The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1870-03-03
Poor Men Pay no Taxes"

Poor Men Pay no Taxes"
We often hear the above expression from
members Of the radical party, when II is
minated that t,c peuF men-thnse who
-lpeEd on their daily labor for support Of
their i@lHtlies-are suffering from the bur
den Of taxation Why" say thsy, how
can they be suffering, when they don own
cents worth O. taxable property. neither
do they have income tax 10 pay. Poor
men pay no taxes 1t Is only al election
seGirg dodge Of democrats 10 get their
votes. We are sorry TO say hat there
are many lahorlng men who believe this
talk. HEY are not called upon by the
regular tax collector, and directly they pay
10 tax. But let US see whether Indirectly
they do not pay something.
Perhaps he buys on az average, a pound
OF coffee per week; on thi, he pays tax Of
five cents per pound, Or :. 60 per year.
He uses II pounds Of tea per year, on
this he pays 2 tax Of $500.
lie would Of course use sugar to sweeten
his les, ana for other purposes, probably
% pounds per year; on this he pays an
income tax Ut 81 o..
lie may lac gallon Of mossscs per
mouth, on which there uou! d be 3 tax VI
20 cents per year.
lie might need pair Of nice voolen
blankets for the iNcament season; he
would have TO pay j tax OF $40.
Say he wousl want twenty yards Of cheap
carpeliug; it you'd cost him el6 % tax: if
Of hettor quality, ingram tor ins.auoe,
$500 tax; for oiyl. better quality. veue-
tiau. only tax Of $4,000 But be vouldn I
want The $50 last, as only the rich can al
ford it, AMI be would have to pay double
tax on accoUH, OF his poverty.
lie would want some clothing, a summer
and winter suit, AID he must pay tax Of
So 10 get them.
lis vile would want two ealico drssse,
OF which there would ne tax q 1913.
He night have the habit of using tobac-
co, which would require tax Of 81 50 per
year, 70 include It, he might ike his bit
tiers, but tax Of 80 per cent. on gallon
would be required OF them. Say he indui
ger in his "nips, at the rate Of ore gallon
per month, and the tax would lie IS per
year. But probably our radical friends
may object to our having these two latter
Items placed in our tax list, as ''thsy have
40 bad habits"
Well, that may lie so, but $4,000, 600
are annually paid on these itrs.s uy the
people OF this country.
We might extend this list much further.
but let Us add up these items enumerated,
aud We hud total tax Of SIS. 81, exclusive
Of the liquor tax. Poor men pay this, not
to tue tax collector, but TO every one OF
whom he buys He is paving the tax every
day he buys spool Of thread. bunch Of
matches or a pound Of salt Most of the
above items were exempt when the demo
Gratis controlled the country; but now ;he
manufacturer must be protected, aud tbs
b0ndholders must have big interest, aud
their bonds must be paid IN gold, although
the law only requires their payment in cur
reBcy. \ eS. the poor man pays tax on all
he eats, drluks, wears or uses. just think
1T it, a poor man who earns a dollar day,
or $3l2 ger year, pay as much tax az the
bOndh0ldcr who has $4,000 invested in
government securities, and draws an in
teroat o. 900 in gold, OF 81, $40 in cur
Tency.
Is his right? Is it honest? Is il lust?
Why does he 2horipg man, who does not
o : cents wolth Of proper y,pay as much
tax as the man who owns ten or fifteen
thousand dollars worth? VIII the radical
leaders answer? Dare they deny the truth
tU.uasS Of this statement? No, they will
not. they dare not. That party has com
biuci with the wealth OF the country to
Cypress AMI burden the mechanic, farmer
and laborius man, and, We are sorry to say
It, many Of this class are helpiaL to 1iyet
the sEackloS and bind the chains upon
themselves and uron their children And
why? Merely because ii is advocated by
the radical party.
Would it no, be well for them 10 weigh
and consider these questions? They are
worthy ct it, and closely connected with
their turure interests and welfare - .Seaeca
Adrc5t,$>r.