, 1872-12-24

This ia the sum, which exceeds S., GOO 900, =
does not include the indirect tax levied upon and
e1torted from the people, under the tariff, IS
bounties. Estimating this as equal, annually, to
| the amount received from customs, VIC have, as
the actual tax paid in 1912, under Federal laws
the SUM OF $780, 537 154. But this is not the only
tax paid by the people. In the year 1870 (and
there has been no reduction since), the aggre-
gate tax paid by. the people for State, county,
town, and city purposes, was $278, ,391 ,26G,
which, added to the taxes paid under National
laws, makes total annual tax paid Of $685.,
928,440.
4 country thus taxed may certainly appeal to
the Government to remit or repeal 30 much Of
this exaction as is confessedly collected to pay
oil debt not Jet due, and which bears only 6
per cent interest. This eight hundred millions
OF dollars is go much Of the earnings and ac-
cumulations Of the people which would other
wise be applied to their private uses. The two
hundred and seventy eight millions OF direct tax
collected for State and local purposes may be as
sumed to be necessity, for which the commune
ty has something to show. Against 80 much OF
the Federal tax as is necessary to pay the inter
est on the public debt, the pensions, and neces-
sa1y expenses Of the Government, there is no
reasonable complaint, unless it be in the case Of
extravagant expenditures but any tax beyond
this, and any tax levied for any purpose other
than for revenue, is plain confscation.
In 1871-2 the actual revenues Of tho Govern
ment we're 9107, 900 in excess Of the needs
Of the public service. The Secretary OF the
Treasury states this to be the fact. He also
states that 16,o00, 900 of the public revenue
vas derived from taxes on the foreign trade Of
the country. Having repealed the duties On tea
and coffee and various items when the tax WAS
all revenue, this enormous sum is merely that
part OF the protective tar which falls to tho
Government. Placing it at a low estimate, the
whole tax paid By the people in order to produce
this surplus 9107 100000 was over 5000, ,o0o, 900,
and that sum is nearly sufficient to pay all the
taxes levied in all the States, counties, towns,
and cities Of the country for local purposes. To
reduce the taxes on imports 50 per cent, would:
be an aggregate relief to the country greater
than is needed to pay all their local taxes for
State and municipal governments, public char
tiles, and improvements. To pay this
aggregate Of over eight hundred millions
of dollars annually, when corn is selling ut Is
cents q bushel, is as e1acting tyranny Is any
people we're ever subjected to in any age. It is
3 tax Of $40 per head OF the population Of all
ages, sexes, and colors. The proportion Of the
Federal tax derived from customs is increasing
annually, and Of course the Indirect tax is in
creasing in tho same degree. When the secre-
tary Of the Treasury does consent to the repeal
of tax, he selects some one which is levied for
purely revenue purposes, but he clings to the
bounty or partnership taxes with invincible te-
nacity.
We insist, therefore, that the first duty Of
Congress, in order to give financial relief to the
people, is to reduce taxes; and that in selecting
the taxes to be reduced, those which consume
most OF the peoples substance, and yield the
least revenue, should be first taken, because in
repealing or reducing them the relief is in the
proportion Of two or more dollars tax to the one
that ia lost in the way Of revenue.