The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-05-19

REDUCTION OF Ia1es--A Delus1On and snare.
Mr.. Sherman has introduced in the
Senate bill ostensibly designed to
tighten the burden of taxation. 1t
embraces various items, and the gross
amount of the reduction is estimated
at something more than $500, ,000.-
The income tax is cut down to three
per cent, which is q very lame and
unsatisfactory response to the urgent
public demand for an entire abolition
of that nuisance. Such a tax ON la
Dor, tithing the bread earned by the
clerk, the mechanic, or the profession
al man, for his children, is an abomi-
nable extortion which could not be
justified, and scarcely palliated, by
any conceivable public exigency. Its
continuance under present circum-
stances, with revenues equal to, if not
exceeding, the most extravagant de-.
mands of prodigal Government, is
All unmitigated atrocity. Taxes on
the fixed income of accumulated cap
ital arc proper enough; and if Mr..
Sherman could muster the moral cour-
age and dislnterestedness to propose
such tax, compelling bondholders
of all sorts to pay a just proportion
of the profits of their investments for
the support of the Government, he
would deserve and receive the thanks
of the public. But it is olbe hoped
the income-tax sections of his bill will
not become law in their present shape.
The other chief items going to make
up the sum total of the reduction are !
said, So, 10000; gross receipts, &c.
632,OOO; licenses and taxes ON employ
ment, $9,3l1 900. The scandalous
levy upon legacies and SUGGESTIONS,
under which inheritors of the proper
ty of deceased persons have been
charged from one to six per cent. of
their legacies, is also removed.
These features of the bill are well
enough and few would have been dis
posed to complain if the reduction of
taxes aggregated double the amount
provided for by Mr.. Sherman. But,
to make the measure permanently eff
fectiye for the relief of the tax-pay-
ers, 1t should be accompanied by a
careful pruning of the National ex-
penditures. To rednce taxation while
the maintenance of the Government
ante-war times, is only to postpone
the evil day of payment, and, in all
probability, to add to the ultimate
burdens of taxation, by increasing the
public debt. There should be an i'm
mediate cutting down of the ordina-
ry expenses of the Government for
the army, navy, and all departments
of the civil service, until the total an
nual outlay, including interest on the
debt, shall not exceed two hundred
millions. This could be readily done
| by an Administrator half as anxious
for economy as that of Gen. Grant
has prOfessed to be. Until it is done,
Sherman's bill and all other schemas
for reducing taxation may as well be
taken for exactly what they are--hum-
bugs and delusions, designed and in
| geniously adapted to perpetuate the
grip Of the bondholders and Other
Treasury leeches upon the productive
industry of the country. There is nc
real relief for the people in them
WHAT'S taken off to-day, will have to
be restored with compound interest
hereafter.-Cia.E Eng.
What the Kads Care About the Negroes
Morrow B. Lowry, one of the prom.
linent radical politicians of Western
Pennsylvania, made speech at Cory
that State, the other day, in which ht
said:
4 I must still deny that if the colorei
man owes any man in this country
anything, he owes Abraham Lincol1
nothing; he owes the Republican par
ty nothing; he owes God everything
I L was at both the conventions tina
nominated Mr.. Lincoln. No maj
! there eyer intended to give you you
freedom. We made you free rather
than be slaves ourselves. When W.
!. gave you the cartridge box we did no
mean to give you the ballot box.
To which the Pittsburgh Post adds
There can be no doubt about Mr.
Lowry's devotion to the colored per
suasion, and he knows, if any maj
does, that neither Lincoln nor the Re
publican party ever had any love fo
the race, and he says truly the tru'
home of the black is inthe South
Whenever they have served tho pur
pose of the Republican politician
, here on election day, they can g
back to shaving or whltewashing o
starving, as the case may be.
: GRANT packed the U. S. Suprem
Court with Bradley and Strong so a
to override Chase and the late decis
ion that contracts made before tn
greenback period and to be paid il
! gold must be paid in gold still. Th
9 effort was to get rehearing of tn
case, but it failed, and Mr.. Grant an,
his corrupt money ring are foiled.
The Democracy in several countie
:. in the State have already made thei
nomina tons for county officers. TIL
!, campaign promises to open early. ]
! will probably be hot and interesting
t there being Congressman to elect,
Education of Youth.