The Placer herald., 1873-01-25
:
THE BURTEEN or TAXATION.

/ The heaviest of these taxes are Of the thief
kind, indirect, and while a mans substance
wears gradually away, he cannot tell where
it has gone. Like the invisible perspiration
him, he knows not how or why, and he
dwindes and dies. What the wasting fever
does to physical man Government does to
his finances and property, and as physical
death is the fate Of tie sick man, so also is
poverty and financial ruin the sure end of
this seen and unseen taxation that is gradu-
ally absorbing the property of the people OF
California. This gradual absorption of the
products and labor of the lower and middle
classes in this country is alarming to the far
seeing pitriotand statesman. Shall this go or
until it can only end in a rising Of the impov-
erished masses, and the murder and distr-
button of the property of the rich with car
mage and bloodshed all over the country
/ By the census of 1870 it is shown that the
rate Of taxes per capita in California il
Sl3 35, or to each inliabitant, man, woman
and child in the State in round numbers $14,
making 81 $40 600 as the aggregate taxa
ton for State, county, town and city taxes
that the people of this State have to pay an.
nually. This gives an average State taxa
ton to every head of family or yoterof about
$!i5 to pay as taxes annually. This is only on,
item of taxation. Add the Custom House
and Internal Revenue Federal taxes to these
and it will swell the sum of taxes paid eacl
year by the people Of California to SIS 600.
600 or Sl3O 10 each voter i'll the State. These
latter are the invisible taxes. California is
paying 81 600, eco more annually for tie
rying trade, foreign and domestic, to the
great corporations than it should cost, whicl,
is another indirect tax and swels the amount
| to S22 600 600, or over 5000 annual aver
age taxes to each voter Two thirds of these
taxes are of the thief kind, indirect, levied
upon what the people buy and sell. If they
were all direct taxes the people would rebe,
in mass and never pay them again. The
average wealth of the people of California il
| set down in the census of 1870 at 81 l4O to
each inLabitant or what would be about S3,-
GOO TO each voter; thus annually one eigh-
teenh of all we possess in the world is eX-
acted of us for direct and indirect taxes, and
we pay it "like little men, We are MOI
certain the people can be made to see, feel
and appreciate this monst.ous taxation 10y
mere letters and figures. Both the State
and Federal Constitutions provide remedy,
which if applied would at once show the peo-
pie just where their money and substance
goes and who gets it. We refer to the
| clauses providing for direct taxation for the
! support of all Governments, National State,
equity and municipal. Let the States be
Ttaxed directly for money to support the Ma
) tional Government in proportion to their rep
res ntaton in Congress The gross National
expenses are now annually about $400, ,000,-
600; the number of Congressmen is 3G7 ,and
each State would have to pay 81 ,0S7, ,220
for every member she sends. Thus CaIifor-.
MIA would have to raise hy direct taxation.
every year and send to Washington in round
numbers IS goo GOO This would make us
send men tc Congress that would nsidly IN
qnire into the theits andexlravngarces Of Tie
Federal Government. Under this policy,
which is the true one and the one contem
plated and provided for in the formation of
our Government, New York would have to
raise and pay over to the Federal Govern
ment annually $35, 900. 900, Pennsylvania
II 500 ,000, 600, Ohio $22 600 600, Indiana
4 SIS .0C0, ,000, Iowa $14 900 GOO, and so OF
with all the States, each paying million for
every representative they have in the Ma
tional Congress. Think you when the peo-
pie have TO 20 down in their pockets for Il
million OF dollars for each Congressman they
elect they will send these extravagant rascals
to Washington? Not much They will
send men that will strike down the Govern
ment expenses one-half the first year Le'
the rule AS contemplated in our State Con
sitntion of direct taxation for the support Ct
State, county and municipal governments be
also enforced and the people will elect men
that will compel rigid economy in every de
partment of all the governments down to
path masters. The result would be tina,
less lhan one.haE the direct and indirect taxes
now paid by the people would remain in thei,
hands, wealth would be more evenly diffus-
ed among the people, half the burlen OF
taxation would he lifted from the masses,
and the whole country would rejoice, prosper
and improve. All this could be accomplished
without abolishing indirect taxation, but We
doubt if the people can be made to see and
feel the weight o! tie terrible taxation the,
a are now paying, and apply the proper remed,
until taxes are made direct. The remedy il