Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1874-11-28

Many of our citizens think that the
burdens of State taxation are weigh
ing them down, when, in fact, they are
suffering from other causes. We give
this week an extract from speech de-
livercd by VIM. j. Sykes. ut SJmer-
vile, the day before the election, as
reported III the Falcon, ia which he
contrasts the Federal ani State taxez
in such a manner as TO carry cOuvic-
ton TO the minds Of all thinking men.
He, however, Omits to state ono OF t'.a
main causes Of our depression which
is the want OF sufficient currency.
The Acts oil 1856 and 1863,
causing n contraction 81 the currency,
at the same time an increase of our
gold debt has been the prime cause Of
all our financial difficulties. We pro-
pose to bold all who aided in the pas
sage Of those Acts responsible at the
at the bar of public opinion. The adj
vocates Of contraction are really the
advocates of high toratioa. Mr. Sykes
points out some of our remedies but
an increase of currency is what we
need and must have.
ssAIaior Sykes made some points
and used some facts and figures III bis
sneeches here Monday and Monday
night before the election, which will
do for future reference. He said that
~
Bill, because it was not an issue III the
canvass. He was not in favor of that
section Of the bill which made the
payment of the interest on the bonded
debt a preferred claim upon the State
Treasury, nor was he favor of funding
bonds bearing five per cent. interest
and giving in their stead bonds bear
inc six per cent. interest, if this was
done. But that law was now an ac-
compIished fact so far as the funding
had gone, which was only to the a.
mount of 81, 909, 900, and il may have
been as good n measure as could have
been adopted at that time. II IS not
the State taxation, said he, which is
burdening the country. High State
taxes did not destroy our prosperity.
The want of prosperity, caused by
other things, made any taxation, even
ten cents on the hundred dollars, not
pleasant. Our want OF prosperity
could only be remedied by improving
our agriculture, causing the earth to
yield more abundantly by proper cul-
| tivation and wildly diversified labor.
/ Much of the land of this county needs
recuperation more than it does Guilt
walton, and this it could only get by
/ being sown in grain, clover or some of
! the valuable grasses, so as TO enrich
| it instead of wearing it out by bad
/ cultivation, 4 few acres well ma
nured, we'll cultivated and we'll man
aged would yield far more net profits
| than n much large amount cultivated
as it now is. Here is the real cause
of our depressed condition, aggrava-
| ted as it is by enormous Federal taxes.
/ Whilst n majority of the people of
Tennessee and of Fayette county paid
no State tax, except the poll for all,
rich and poor, white and black paid
| Federal taxes. Blankets and wooden
goods were taxed fifty per cent. upon
| their invoice cost; sugar from p to )
cents on the pound; salt q cents on a
| hundred pounds. Not only whisky
and tobacco, which some almost con-
sidered necessaries, were heavily tax
/ ed, but nearly every article of cloth
ing and the most necessary farming
utensils, besides the food which we
consume were taxed at enormous rates.
| Horseshoe nails were taxed five cents
/ on a pound, and all other articles of
/ iron manufacture which enter into
/ daily use were taxed in the same man
ner. A negro with six in family, who
only paid one dollar to the State to
| educate his own children, and no 9th
or State tax, paid to the Federal Gov
eminent forty-eight dollars a year.
Every merchant and every dealer in
goods of any description, became the
Federal tax collector This was the
taxation which reached the mansions
of the rich and the cottages of the
poor. The State tax was a mere pit
lance compared with this Radical tax.
Let us remember that it is not our
State tax which makes us not prosper
Gus, but our want of prosperity causes
us to feel even our State tax. There
is a way to reduce our State tax con-
sistently with meeting our obligations,
aud that is by increasing our wealth
aud our productions. If we had a
kuOubhnu ulllllOuS VI uOlldES VI ldAd-
BILE property, our debt would be moth
ing comparatively, and we eau get
this amount by improving our coun-
try and causing it to produce as much
as it is capable of doing. This is the
true plan to reduce taxes, and not by
grumbling and complaining. The
amount to be saved by repudiating
the debt would be so small to each
one, that it would afford no relief even
temporarily. Reduce the rate of tax
alton to ten cents, and then only three
dollars on the thousand dollars would
be saved each year, and this would
scarcely be felt. 1t would be like ia
king feather from the man loaded
with thousand pounds of iron and
leaving the load of iron on his shout
ders. Ifyou want relief from taxa
ton, you must have a Democratic ad-
ministration of the Federal Govern
ment, and then you must by energy,
industry and good management in
crease the wealth and productions of
your State by enriching and improving
your land. These are matters for
intelligent, practical farmers and tax
payers to consider. The real remedies
are i'll their hands, and do not depend
upon mere politicians.