The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-12-24
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ELKTON, DECEMBER "a, 1870.
The Close Of the Year.

Ine close OF the Iears
The year draws near its close. But
one more week of 1870 remains; and as we
ring out the old year and ring in the new,
it may be profitable to take a retrospect of
the twelve months closing. But the field
is so vast that it would require volume to
contain the various topics which start UP
and challenge our examination. From the
multitude we will select that Of the farm,
not only because it is the most important,
but because our county is mainly interested
in agriculture; and we do not remember
when we have seen the farmer so cherries
of the past and foreboding for the future.
They complain not only of low prices for
produce, but two successive seasons have
brought them short wheat crops-the last
season the wheat crop being the poorest OF
any for several years. This with consider
able shortening in parts of the county of
the corn and other crops combining with
low prices, and by no means clear sheet
in a majority of cases, from former years,
threatens to fill the cup of the patient
IlllCTS VI luc sui, 1ull VI al tAAhS Dae
happiness. Between the heavy Democratic
load of State and county taxes, bills for
patent fertilizers, debts and interest, the
accumulations of former years, and the
light crops of the year just closing, we
admit that our farmers have enough to
make them grumble and feel dissatisfied
with their lot. But complaining and
repining will not remedy their case, wipe
out the debts or get rid Of the same evils
in the future, without change in their
system of farming. The seasons are
beyond our control, with the present lights
of science which we possess, nor can we
anticipate what day may bring forth in
meteorological phenomena. One thing,
however, has come to be proverb, SO
unfailing is the result, which is "like
causes produce like effects" and if we
would escape the evil consequences which
we have been matchmaking, we must
seek out new, or at least different path
to pursue in the future. If our farmers
would get rid of the heavy tax bill in future
which the collectors have presented them
this year, they must cease to vote the DEM
ocratic ticket. Do they know that this
Democratic party, not content with grind
ing the farmer down with such State and
county taxes as he never was called upon
before to pay, that it is moving in Congress
to abolish the entire Internal Revenue tax,
and place all imported articles on the free
list, except those not manufactured in this
county. Such as coffee, tea, spices, &C.,
&c. And in order to raise revenue to pay
the interest on the public debt, defray the
current expenses of Government and supply
sinking fund for liquidation of the debt
these leading Democrats in Congress
recommend that direct tax be levied upon
the States to raise the requisite amount of
taxes to take the place of the revenue now
collected by impost duties and the Internal
Revenue laws, the amounts collected by
the latter being derived chiefly from tax
on whiskey and tobacco, stamp tax, and
tax on incomes over s., 600.
Thus it is easily seen that this Demo-
cratic system of taxation, if it does not
mean reputation, means a tax on real
estate-on the farms and farmers property;
for when the individual State wants to
raise money it makes an assessment on the
land and stock of the farmer.
There are about 40, 900, 900 people in the
United States. The current expenses of
Government is $50, 600, 900 in round num-
bers, which is $500 head on the whole
population of the country. Now if the
farmer has to pay $500 a head, not only
for his own family, but for all the idlers
and people who have no property to be
taxed, he can form some estimate of the
increase of his taxes, if this Democratic
mode of taxation should be established.
But this is only small part of the tax that
would be required. The interest on
upwards of two thousand millions of public
debt created by the war instituted by the
Democratic party to divide the Union and
more firmly establish slavery, requires one
hundred and thirty millions more to be
raised, and pensions to disabled soldiers is
to be added to the above sums. And the
mode proposed by the Democratic party in
Congress is to abolish the present revenue
laws and assess each State with its quota
of this tax, and such assessment, as we
have before stated, and as the farmers all
know, is mainly laid upon the land.
This is the political aspect of the case.
We have a great deal more to say, more
particularly about the farm and farming,
which will have to be deferred to some
future time. There must, we are con-
WINGED, be Radical change in the system
of bming as well as in the politics of the
farmers of this county before "times grow
better" and permanent improvement in
their affairs commences