The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1871-07-15
For the Courier.
Taxing Ronas

~ many HueStiOuS anu Il
1t seems pretended to so much ignorance
that he must excuse me for thinking, h,
was juvenile, whose nose needed .
handkerchief, bis head sfne tootl
com o]E-ah and his little mind "a schoo
fund.- perhaps two or three Of them. L
seems on the contrary, that he is Z
"learued Theban, with whom it is an
ineresse of knowledge to converse.
4 IaKable property is the wealth Of a
natlen; and the more property in State
the wealthier it is. This wealth ac-
eOrding to CAS-" theory "ean be in
creased by the State going in debt and
seilng its bonds to its citizens, and then
daiy5 ia revenue from them through the
tag nHil. All this goes to show that the
o1 FtderaI Whig and at present Radical
pnnciple that national debt is a nation
alblessiag is the true one, based on the
lest bed fact that the more q nation OF
| a siau owes the richer it is. 1t bonds
are valuable property to its citizens and
source of revenue to the State why not
issue them ad hbitum 'the more the
merrier" If taxable property should be
destroyed by war, or lost through u dis
pensation Of Divine Providence it can be
replaced by the State issuing bonds and
then taxing them. Such a State is like
the celebrated tub mill that run inde-
pendent of the seasons, by using the
water it expended, returning it to the
forebay by its own machinery.
| never knew until now who invented
that mill but am satisfied that y. was
the inventor, and my personal friendship
induces me to suggest that he should
get patent, and sell it to all govern
ments aud municipal corporations, but
| do implore him not to sell it to our
county court, until some foreign nation
has completely tested it. They have
beat Louis 14th "all hollow, for though
he did build Versailles that cost one
hundred and fifty millions of dollars be
did not build a "bridge" at the same
time that cost forty millions. Hickman
only makes 1870, why not increase the
bonds until she can pay all her running
ex penses from them thus living on what
she owes. "Stocks" represent the prop
erty of corporation, "bonds' its in
debtedness. All the property in Hick
man is bound for its bonds; and if they
are liable to taxation to help pay the
interest on them, they are also liable
for the principal or bound for themselves
II would be amusing to see citizen Of
Hickman talking to bond. Well, old
fellow, you ought to be good, for you are
for yourself, mortgaged 10 secure
your own redemption, but L do hope the
officer won't take you until he exhausts
all other property which he will sell to
redeem you.
The salary of an officer is his income
[ would like to know if there is an Gin
come ia" in Hickman or in the State of
Kentucky? Does your Mayor list his
enormous salary? DO you tax the wages
Of your mechanics. The salary Of pub
lao sfRises-ss-his-sagss gss.
"Fact VS.. theory" Is it not ''fact'
that until the time mentioned by a that
the city refused to take her bonds in
payment of taxes and as soon as she did
so they came hocking home to her, PROV
ing my theory" to be correct. When
Judge Landrum was first elected Mayor,
we happened to talk about these bonds
and / observed to him, "That the true
policy was to bring these bonds home
by making them more valuable at home
than anywhere else, bring them to par and
cause them to circulate among the citi-
zens like currency. This it seems has /
been accomplished, and Hickman itself /
is in more fourishing financial con
iition than she ever was publicly and 1
privately. Itappears he is still acting
On that policy, and the writer has friend
ship enough for that town, though not a
citizen, to hope the council will main
ain true position. When a mans
Rebts becomes part Of his taxable prop
srty we will talk about the "high moral.
As my democracy is attacked, it is my
luty to defend it. When Elijah Hise
vas candidate for Judge of the Court
If Appeals in 1850, one of the charges
made against him by the Wings, was
hat be was 'sbondholder," owning a
aree amount of the bonds of the State
If kentucky, which he bought in order
o escape the burden of taxation to sup
,oIt the State government. Judge Hise
a his speech in Hickman admitted the
act of ownership, and said he thought it
vas better for the State and people for
hese bonds to be owned at home, thus
.eepinr the interest on them in the
ountry When he received the interest
f his bonds he paid it to the merchant,
rocer. farmer, and to every person he
wed. When the sheriff collected the
axes it was returned to the treasury and
aid TO him again In ninterest Which he
hought was better than sending it to
Europe. / am inclined to think that
,liiah Hise was democrat.
The decision of the Supreme Court
-as ,uoted to show that the bonds could
OF be taxed, and therefore, what is the
Sc OF being in favor of measure that
e cannot enforce all bondholder has
, do IS to take the case to a Federal
ourt and win it on the spot. [ am well
ware that all corporations of every sort
I'D kind-exereise moro power over :
rivate citizen than the trainers of the
institution dreamed of. That old con
tuition protects nliaorities, which mu {
cipal corporations taxes them for any
nrpose whatever.
Every democrat voted for Seymour and /.
: is opposed to taxing the United States !
1nds. The triumphant democracy Of :
ew York is opposed to taxing bonds of !
e Federal government. Let the beaten :
,mocracy of Ohio and Pennsylvania
ceive instruction. After swallowing
e nigger, | don't think it is much Of a
crifce of principle to swallow the
,ndholder Look at the small Radical n
aiorities in State elections, and the 5
majorities of Grant. Let b
learn something from our defeats. "
be writer wishes to go into the next e
nvass to win. He wants to use that d
-ord which was so sharp when he felt b
edge. $
Asa southern man, I resent the sneer Il
Jefferson Davis. There aras q time a