Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-10-18

tnu tlE6 increase us value, bdtb IL WOulu
rent enormously high and be rapidly covered
with buildings. This argument 10 made to
convince the real estate owner that 1t is to
his Interest TO pay al the taxes--Stste,
county, and corporations; but it leaves out
Of view that the more the value is increased
and the more he improves, the heavier bis
tax burdens, and further, that the more
people be ga hers around his reslty In the
cities and towns the less number will be st
the plow- handles, engaged, not In q sense
less struggle for silver and gold, but in an
honest effort 10 make provisions to feed
themselves and the balance Of the world.
There are ether things infinitely more es,
sential to the greatness, the happiness and
prosperity Ct STATE than mere money
making or building up large cities, In which
corruption and venality may run riot.
Legislate 30 as to invite intelligent, hard
listed yeomanry here to till I'll our arabic
lands and food the cities, towns and villa
ges with the products of the soil, and our
word for 1t, everybody will prosper-cities
and towns enlarge and money will be abun-
dsnt-there will be no more bank suspen-
sicns or financial gasplngs all over the land
"a Jay Cooke failure would not and could
not convulse the whols nation financially;
but even If cities could thus be built up,
what of the farm-the cotton and corn fields
where all intelligence looks for ssthe bread
of fife?" VIII the ssmoyables" gather there
to enrich? Ten per cent is a fine profit for
farm investments. Saddle that profit with
all State and county taxation and you bring
destruction upon the agricultural interests
of the State-interests essential to the very
life and existence of cities and towns and
every thing else.
Mr.. Editor, under our free institutions q
citizen may purchase properly of whatever
kind he chooses; he may buy houses and
lots in cities or towns, or he may buy farms
and stock, or goods, or groceries, or dia-
monde, or fine furniture, or notes, or he
may convert all he has into silver or gold or
greenbacks--the government,its officers and
people, are bound in peace AMI IN war, to
protect him in whatever be may select to
possess, and he, in every view we can take
of the question, ought to be held bound to
help to keep up the goyernment-to pay its
officers, and to tighten the tax burdens of
the peoi 10. This Is eminently just and
right, and is necessary to the prosperity of
the whole people.
The banker, the merchant and the shaver
realize, under our present system, much
larger per cent upon their investment than
the farmer or the real estate Rner. The
banker can put more jewel-y on his body
than the farmer can put stock on his farm
though both may be of equal wealth; the
merchant can and does add bis taxes to the
cost of his goods-just bis per cent on them,
aud sell to many of all colors that would
never otherwise pay q cent to the govern
ment. The shaver thribbles the farmer or
real estate owner in his business. This
class of men can protect themselves and do
do it. Why then relieve them of taxation
and lay the whole financial weight of gov
ernment on the shoulders Of land owners?
Col. Ensley's policy, though, 1 have no
doubt, honestly upheld and / know ably
argued by him, would inevitably crush the
agricultural Interests of Tennessee. Who
would labor and toll and sweat all through
the year on farm to realize say, at the
outside, fifteen per cent on his property,
and pay from two to four of that in taxes,
VIII en- with the value of his land in money
he could make at least twenty per cent and
pay no taxes at all?
What man from the old world or from
any of our sister States would come here
with money in his pocket, exempt from tax
alton, and take it out and put 1t in lands
that are taxed to pay every expense Of gov
eminent? ..-.-.
Agriculture is the life and soul ofevery bus
mess in this and every land. 1t supports the
banker, the merchant, the shaver, the law
yer, the doctor and ali. 1t feeds and clothes
and moves the world. 1t is suicide to force
it in conjunction with real estate ownership
to pay all expenses of government, TO foot
all the bills, not only for his own protection,
but for the protection of all other property;
better by far to encourage it in every way
possible; to make it to the interest of the
citizens of our commonwealth to engage in
into buy homes and to settle permanent
ly here. We need, above all things, an
innaooable citizenship.
Too many of our people now flock TO
cities and towns to live, not .by the sweat
of the brow" but by banking, selling
goods, groceries and whisky, note shaving,
lawyering, wearing ''bee gum" hats and
cork-s oled boots and dead beating general
ly. Don't encourage them to keep it up
and increase it by exemp,ing them from
taxation; but as all are alike protected by
Cesar, so let all alike pay tribute to
Cesar.
But, Mr.. Editor, the day is probably not
far off in the future when Tennessee is to
have magnificent free school system, by
which all the children of the State are to be
thor oughly edueated-the children of the
banker, the merchant, the real estate own
er, ETC., all alike to attend the year round,
Ono worthless or nearly worthless sham of
q from three to five months duration free
school). Shall the real estate owners pay
all the expenses of thai? Mus thsy edu.
cate the children of the money lender, the
banker, etc. But we forbear.
w T. MCEARTAND