The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-10-19

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stops it. a
AND TAXES UNWIsELY LEVIED.
The evils of taxation depend not only
III on the amount which is levied, but
how it is imposed. A government may,
and our government does, put on its
taxes so that they are unequal, and do
great injury beyond what they would in
fiict if they were wisely and fairly ad-
justed. wv
Take the case of the Western grain
which we wish to get into the markets OF
the world. The taxes upon it are cumu'
latiye. One mans bushel of grain pays
more taxes than another. The grain
that is carried the longest distance 10 the
market must pay the most Tor transpor-
tation. But it Is unwise to make 1t IN
addition to this, pay the most for taxa
tion. The cost of railroad iron, for ex-
ample, is very much increased by taxes
and duties upon every mile; and the tax
enters into the cost of the work, makes a
part of its capital, and makes a lasting
source of charges, so that stockholders
can oct a fair return for their investment.
Grain going to market, therefore, pays
not only the fair cost of carrying for ev-
erv mile. but it must also pay the cost for
taxation upon every mile. When taxa,
ton thus becomes cumu ative against
trade and commerce, it is put into lts
most hurtful form. Wien government
thus destroys the interests of the people
of the West, they ruin our buyers ana
kill our business.
| d, nc, o,rrrc1J c1rEr q MINISTRY AND DE
sTRoY COMMERCE.
An attempt is now made by some,
whose theories are hostile in their intiu-
ence upon commerce, to show that our
national taxation divided among our peo'
nile is less on each person than it has
been at some former period. In the hrst
place, our General Government, with lts
limited powers has no excuse for lncreas-
ING its taxation in the same ratio with
the increase Of the population In the
next place, such statistics do not snow
that more is not raised than necessary
In the next place they do not show that
thew are imposed in the right way and
upon the right subjects. They may un-
fairly favor some and unfairly lnJure
others. will show you that they do
this. Before the war we had vast car
rving trade upon all the seas and oceans
of the earth, We had outstrlppeu al
other nations in our ENTERPRISE In this
respect. This not only gave us great d.
rect profits, but they were active, per-
vading agencies for carrying American
products into every quarter OF the world
Our merchants and sailors were alert 10
learn what markets could be found or
made for the fruits of our soil or the
works of our mechanics. No other
country had such a network of bold, en-
terprising, intelligent agencies. The re-
bellion crippled this carrying trade-thee
Republicans destroyed it. Taxes and
tariffs were SO imposed that we could not
build ships to compete with other peo-
pie, ,,,-,o, :, oo,,,vpcr vpov
THE SEAS.
American merchants thus prevented
from building vessels, were not allowed
to buy elsewhere, and those great COM
mercial interests which once distributed |
the products of American industry were
weakened and dwarfed. This vast trade
was given up to Great Britain, and by its
agencies we have lost our markets IN
South America and in other quarters OF
the globe. More humiliating than this
is the fact that if demand springs up for
our grain or provisions these foreign car
riers upon the ocean will, by putting up
their charges, grasp the largest share OF
the profits growing out OF TINS increase
of prices. It is now well known If our
great carrying trade had not been de-
stroyed by unwise and selfish legislation
we could now proftably send our prod
nets to many markets which are sup
plied bv our rivals In this respect the
dairyman of the North are great losers,
as they should sell largely to south Amer
lea, Whoever will take up this subject
of taxation as now imposed will see that
its tendency is to kill commerce. When
buying and selling is checked, industry
must be depressed and labor must sulle'
AND LEAVING FARMERS AT THE MERCY
OF CORPORATIONS.
We have at this time striking proof of
the truth of what is now urged. We are
all reioiced to learn that business is i'm
proved in our great cities. Now this is
due to this fact that railroad war has
cut down the cost of carrying 80 much
that Western produce can be sent to
market. See how soon this fact has given
new hope to business men. But Is 1t not
a sad truth that we owe this improve
ment not to the wisdom and policy of our
Government, but to the accident of con-
troversy between great corporations over
which we have no control believe it
is wise and sagacious policy In these
railroads to do this act for the general
good, although it is done at the present
cost Of their stockholders. But is it not
humiliating to American citizens to feel
that this gleam of hope may at any mo-
ment be darkened by the decision of a
railroad corporation2 / am grateful for
what they have done. l am grateful
above all for the proof they have given,
that ifthe East is to prosper, the West and
the South must be enabled to send their
products 20 the markets of the world. l
rejoice that this revival of business, due
to this fact, has shown in the strongest
light the wickedness and folly Of destroy
ing by unwisely imposed taxation the
home and foreign commerce OF our coun-
try, the industry OF our workshops and
the wages Of our laborers.
STATE OF AFFAIRs NOT DUE TO THE
... WAR.
But it is constantly said by our Repub-
lican friends that the war made this load
of taxation inevitable. This is not true
to the extent to which it i, urged. Ifyou
will take the statement of the fiscal year
ending March, 1874, you will find that the
Government paid out that year more than
$2S5, 100000. Out of this sum there was
paid on account of war debt, pensions,
de-, $l36,000 000-less than half the ex-
penses of the Government. Now, the
fact that we had to pay this heavy sum
made the strongest reason why all other
expenses Should be cut down to the low
est point But instead of doing that, be-
sides taxing the people on account of the
war, the Government made the taxes for
all other purposes twice as great as they