The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-04-15
What Causes Emigration From
TannesSee2 Not High Taxes.

Tennessee? Not High Taxes.
From the Memphis Appeal.
We have sometimes heard ltsaid, and even
seen i IN public speeches, that people were
being driven from Tennessee by the burdens
Of taxation imposed upon them. This has
caused Us to give the matter some investiga-
ton, and we find, upon examination, that
whatever may be the cause or causes when
lead to emigration from Tennessee, high taxes
do not produce this result. If they did, the
emigrants would seek countries where the
taxes are lower than they are in Tennessee,
whereas they invariably 60 to States or TO
cities, where the taxes are higher, The prin-
cipal emigration from Tennessee lB 70 Texas
Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and california
In each of these States taxes are greater. than
in Tennessee. In Kansas the rate of taxation
is so cents; the amount of taxes is s959, 59S,
and the value of farm products t2I $50 sol.
In Missouri the rate of taxation is 40 cents;
the amount of taxes 81, 467 ,542; the value OF
farm products, $lOs,6S5, 75s. In Texas the
rate of taxation is so cents; the amount OF
taxes collected is 81 Jos, 26O; the value Of
farm products is $40, ls5, 10. In California
the rate of taxation is so cents; the amount
Of taxes So, lO4, 242; the value Of farm pro
ducts is$49 $50 ,623. In Arkansas the rate OF
taxation is al 25, the amount Of taxes 81
285, 0OS, value of farm products $40, 7Ol ,6sS-
In Tennessee the rate Of taxation is 40 cents,
the amount of taxes 81, O38 $50, value of farm
products &SB ,472, 807. The rate of Ia xes in
each of these States was for the year 1875
and the val1e Of farm products was for the
year 1870, as shown by the Uninted States
census reports. These figures show that
Tennessee pays far less tax in proportion to
her farm products than any of these
States, all of which are agricultural ;
and she also has q lower rate Of taxation
than any of them. The assessments are
lower in Tennessee than in most, il not al
of those States. From these facts, which
cannot be disputed, it is evident that no in
telligent person viii ever leave Tennessee and
90 TO any OF these States to escape taxatio n.
The same facts are applicable to cities as well
as to States. z ven in Memphis, where taxa
ton is most burdensome, the rate of taxation
is less, we are informed, than it Is in st.
Louis, Chicago, Cincinnati or New York.
The truth Is, it is not the amount of taxes
paid, but the benefits derived from them
which determine the prosperity of q Stale or
of city. The people who suffer most in any
community are those who pay no taxes, be-
cause they have no properly. The cheape It
government is not always the best, but the
government which affords the greatest advan-
tages and the most benefits at the least eX-
pense is the best While on this subject, we
will reproduce a seEtenee fom a recent letter
of II. NJ. Snyder. of Chattanooga, full OF
sound views aud practical good sense. he
says: ''That taxation is q burden which
does not procure a commensurate benefit.
Excessive taxation will cripple all our indus
tries and retard our prosperity. That taxa
ton, however, which, under an economical
and honest administration of public affairs,
is nece ssary to establish those public institu-
tions necessary to development and progress,
not excessive, however high the rate may be-