Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-09
STATE TAXATION.

4Hc AHOCOttCS L Tess ana deT0t0 re-
marks on this subject:
That party which is not in Office. and
the grat bulk of citizens in general,
want to see the rate of taxation kept as
low as Is compatible with maintaining
the credit of the State, and administer
ing its affairs In an economical man.
ner. Both of these feelings are natural
and honorable.
1t the party in Office should levy an
excessive rateof taxation and squander
the funds collected from the people of
the commonwealth, the opposition, and
all other good citizens have AUST cause
of complaint against them, and the
people will be very apt to arise in their
might and hurl the unfaithful servants
from power. The condition of affairs
IN our own State at present is this:
The scarcity OF money! painful eI-
perience which is being felt all over the
CONTINGENCIES hard times and the
taxpayers are scrutinizing closer than
ever before, the actions of their agents
at the seat of government.
This paper would not be true to life
long record and daily preaching if it
did not heartily endorse the above
views. The lowest rate of taxation
compatible with maintaining the cred
it of the State and administering its
affairs In an economical manner" is
exactly what we urge. Further, if "the
party In Office" cannot stand the scru-
tiny of taxpayers, it should fall, and
they are not now hampered by any
Radical device of election laws In the
punishment of servants found false to
their trust. 1t was different under
Brownlow and his registration machi-
merry. 1t is different to-day in many
States still cursed with Radical rule.
We agree with our Knoxville contcmpo-
rary that these are "hard times" and the
people should have all the relief posi-
bic, Times are made hard by the mil
lions of Federal taxation wrung out of
Tennesseeans in various ways, and the
tens of millions that go into the peck
cts of monopolists. Abolish absolutely
all State and county taxation; and
three-fourthsof the burdens aflictingth
people would remain. All the relief
that the people need, and ought to
have, can no more be given by the
State than by the county. The one
item of the tariff on iron and steel col
lects as much from our people on every
utensl, from pocket-knife or stewpan
to steam engine, as all our local tax
alton; and the misery is that this tariff
does not benefit the Government but
the protected iron-mongers. Let
us do the State the justice of not ex-
pecting it to compensate for all these
evils of Federal Legislation over which
it has no control except through its
Congressman, and let US see to it that
Tennessee Is properly repre- scented
IN the next national legislature.
Let us beware of ascribing all our ills
to local government which is entirely
our own creation, but can only contri-
butte its fraction toward lifting the ma
tional incubus that weighs down the
West and South. In the course of its
article the Press and Herald remarks:
That many people are unable to pay
their taxes, Is evidenced by the fire.
quent notices from tax collectors, call
ing upon the people to come forward
and pay them, and by the long lists of
lands to be sold for delinquent taxes,
which are beginning to appear in the
In nearly all of these
cases of sales there is a penalty of II
per cent added to the original tax,
which is the worst feature Of the mat
ter, for if man is not able to pay his
tax at the time prescribed by law, the |
addition of a penalty is an outrage
both on his pocket and to his feelings.
1t is worth while inquiring in this con-
nection whether the Lists of lands to be !
Old for taxes" are much longer than
sual. We do not remember the year,
V en- before the war, when such "long |
81 s " might not have been appealed to.
IN we have never examined such list |
nit bout being surprised at the immense
lupaber of wealthy men, living in style,
Who were reported as "delipquents."
The penalty of II per cent. is an enor-
nous one, and we cordially agree with
,ur contemporary that # the man is
really unable to pay, it is an outrage
But where the delinquents are amply
able to pay, as is the case in perhaps a
majority of instances, we think there
'hould certainly be a penalty. A glance
yer any list of delinquent taxpayers,
TilI convince any man that inability to
ay is not the sole cause of non-pay-
1ent.