 1860 oil
T I$1I,4I5, ,20l. iat53se1
This led me to a further investiga-
ton, the correctness of which you
will find verified by turning to the
report of the Register of the United
States Treasury, and you will there
find that there were forty-four years
in the history of the Republic in
which the annual expenditures of the
army, navy, and civil list, were much
less than it cost the people of Ohio to
maintain their Government during
the year 1869. !
| And in order that you may see the
exact amount of direct State and Fed
eral taxes paid by the people of Ohio
during the year 1869, l will state: them
together: ,,.s.s.., ,f-o-- Ee,r 4
United States Internal Revenue tax 15 0as AZ
Total direct tax for ohio in 1859 .s8s, SIS. 30
And you will bear in mind, my
/ friends, that this does not include the
still greater taft, tax you pay for the
benefit of the New England monopo.
lists. - p .'i,3 'ss,'- i
/ Were it not for these taxes the peo-
j pie of Ohio would be that much rich
er than they now are, and would have
] just that many more comforts in theil
homes.
1t is true that reasonable taxes
should be collected for maintenance
of Government, but is it not high
time that there should be retrencl-
ment and reform?
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES.
1t is always more agreeable, my
friends, to praise than to blame; to
commend than to censure but there
are diseases which can only be reach
ed by caustic and the knife, and JouI
4 country is now suffering from such q
malady,
have already spoken to you of the
last report of the Register of the
United States Treasury. This is il
which hold in my hand. From this
report it appears that the entire ex-
penditures of the Federal Govern.
ment from 1889 tiilsJ une 36, 1860, du-
ring peace and the cost of wal
Eamounted to less than fifteen hundred
million dollars, and this period en-
braeed seyenty-one years. And du-
ring those, .seYenty-one years we had
three years war with England, thirty
tyears of Indian wars, and two years
of foreign war against Mexico. z.,io.l
Indeed, that amount includes al
expenditures except those ON the pub
debt. And this brings me to the
/ point to which wish to call yoqr, at;
tention. This same reports shows
that exactly the same expenditures o.
the Federal Government, in time Of
4 peace, from June 30, 1866, till Juns
80, 1869, without including one cent
paid on the principal or interest o.
| the Federal debt, to be more than ter
hundred and eleven million dollars.
Ea Now, what has become of that vas
sum of money said to be expended
q for the ordinary expenses of the GOV
ernment during the bBief period O
four years of peace? That amount
my friends, is equal to one-twentietf
of the value of all the real and per
sonal property, public and private
embraced hetWeen the twQ oceans
and the lake and the Gulf. And keel
it in mind that not one dollar of tina
huge sum was paid on the prineipa
or interest of the public debit 10
during those four years the aggregate
: expenditures of the General Govern
ment amounted to three Thousand
eight hundred and lightweight mil
z lion dollars, or about one.fifth of tn
Yalpe Of the entire wealth of the Uni
: ted States. l55.4i as 81 .!.st.,
e Z During all these years of ,exeessiy
taxation and corrupt expenditure
with our foreign commerce destroye'
: and our flag swept from the seas, on
internal trade struck with paralysis
: caused by the withdrawal Of our cul
I rency from legitimate trade, to-
D used by gambling in stocks and golt
e with wages low and taxes high, q
!, such a time when general disaster an
:. distress threaten us, instead of econo
my and retrenchment, the most impu
, dent aud unblushing .extravaganc
s exists in eyer department Of the gov
ernment, r 81 80 ,,S. ll,4',i i,r,s .iiff1 M
= li THE CHIEF MAGISTRATE. ~ u
+. With a feeling Of disappointmer
e the warmest admirers of the Pres
: dent admit that his administration hs
: been a melancholy failure. For HI
e exploits in war the gratitude of til
ii people knew no bounds, and news
h was President treated with so muc
j indulgence by those who were oppo
g led to him in politics. 1t was with