Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-05-17

lUUot agle5 tuab
TAXES ARE TOO HIGH.
All must agree, then, as a postulate, a
a definite proposition, that the taxes
: both State aud federal, must be reduced
And I will not stop st the State, but VII
20 down to your municipalities and you
corporations. A vOice-"Eou need Z
20 there ~ When we look at this whole
aehinerv-federal and State govern
ments. corporations and municipaii
ties, we And they are so many
machines by which the substance OF tDt
people is gathered into their powers
for the purpose of distribution among
intriguers, and the corrupt Of the land.
Let US lay hold of these machines tha'
are called governments, and see II We
cannot reform or correct them-see II
we cannot bring them back into thelI
original meaning. what Is meant oy
governmeut in 8 free c0untryG Why,
| we start with a great idea IN THIS eoun-
/ trv. that the government was made for
man. for the people, not the people for
the government, unless for their conven-
ien,se ia the transaction Of business, and
| their protection ia the enjoyment OF
! rights.
Our government springs from and was
made for the peOple-nOt the people for
| the government. To them il owes its
allegiance; from them il must derive its
courage, strength and wisdom. But
while the government is thus bound TO
defer to the people, from whom il de-
riyes its existence, it should, from the
very consideration Of its origin, be
strong in its resistance to the establish
ment of inequalities. MOnopOlies, per
petuities, and class legislation are cou-
trary 20 the genius-Of free government,
aud ought not 70 be allowed. Here there
is no room fer favored classes or monop-
Oiies; the principle of our government Is
that of equal laws and freedom Of iRdus-
try. Wherever monopoly attaius foot
hold it is sure TO be 3 source of danger,
discOFd and trouble. We shall but full
fill our duties as Legislators by ac-
cording equal and exact justice to
all men, special privileges to
none. The government is sub
ordinate to the people; but as the agent
and representative Of the people il must
be held superior to mOnopOlies, which in
themselves ought never be granted, and
which where they exist must be subor-
dinate and yield to the government.
The constitution cOnfers on congress the
right to regulate
COMMERCE
among the several States. 1t is
of the first necessity for the
maintenance of the union that
commerce should be free and unob-
structed. No State can be justified in
sny device to tax the transit Of travel
and commerce between States. The
position of many States is such that If
they were allowed to take advantage OF
il for the purposes of local revenue the
between States might be in
fudiciously rendered, or even virtu-
ally prohibited. 1t is best while
the country is still; young, and
while the tendency to dangerous
Of this kind Is sdl feeble,
to use the power Of congress SO as 10
prevent sDy selfish impediment TO the
nee circulation of men and merehan-
disc. A tax on travel and merchandise,
ia their transit, constitutes one OF the
worst forms of monopoly, and the eVI
is increased if coupled with denial of
the choice of route. When the vast ex-
tent of our country is considered, 1t Is
plain that every obstacle to the free cir
sulation of commerce between the
States ought to be strictly guarded !
1LAl4El Dy 1NklIDklAdlAG zAh7AHatAoA-f "NsAA
ID the limits of the constitution.
WE CREATED DEBT
a this State, BY which we devised /
means for the payment Of the interest /
md principal when they fell due. This
allied, and money, along with this debt,
vas transmitted. We will pursue the
dea about debt. The speaker here elab-
,rated the subject of interest and debt,
political expenses and eXtravaganees.
he said, quoting from one Of his mes
ages:
FINANCES AND EXPENSES.
The condition Of our finances demands
he early and earnest consideration of
,cngress. Compared with the growth of
,ur population, the public expenditures
nave reached an amount unprecedented
a our history.
The population of the United States
q 1870 was nearly 1900, 900, Increasing
sach decade about 33 per cent, il reached
n 1860 81 600, 900, an increase Of 200 per
,ent. on the population in 1870. In 1863
I is estimated that it viii reach IS, ,0O0,-
90, or an increase Of S6S per cent. in
eventy-nine years.
The annual expenditures of the federal
-overnment in 1871 were 81, ,200, ,OOO; in
$50, SIS, ,2OO, 900; in 1850, SAL 600, 900; in
$50, s83, ZOO, 600; IN 1865, nearly 81, ,300,-
90, and in 1859 they were 1872, 600, 600.
By comparing the public disburse-
pents of 1863 as estimated nth those of
ISL, it will be seen that the increase
f expendiuIres since the beginning of
he government has been eight thou
and six hundred and eighteen per
entum, while the increase Of pOpula-
ion for the same period was only eight
hundred and sixty-eight per centum.
gain: the expenses Of the government
a 1860, the year Of the peace immedi-
.teIv preceding the war, were only $685.
90 900, while in 1863, the year OF peace
hree years after the war, it is estimated
bey will be S372, ,000, ,000-an increase Of
our hundred and eighty-nine per cent
IN; while the increase Of population
vas only tWeBty-one per centum Tor the
anne period
These statistics further show that in
79I the annual national expenses, COM
,ared with the population were little
more than one dollar per capita, and IN
$50 but two dollars per capita: while in
S6g they reached the eXtravagant sum
f nine dollars and seventy-eight cents
,er capita.
IL will be observed that all these state
nents refer TO and exhibit the dSburse-
lents of peace periods. 1t may there
lre be OF interest to compare the eX-
of the three war periods-the
-ar with Great Britain, the Mexican
ar, and the war of the rebellion.
In 1914 the annual expenses incident
, the war Of 1872 reached their highest {
about s3l, 900, 600; while our I
Dpulation slightly exceed S,OO0,OOO, l
,owing an expenditure of only three /
lllars and eighty cents per capita. In l
"a the expenditures growing out OF the L
ar with Mexico reached $50, ,000, 900, y
ID the population about q ,0O0, 900, CIV {
. only two dollars and sixty cents per
rita for the war expenses OF that year. !
1865 the expenditures called for by p
. rebellion reached the vast amount 6
81. 29O, 900, 600 which compared with a y
puiation OF 81, coo, 900 gives S3S 20 per L
pitG.
From the fourth day of March, 1857,
The thirtieth Of June, 1851, the entire g
of the government were +
yenteen hundred millions OF dollars. n
ariBg that period, we were engaged in +
ars with Great Britain and Mexico, :
n involved in hostilities with Indian Q
Ibes; Louisiana was purchased from L
rance at a cost Of Sl5, 900, O0Oi kiofids n
IL eeded to us by Spain for 5000 ssSO; I
,liforpia was acquired from Mexico for
{. COO. 600. and the territory OF New y
exico was obtained from Texas for the /,
m of $4,000, 600. Early IN 1851 the \
ar OF the rebellion commenced, ana (
om the first of July Of that year TO the '
.irtieth Of June, 1865, the public e1- I
snditures reached the enormous aggTe- \
ate Of $500, ,000, O00. Three years Of :
ssce have interveBed, and during that |
me the disbursements Of the govern b
lent hsvesuccessively been $3.50 0OO, go, h
546, 600 900, and S393, 600, 600. Adding &
nose amounts 1872, ,000, coo, estimated
) necessary for the fiscal year ending
be thiftieth OF June, 1858. we obtain a
Jtal expenditure Of 81 800 900, 600, Il
uring the four years immediate -
? succeeding the war, or near a
? as much as was expended Il
mong the seyenty-tw0 years that pre- a
eded the rebellion and embraced the I,
< xtraordinary expenditures already d
AIMED. These startling facts plainly a
lustrate the necessity Of retrenchment d
! all branches Of the public service. 4
buses which were tolerated during the /
ar for the preservation Of the nation L
I'M not be endured by the people, now il
lat profound peace prevails.
IT becomes proper in this connection '
, make q brief reference to our public C
which has accumulated '
ith such alarming rapidity, and as t
lned such colossal proportions.
In l7Ss. when the government COM
.eneed operations under the Federal 1
,nstitution. it was burdened with an s
'Iebtedness of S75, 600, coo created dur
- = - II Tia rarnIIIIInn- THIS &