, 1876-07-09
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.

70 the Editor of The Tribune.
CHICAGO, July SIN the leading editorial IN
to-day,s Alliauce-" Tax-Paying as Pleasure "
are number Of false inferences. lnasmuch
rs there are several grains OF pure ore in the
article in question, the existence Of which might
lend the unsophistfcated to accept on trust a
certain amount OF rubbish with which said
nrecfous grains are associated, I deem It good
nlan to wine out one or two OF the erroneous
ideas, and, having done so, will leave 1t to
Brother Swing to decide as to whether the slate
does not present better showing.
As Americans, he accusts us OF an undue ten
dcrucss wherp our pockct-books arc concerned,
and thinks we should do with our means all
things possible to enrich our Government; yet
he has previously affirmed that "the foe OF
Government Is often its cost" "Empires and
Republics are wont to fall because OF the ex-
pense involved in their life.' Turkey Is now
On the eve Of dissolution, not because o. hcr
Of % law and probity, but because Of the e1pen-
sIyepess Of her career" Just above this last
sentence 1athcr IN odd way, you may tn1nk, 10
begin at the bottom Of an article anu reaa up,
but in this case the most conVen1ent) ne states
that ttThc British Government costs, perhaps,
thousand million dollars year." Now, II that
item about Turkey Was an argument against cx-
Densiyencss in governmental affairs, surely 1t IS
couuteracted by the fact concerning Englanu,
who is certainly far from being anywhere near
the eve Of dissolution. Russia, france, anu
Germany arc also cited as addicted to the vice
Of money spending, neither OF which countries
hare as vet come to grief from that reason, now
ever yacnlatng the fortunes OF one OF tacna
have been from various other causes. 1t seems
that some nations have spent great deai l,o OF
money and ruined themselves thereby. Other
nations have done the same and are to-day IN
a Iourishing condition. I do not sec as
We can draw any moral from this. 70
do so, we should In any case, ,sr assrS arG
brought destruction, and what those which LED
ia nfosuerty aud strength Why state so
many miscellaneous facts from which no dcduc-
ton can be drawn save from Bunsby P21ns P1It,s od
view. Dd say sxpenSlveness x,st Wdnlo thsn m'orea
But Ill this might be forgiven. Not SO, how
ever, what follows. Speaking Of the Revolu,
tionary fathers, it is claimed that "they coulo
have endured what pressure there may have
been upon speech or worship, but the pressure @ Re
upon the pockct-book, who could bearan BY
whnt instrument docs the editor take the d.
mcnsious OF race that tied from comfortable
homes and brayed shipwreck, cold, starvation,
and death from savage natives because 1ha;I tney
epea epeeeh an and reiisions That they made point
ba4 oaok f7o% f7one On 'Ds spirit tt 'G Il 'tendss-
ness in the region Of the pocket-book." The
tax was not for the support Of their own CON-
try in the true meaning OF the p6rnse; Ex1les
from the Mother Country, they had made them
selves q home where she had no authority to
fetter their freedom OF speech and religion.
And to be followed in this retreat by the perse-
| cutor and required to pay tax for the bene1it
of that nation which had refused them their
| dearest privileges when on her soil, and In
| whose councils they we're not represented, was
excellent matter for rousing the indignation OF
I a spirited people, aside from any soretd motive
| It was not question Of dollars and cents: 1t
for defense; not ono cent for tribute" cried the
grand of soul. And their descendants to-day
are animated by the same spirit. 1t needs MOTTO
| wait for the millennium, good brother our
faith ia broader than yours in that we beheVe,
eyen now, the ssayerage citizen" would "beg glad
to step up to the receipt of customs and pay over
| his portfon for the welfare Of the government,
| general and local." could be feel assured that
! The average ofiire- holder had a 1nodics1n OF
| school-houses, and public buildings, the Amerl-
can citizen would sooner give tax OF SlOot-so
| that he knows it goes for the declared purpose,
than a $40 tax out OF which some dlshonorable
| official takes us his pcrqulsitc thfrd-perhaps
! half. ,--..--..-
Good men are exerting themselves now as
| never before to put honest men In power. Let
them so continue, and it will not be long before
that most essential of all essentials public con-
I tldence. rcvivcs in every breast Then bring On
| yoHr taxes for public improvements and you
| will find all denands Of the sort generously re-
sponded to on the part Of ye "ayerage citizen" "
| Indeed and indeed, Brother Swing, the Amert-
I cans are not SO penurious as yon would have us
| believe. Yours, in the cause OF simple Justice,
! r-Hrc