The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-03-27
"TAN FARMING -

1t is not long since the practice of baby
farming" was discovered and exposed in
England, 1t was on this wise. Certain
anu lrouUlc oi taxing care OF ana rearing
their offspringit would interfere too
much with the enjoyment of fashionable
life. Families were found who would re-
licve them of the responsibility and care
for reasonable compensation There
was a tacit understanding between the par
ties, although not q word was said. That
understanding was that these children
should die, bnt not in n manner Ia make
either party amcnablc to criminal laws.
And it always so happened, The custom
grew and increased. 1t was, at first profit
table to both sides. The one party received
large pecuniary compensation fora little
work, the other was relieved of the trouble
of children. All worked smoothly unless
there might have been wear and tear Of
conscience. When death occurred. the
scale was turned. The profit was then all
on one side. The Farmers still demand
ed their compensation. They increased
their demands under threats of exposure,
and their demands had to be complied with.
When too late these English aristocratic
Scions found that ''bahy farming" didn't
pay. 1t seems to us that our government
is finding itself about in the same situation
in reference to farming ont the collection
of taxes with, however, this important
distinction, that the profit was always ON
the side of the ''taX farmers and never
on that ot the government. Our readers
are familiar with the origin. ALLEGED object.
and workings OF the ''oanborn contracts"
and others of II similar character and
already understand, from what we have
heretofore stated, tina, ii has been "a los
ing game SO far as the national treasury
/, concerned. We have been particular TO
draw the attention of the pubic To- lhi> re-
markahle phrase in our financial history,
because it illustrates a tcndcncy toward
that which We know rs "Bulcr.in, a
trnleacy which calls for the uutel action
ui every good republican and every lover
"t his country Ia root out II we desire 70
stvc ourselves from ACKNOWLEDGMENT. We
must take hold of this matter with II heart
and u Will that will not dream of or brook
defeat. We refer to Sanborn again he
cause OF the developments oi the past two
or three days development, which it
seems to us, must serve to open the eyes Of
the public.
John ID. Coughlin, at present Il member
Of the New York state assembly. apnearcd
before the House committee ON WAYS and
means and testified. 1t seems that hc WAS
formerly connected with the collection of
the internal revenue, being an assistant as
SCISSOR, and had taken particular interest
in the collection of ''legacy and succession
taxes, in which he claims TO be an expert.
His memory was very bad, but it is sufli-
GENTLY evident that he furnished the infor
nation to Sanborn by which he was able
to make the specifications in his contract re-
quired by law. One fact he docs distinct
" remember. He did all the work, re-
ceiying therefor one quarter of Sanborns
half while Sanborn, without lifting his
finger, pocketed the other three-quarlers.
A still more damaging fact turns mp. This
Coughin offered to collect these same taxes
for fifteen per cent. Notwithstanding this,
the secretary of the treasury makes the
contract with Sanborn paying him one half
of the rcceipts-that is thirty-fiv0 cents on
the dollar more than Coughlin had offered
to collect them for. These disclosures
were not quite damaging enough, but more
was to come 1t further appeared that