The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-04
AMERICAN TAXATION.

During the Centennial celebration period,
| upon which we have just entered, we hope
the Columbian style Of spread eagle eloquence
will be SO far modified and toned down as
| not to appear in too glazing contrast with
certain notorious facts which no amount OF
Hail Columbia enthusiasm and Fourth OF
July citation can drive away from the mind OF
every well-informed citizen. One OF these
awkward facts is the melancholy confession
we are all compelled to make, that this is the
mos. outrageously taxed community IN the
whole civilized world.
A hundred years ago the people OF the
thirteen British Colonies that soon after be-
came the United States OF America, three
millions in number, contributed no more than
four hundred thousand dollars year toward
the expenses Of their own government.
| From 1859 to 1912, the average annual cost
of the National Government, including the
interest on the public debt created by the
revolutionary war, was under ten millions 2
year.
From 1912 down to the close Of General
Jackson administration in 1897, we went
| through another war with Great Britain, and
puid OF tie entire public debt, at an annual
cost to the nation Of twenty millions of dol
lars all told. This expenditure was increased
| to from sixty to seventy millions year after
the Mexican war, from which the era Of ex-
travagance may be said to have commenced.
81, o;x,il vvh co6
money flowed in torrents and shoddyism and
| the ''Ring" became inherent parts Of the
American system Of government. Three
hundred millions year is what we are called
upon TO pay for the support of the Federal
Government, including the maintenance of q
skeleton army and Of a navy which the high
est officer in our service, Admiral Porter, re-
Gently declared to be ridiculous and con-
temptible sham, SO far as regards the value
and efficiency of the vessels and the arma-
ment As very moderate and non-partisan
Northern paper lately declared, SO prohigate
have our expenditures become under the
reign Of paper money and the growing decline
Of public morality, since the close of the last
war, that to-day the people Of the United
States are the mos. tax.ridden people in the
world.
This proposition our contemporary makes
good by comparing the burden of taxation,
Federal, State and municipal, in the United
States, with the same burden carried by the
leading nations of Europe. Referring to the
census returns of 1870, it is found that the
amount Of taxes then raised by the Federal
Government was in round numbers $780,
600, 900, to which must be added S6S, 900, 900
raised by the States, and S2lO,0OO,O00 by
county, township and city taxation, giving an
aggregate expenditure Of s674, 900 wrung
in one single year from the pockets Of the peo-
pie, many Of whom still believe that they are
living under "the best government the world
ever saw" Estimating the population in 1870
at 5000, 900 inhabitants, this gives $17 per
capita as the average rate paid by every man,
woman and child belonging to that thrice
blessed commonwealth.
Now, according to the latest and most re-
liable statistics, Great Britain, with a popula-
ton of 81, OOO, OOO spends S344, OOO, 900 annu-
ally for all governmental purposes, both gen
eral and local, or a fraction over S11 per
capita. France, with $4,000, 900, and the
enormous increase of her debt created by the
German war, requires about $500, 900 a
year, or somewhat less than Sl2 per capita.
The rate of taxation in the German Empire is
50 "a per capita. and in Austria it is only
81 %. From these figures that cannot lie
the inference is drawn that we Of the United
States pay nearly double the amount of
taxes which the down-trodden subjects of
the European monarchies are required to
pay, although these countries s'are burdened
with debts, representing the growth of GEN.
turtles, and the fruits of industry among them
are consumed by vast standing armies and
expensive civil establishments"
The result Of this organized and stupendous
system Of public plumber is best described in
the words Of great British satirist, whose
humorous description Of the English system
of taxation applies with literal truth to all
who live in this favored Gland Of the free and
home of the brave :"
Taxes-upon every article which enters
into the mouth or covers the back. or is
placed under the foot-taxes upon everything
which it is pleasant to see, hear, feel, smell
or taste-taxes upon warmth, light and loco
motion-taxes on everything on earth and
the waters under the earth-on Everything
that comes from abroad, or is grown at home
taxes on the raw material-taxes on every
fresh value that is added to it by the industry
Of man-taxes on the sauce which pampers
mans appetite, and the drug that re-
stores him to health-on the ermins
which decorates the judge, and the
rope which hangs the elimination
the poor mans salt, and the rich man .
spice on the brass nails Of the coffin, and