Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-20
FEDERAL FINANCTERING.

The laundering of Mr.. Richardson,
Gen. Grant, Secretary Of the Treasury,
has become Il serious matter to the
country. 1t has 50 thoroughly and
deeply deranged trade and business of
all kinds that he has asked Congress to
increase the taxes imposed on all con-
sumcrs of tea, coffee, tobacco, and 9TH
er leading articles, to the extent of
forty-two million dollars per annum.
This tax is little over a dollar a head
on every man, woman and child, wheth-
er white, black, or a mixture of the two
colors, in the United States. Richard
son evidently believes that the people
by re-elccting Grant proved their love
of big salaries for ofiicc-holders, and
high taxes to pay for the same.
But change has come over the spirit
of their dream. The Secretary of the
Treasury tells Congress a I'd the nation
that the receipts from duties on import
GU SOOuS duu llUctIlil rev CuuC dIc llhC-
" to be diminished in the current fiscal
year by sixty-fve million dollars. lfso,it
will show most commendable retrench-
ment in the consumption of foreign
manufactures of all kinds, and of
whisky and other taxed liquors pro-
duced at home. There must be wide
spread and severe pinch in financial
and industrial matters to cut down
general consumption to degree inyolv-
ing loss to the Treasury of sixty-fve
million dollars in twelve months.
If the people are forced to curtail their
average living expenses so much, should
their President, and other public serv-
ants, riot in the luxuries of double sala
ries 4? On the contrary, ought not
their government to reduce expenses in
all its departments, SO that the servant
should not stand above his master
Common sense and common honesty
can reach no other conclusion. But
common sense and common honesty
appear to be unknown in the Cabinet
at Washington. As Shylock would
have his pound Of flesh, as it was
nominated in the bond,' so Richard
son goes to Congress with all confidence
for an increase of taxes to the extent
of forty-two millions year.
If Congress fairly represents the good
sense of the country, it will reduce the
burdens on the people, not increase
them. The insane policy of taxing a
nation into prosperity has been tried
too long already; and the firm Of Grant,
Richardson & Co., had better resi- On
and dissolve partnership. Worse fl
nanciers can not be found in any party
Every dollar paid in reducing the
national debt since the war, has cost
the laboring classes at least ten dollars;
and at present tens of thousands of
their number are thrown out OfemplOy-
ment. While the Federal Treasury
gets one dime duty ON imported salt,
farmers pay fifty dimes extra to pro-
tccted salt manufacturers for
salt to salt their meat.
Is this infamous policy of taxing all
consumers of meat fifty dollars to give
Secretary Richardson one dollarto last
always? 1t would be infinitely better to
support our Government by direct
tax in gold and silver; for now the la
boring classes are compelled by law to
support not only Gen, Grant at sal
airy of fifty thousand a year, and large |
army Of ofice-holders besides, but a
still larger number of more greedy |
bankers, spectators andmanufacturers,
who modestly ask Congress to help them
to Il million each. All want a handful |
of feathers plucked from the public
goose. Everywhere the people should
meet in their primary assemblies, and |
instruct their servants at Washington !
90 +l,;c o,.;eic