The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-08-12
CIR Anglers :AND THEIR RELATIONS
To TEXAN TOWNS AND CITIES.

The county of st. Louis levies tax of
thirty-ive cents on the 500, or two dollars
per capita for each man, womaL and child,
and the product is 81, 105, 900. The State
collects $685. 900, the city So, ,009, and
the school tax is $3.50, 900. The sum total
gathered by the placeholders and used by
them Is So, 800, 900. The beauty of the
Federal system of taxation is that it comes
like thief in the night, and no man knows
when or how he pays. He is only con-
scious that at the end of the year he has
been robbed of all profits of labor. The
United States Treasury collected last year
$3.50, 000, 900, or seven dollars for each man,
woman and child, and thus st. Louis pays
81, 1870, 900, and this sum is two per cent.
of the city's wealth. st. Louis city and
county,, with its population of 500, 600,
pays annually to taxgathers the enormous
sum of 50, go, 900, or four and one-half per
cent, or nineteen dollars per capita of popu-
lation. Is it not time that the innocent
people were revolving against the intolera-
BILE exactions of remorseless tax-gatherers 2
|
erpment wrenches more dollars from wealth
and poverty than even the mobocratie city
rulers. The foulest rabble reigns in many
wards. Voters are bought and sold, as were
slaves in New Orleans negro marts twenty
years ago, and the vilest knaves and con-
fessed bribe-takers hold high positions.
The sum total of these taxes, to the ex-
tent that they are paid even by real estate
owners, is collected from tenants and these
add it to the cost of goods sold and, with
interest, it is paid at last by the farmers
who trade with st. Louis, and even so of
taxes imposed upon cities and towns of
Texas. The whole sum is dug out of the
ground. Farmers and manufacturers alone
are producers, and however indirect the
mode of payment or however many precede
the Granger, he must at last foot the whole
bill, with interest and a profit added, and
thus pay the cost of maintaining the terri
BILE governments of rabble-plundered towns
and cities. These are facts that should be
discussed by intelligent masters of each
Grange, and facts like these concern deeply
those who would give Texas proper forms
and facts of government. We have used
statistics furnished by st. Louis because
this city is singularly fortunate in
the moderation of its plunderers. In
truth the place has been often gov
erued by representatives of taxpayers,
constituting majority of the city
legislature. Most other towns and cities of
the South have endured infinitely greater
calamities than ST. Louis. The whole an
nual taxation imposed upon St. Louis con-
stitutes, including the two per cent col
lected by the thieving, indirect processes
of the Federal government, only four and
half per cent. upon popular wealth, while
there are Southern cities in which local tax
alton alone exceeds i've per cent. Not
very long ago six and quarter per cent.
was levied by the State, city and county
upon the people of one rabble-ruled com
munity of the South, and when the Fed
eral customs and excise taxes were added
the blessed people found themselves paying
to iRsatiatea tax-gatherefs more than eight
per cent. upon their whole wealth, and this
upon an assessment greater than their prop
erty would command at a cash sale. A re-
volt was organized under the name of q
Tax payers Association, and public plum
derers have materially lessened their exac7
tons. But this constitutes no relief, and
can be none. Party leaders dare not 60 to
the root of the evil. They are loqnaciOus
and pleasing and urgent and active IN
amending city charters. and Prats as
great length and in sweetest tones
about poverty and reform, and OF
ehangesst TO be effected BY the Leglslatare
and jet the timid fellows In the Legislature
and even the newspapers have not the cour-
age to throttle the monster that preys upon
the people and drsgs communities down,
not only to poverty, but to infAny. Texans
hahituAlly boast of their proves Their
courage on battle-6elds is chanted BY the
muses. and history proclairns it. We shail
soon see whether Texan laE-givers and
statssmen may boast Of that loitier moral
heruisn which deters commonplAee dema-
i l.gogues from the task Of lasting. thorough,
lfnal reform There Is but one effective